Guild’s first selection of previously neglected Mantovani recordings (‘Mantovani – By Special Request’ GLCD5110) received such a positive response from the maestro’s countless admirers, that a second volume became not only desirable, but obligatory. Once again, the main concern has been to avoid duplications with the many CDs already on the market, and the opinions of Monty’s fans have been sought in order that this collection contains those pieces that they would most like to have digitally restored on a new CD.

Just because it has been largely neglected certainly does not imply that the music is in any way inferior. The fact is that Mantovani was such a prolific recording artist, and many of his fine albums still await rediscovery. Of equal interest are the numerous recordings he made (particularly during the 1940s) before his ‘cascading strings’ sound made him famous around the world. As before, this is not intended to be a ‘Best of …’ collection (there are plenty of those around already), but more importantly a CD that will be welcomed especially by true Mantovani fans – because it is just what they, themselves, have requested.

Happily there are many opportunities to find CDs containing the ‘famous’ Mantovani Orchestra of the 1950s, when Ronald Binge’s clever scores created the unique sound that set Mantovani apart from all his peers. However, prior to that Mantovani conducted various ensembles from dance bands to full concert orchestras that set high standards in the recording studios. These often rare 78s deserve to be remembered for their superb musicianship, and Guild is proud to be offering another collection from this unfairly neglected period in the career of one of the world’s greatest orchestra leaders.

In June 1940, during the early months of World War II, the BBC in Britain instigated a series of popular music programmes called "Music While You Work" aimed specifically at factory workers. The intention was that the bright, breezy and tuneful music would help to stimulate production, by keeping the workers in a happy frame of mind. The radio series became so popular that it continued long after hostilities ceased, and it was even resurrected in the 1980s for a brief spell.

In 1942 Decca complemented the radio programmes by launching a new series of 78s for playing over public address systems in factories, and they could also be purchased by record buyers if they wished. The series continued until January 1947, by when 420 records had been released, although poor publicity made it difficult for the general public to find details of them all. Therefore many of the Decca ‘Music While You Work’ 78s (with their distinctive black and white labels carrying a stroboscope round the edge to allow the running speed of the turntable to be properly adjusted) have become collectors’ items. Some still turn up at record fairs, but the few numbers recorded by Mantovani are difficult to trace. Our collection begins with one such rarity – Castiliana composed by Reg H. Casson, who sometimes used the pseudonym E.S. Pana. The other side of this record is also featured towards the end of this CD – The Spirit Of The Matador (also by Reg H. Casson) – both numbers being the kind of bright, Latin American tune that would certainly raise one’s spirits.

One Night Of Love was composed for the 1934 film of the same name starring Grace Moore. Victor Schertzinger’s score won an Oscar, and Mantovani actually recorded the version on this CD on 4 September 1944, although Decca didn’t release the 78 until 1949. Another famous film song that increased in popularity as the years went by was Love Is A Song from Walt Disney’s "Bambi" (1942) – a fine example of the high standards that Disney demanded from songwriters for his animated cartoons.

Mantovani makes his first appearance in this collection as a composer with Mexican Starlight, using his pseudonym ‘Pedro Manilla’. ‘Pedro’ also crops up later in Adios Conchita and Tango De La Luna, which served as Mantovani’s signature tune for his television programmes in 1946 and 1947.

Charles W. Ancliffe (1880-1952) will forever be associated with Nights Of Gladness, and this Mantovani version does the famous waltz full justice. There is something very satisfying about a medium-size concert orchestra really letting its hair down, and the arranger (probably Ronald Binge) certainly allowed many sections to shine! Listen out for passages featuring the strings, ably supported by the xylophone, saxophones, woodwind, tubular bells and a brief snatch of an electric organ – possibly Ronald Binge on the Novachord.

Space doesn’t permit detailed notes on each and every tune, but special mention must be made of Our Waltz. This was one of the early success by David Rose (1910-1990), and Mantovani’s version from 1944 brings in the saxophones to support the strings, resulting in a rich, warm sound so reminiscent of that period. Mantovani’s long-term musical associate and chief arranger, Ronald Binge (1910-1979), steps into the spotlight as composer of Siesta – described on the record label as ‘a Rumba Serenade’. Ronnie’s flair for creating inspired scores of otherwise ordinary melodies is evident on several tracks.

The Americans Robert Wright (b. 1914) and George ‘Chet’ Forrest (b. 1915) seemed to have a mission to make classical music acceptable to millions. The high point of their career was in 1953 when Alexander Borodin’s (1833-1887) melodies made "Kismet" an international success, both on Broadway (it opened in December) and two years later in the cinema. Earlier they had worked their magic on the music of Grieg (1843-1907), for a musical they called "Song Of Norway" which opened on Broadway in August 1944, but surprisingly did not reach the big screen until 1970. Although the initial Broadway run (860 performances at the Imperial Theatre) was much higher than "Kismet" (583), it is "Song Of Norway" which has been largely forgotten, making this Mantovani selection all the more welcome.

The composer of the well-known piece Tango Bolero was, at one time, known as ‘The German Tango King’. Juan Llossas (1900-1957) was actually born in Barcelona, Spain, but he went to Berlin in 1923 and became so popular that he made his future career in Germany. At one time he was working on a radio show which required him to compose one new tango every week, which helps to explain his prolific output.

Tell Me You Love Me (based on On With The Motley from "Pagliacci" by Ruggiero Leoncavallo) could not be issued in Britain for copyright reasons when originally recorded in 1951, although Decca did release it on their London label in the USA. Around the time that Hejre Kati was recorded, both Sidney Bowman and Max Jaffa were prominent in the string section, so it could be either of them taking the violin solo.

Gipsy Trumpeter features a virtuoso performance by Stan Newsome (1919-1989), who was Mantovani’s lead trumpeter from 1947 to 1959. For 32 years Stan also served his fellow musicians as secretary of the Musicians Social and Benevolent Council. The arrangement is both dramatic and intriguing: roughly half-way through it almost takes on the feel of the great American swing bands, with a drum passage that could have been lifted from Tommy Dorsey’s famous 1937 classic Song Of India. The composer, Martin Vicente Darre (b. 1916) comes from Spain.

Mantovani’s own delightful In Waltz Time is another example where a flowing string melody is warmly supported by a strong saxophone section. It was recorded on 17 April 1945, but for some reason Decca delayed its release for three years. Even longer in the vaults was La Paloma by Sebastian de Yradier (1809-1865); Mantovani recorded it on 24 April 1944, but it took four years to reach the record shops.

Richard Addinsell (1904-1977) had a great gift for melody, even though much of his output may have been eclipsed by the huge success of Warsaw Concerto. He composed One Magic Wish (from the film "Under Capricorn") with American lyricist Kay Twomey, who had several hits, most notably Wooden Heart for Elvis Presley.

The Choristers has been included for several reasons. Although recorded as early as 17 February 1940, it is clearly the work of Ronald Binge who seems to be anticipating the sound he would create for the strings a decade later. In places it is reminiscent of his composition Cornet Carillon with notes being sustained as they might sound in a church or cathedral. The composer, Bernard Phelps, seems to have been inspired more than once by religious themes: another of his works is The Old Belfry. The wordless vocal accompaniment is provided by Jack Plant (a leading popular singer of the day), and Mantovani’s sister Remila, under her professional name Stella Roberta.

The final work in this collection is Concerto In Jazz by Donald Phillips (1913-1994). Although not quite as well known as his Skyscraper Fantasy, it was highly regarded when first published, with several other commercial recordings by leading orchestras including the Skyrockets Orchestra, Charles Shadwell, Sidney Torch and George Melachrino. The record label credits pianist Arthur Young as ‘Art’ Young, no doubt trying to give him status as a jazz performer! No matter, it’s a brilliant performance of a fascinating mini-concerto, and even though it may not be quite what people today expect from Mantovani, it deserves to be offered to a new audience in the 21^st century.

Annunzio Paolo Mantovani was born in Venice, Italy on 15 November 1905. His father Benedetto was principal violinist at La Scala, Milan, with the legendary Arturo Toscanini. Although details are difficult to confirm, Mantovani always maintained that he came to England when aged only four, and it is believed that he may have accompanied his father who was playing with a touring Italian opera company which performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 1909. The family seems to have settled permanently in England in 1912.

After his basic education at Archbishop Tenison’s Grammar School, and L’Ecole Notre Dame de France, he completed his formal musical studies at Trinity College where he excelled on the violin, performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 when only 16. His father was so delighted that he presented his talented son with a valuable Testori violin, which had once been a gift to Benedetto from a Russian princess.

But the young Mantovani showed leanings towards the popular music of the day, and he embarked upon a career that was typical for many aspiring musicians in the early years of the last century. His studies had equipped him well as both a violinist and pianist and, thanks to his time studying counterpoint and harmony, it was not long before he became fully proficient at composing and arranging.

Living in the capital city there were plenty of opportunities for work in restaurants, hotels and theatres, and while still in his teens he realised that conducting was another skill that came easily to him. In 1923 he took a quintet into the Midland Hotel in Birmingham; by 1925 he was at London’s Metropole Hotel near Trafalgar Square where one of his later players was another talented youngster who would one day become one of the most famous light music conductors alongside Mantovani – none other than George Melachrino.

This was the era that witnessed the birth of radio, and the emergence of gramophone records as a major source of home entertainment. Naturally Mantovani was in demand for both, and by 1932 his name was starting to be recognised by music lovers. Although his first test for a recording company is reported to have taken place as early as 1925, resulting in several interesting 78s (some under the name ‘Gandino’), it was in 1932 that he began his series of popular recordings conducting his Tipica Orchestra for the Sterno label. There was a steady demand for dance music, and Mantovani tended to specialise in Latin American styles, resulting in two minor hits in the USA in 1935 and 1936 (Red Sails in the Sunset and Serenade in the Night). Gradually his recorded repertoire expanded to include pieces of concert-style light music, and this laid the foundations for the large orchestra, with the emphasis on strings, that was to bring him universal acclaim from the early 1950s onwards.

In addition to all his other commitments, he conducted the theatre orchestra in West End productions such as "Sigh No More", "Pacific 1860" and "Ace of Clubs" (all Noel Coward shows), and Vivian Ellis’ "And So To Bed". But the world-wide acclaim that greeted Charmaine in 1951 forced him to devote all his energies thereafter to recording and performing concerts with the great orchestra that has ensured his well-deserved place in the history of popular music. In 1956 he won an Ivor Novello Award as the year’s most outstanding personality in the world of popular music.

Today it is well-known that Ronald Binge (1910-1979) deserves recognition as the talented arranger responsible for creating the distinctive string sound (sometimes called ‘cascading strings’) which made Mantovani famous throughout the world.

Binge’s success with the ‘Mantovani sound’ sometimes eclipses his own distinguished career. Their long association began in February 1935 when Ronnie joined Mantovani (then appearing at the Hollywood Restaurant in London) to write arrangements for the Tipica Orchestra, and this collaboration lasted until 1952. He once explained that he achieved the ‘cascading strings’ effect by emulating the technique of sacred music composers from previous centuries, who had to allow for the long reverberation in large cathedrals. Binge divided the strings into several separate sections, each allotted a different note in turn, which they would sustain until required to move on to the next passage.

Although the major part of his work closely involved Mantovani, Ronnie was keen to develop his own career in composing and arranging, and eventually he branched out on his own. Several of his works had been recorded by Mantovani during the 1940s (for example Whirlwind on the first Guild CD of Mantovani’s recordings, and Siesta in this collection), but his first major success as a composer came with Elizabethan Serenade (this was actually performed as early as 1952 by Mantovani on a transcription recording), to be followed by titles such as The Watermill, Miss Melanie and Sailing By – familiar to millions of radio listeners as the closing theme for BBC Radio 4.

Mantovani himself is represented as the composer of four titles in this collection, three of them under pseudonyms. Among several, he used the names ‘Pedro Manilla’, ‘Paul Remy’, ‘Roy Faye’, ‘Leonello Gandino’, ‘Paul Monty’ and ‘Tulio Trapani’. It is perhaps a pity that he did not reveal this aspect of his considerable talents more openly, because his own tuneful compositions number in excess of 100.