Light Music

Collectors who already possess the previous three CDs in this series on GLCD5128, 5137 and 5186 will need no encouragement to acquire this one as well. These Decca 78s were prompted by the BBC radio programmes of the same name, but the series was quickly deleted. Throughout the existence of the Music While You Work label Decca publicity had been sketchy, to say the least. The record buying public was often unaware of what was available, so consequently some of the titles must be quite rare. Although the records included many different ensembles, the Guild CDs have concentrated on the Light Music titles, featuring once well-known conductors such as Harry Fryer, Ronnie Munro, Reginald Pursglove, Harold Collins, Richard Crean and Harry Davidson. Some of the later 78s were recorded using Decca’s revolutionary ‘ffrr’ (full frequency range recording) process which remained a closely guarded secret for some while since it had originally been developed to assist the war effort, and the improved sound quality of several of the later tracks on this CD is evidence of this.

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