CD REVIEW
'GRAND
HOTEL'
Tom Jenkins and the BBC Grand
Hotel Orchestra
DINMORE RECORDS
DRD 056
Total playing time: 76:29
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This CD was
released as long ago as 2002, but
somehow managed to slip under the
radar as far as reviews are
concerned !
Those of us 'of a
certain age' will certainly
remember that, up until about the
late '50s /early '60s, the BBC
regularly attracted large
audiences with their many Light
Music programmes. One of the most
popular of these was 'Grand
Hotel, which had been established
during the 1930s, and was
originally transmitted from the
Palm Court of that eponymous
venue in the English seaside
resort of Eastbourne, Sussex.
Visitors there today will find
numerous framed photographs and
other memorabilia associated with
the programmes.
In 1948, the
broadcasts were transferred to
London's Broadcasting House,
although BBC were keen to
perpetuate the fiction that they
were still emanating from the
actual hotel ! One of the most
celebrated performers was the
violinist Tom Jenkins, who was
the leader of the BBC Palm Court
Orchestra. Reputedly, at its
peak, the programme was regularly
heard by some ten million
listeners !
A native of Leeds,
Jenkins had shown early promise
on the violin, appearing as a
soloist aged only twelve at a
local concert in his home town.
He subsequently won prizes in
Music Festivals held in Leeds and
Hull, where he particularly
impressed one of the examiners by
the [then] name of Dr. Adrian
Boult.
From the age of
nineteen he was to be found
playing in holiday resort
orchestras throughout the UK.
After six years as sub-leader of
the Hastings Municipal Orchestra,
he was appointed leader of the
Grand Hotel Orchestra, just along
the coast at Eastbourne.
Also in 1948,
Jenkins took over from the
seriously ill Albert Sandler as
musical director of the latter,
and was to be heard every Sunday
evening on the broadcasts. Within
a short time, he became a
household name, receiving an
enormous weekly postbag. It is
believed that he insisted on
replying to every single letter
personally !
In 1951, Tom
Jenkins and the BBC Grand Hotel
Orchestra went into the 'EMI
Studios' [it is presumed
those at Abbey Road, North-West
London] and 'cut' fifteen
of the seventeen tracks on this
CD. The remaining two are stated
to be 'live performances', which
may possibly have been recorded
'off-air'.
Jenkins left
'Grand Hotel' in 1954, but
returned to the BBC the following
year with his own ensemble, the
Tom Jenkins Orchestra. This soon
achieved similar popularity, but
very sadly he was diagnosed with
lung cancer in 1956, and passed
away the following year at the
age of only forty-seven.
The programme
comprises a good representative
selection of the type of musical
fare, both in content and
performing style, which featured
on the broadcasts. The track
listing is as follows:-
Mazurka De Concert
[Musin, arr. Cramer]
By The Sleepy Lagoon [Eric
Coates]
Melodies Of Britain [Trad., arr.
Jack Byfield]
If My Songs Were Only Winged
[Hahn]
Parlez Moi D'Amour [Lenoir]
Fascination [Marchetti]
Dear Miss Phoebe selection
[H. Parr-Davies]
The Laughing Violin [Kai
Mortenson]
Jealous Lover [Charles Williams]
Because You're Mine
selection [various]
Gypsy Carnaval [Yascha Krein]
Dream Serenade [Wusthoff]
Pizzicato form Sylvia [Delibes,
arr. Cramer]
Waltzing Thru Filmland [various]
Meditation from Thais [Massenet]
Air On The G String [J. S. Bach]
To A Wild Rose [E. MacDowell]
Within the
Orchestra, some of the items
additionally feature two
highly-regarded musicians who
continued to be associated with
the programme for many years
after the passing of Tom Jenkins
Reginald Kilbey [cello]
and Jack Byfield [piano].
The recording
restoration was carried out by
Paul Arden-Taylor and the audio
quality is up to his usual very
high standard. This CD has
recently kept me company on a
couple of lengthy car journeys,
and is warmly recommended.
It is available
from:- paul@dinmore-records.co.uk'
©
Tony Clayden, June 2024
It is worthy
of mention that Palm Court
Concerts continue to be given at
Eastbournes Grand Hotel,
[usually on the last Sunday of
every month], by Shelley van Loen
and her Palm Court Strings. Full
details can be obtained by
contacting shelley@palmcourtstrings.co.uk
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