CD REVIEW – GUILD GLCD 5225 – More Gems from The 1930s

This is a cracking collection of light music of the '30s, mainly from the continent – and if you like that era's melodies, then you'll lap up these twenty-two tracks !

It opens in fine style with The Wedding of Mr Mickey Mouse by Franz Steininger, (no, I hadn't heard of him either !), and it's played by Dajos Bela and his Orchestra, on an Odeon recording of 1933. A really catchy number to begin the disc, which is complemented by detailed notes by the much missed David Ades.

This is followed by Buddha's Festival of Love played by Ferdy Kauffman and his Orchestra, a slightly larger sounding ensemble than on the Bosworth recording I have, which I think improves the music.

The Irish-born and English-trained composer Charles Ancliffe provides a lovely melody with his Temptation Waltz played by The New Mayfair Orchestra, whilst another waltz, Golden Kisses by Sando Dicker is played by Edith Lorand and her Viennese Orchestra who made numerous light music recordings which, according to David, appeared to have sold well.

Another name familiar to devotees of thirties melodies is Marek Weber and his Orchestra and they play Japanese Lantern Dance while another composer Leon Jessel, (he of "Parade of the Tin Soldiers"), provides Parade of The City Guards, played by the Orchestre Raymonde.

The Dwarfs' Patrol, Dancing Butterfly, The Doll And The Showman – just three more of these fascinating pieces of 1930s light music on this entertaining Guild CD, which climaxes with a super selection of the music of an almost forgotten composer – Herman Finck – which he arranged under the title Finkiana and recorded in 1935 with his own orchestra, just four years before he died in 1939.

A fitting tribute to him and a worthy ending to this Golden Age of Light Music CD.

Ken Wilkins
April 2015

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