Guild Light GL 5208

The Lost Transcriptions

For many people, sound recordings probably just mean commercial recordings, offered for sale by record companies which have striven to anticipate what their potential customers will be willing to buy. But alongside the familiar commercial recordings, a large number of recordings have also been made to serve the needs of various sections of the entertainment business. Today it is often labelled ‘production music’ or ‘stock music’; it often came from music publishers themselves who wanted their music to be used in cinema, radio, television, newsreels, documentaries – in fact, anywhere that music could play a useful part. Some larger radio stations also made special programmes to offer to other broadcasters around the world, who maybe could not afford the cost of some of these lavish productions. These were usually referred to as ‘transcriptions’. Four leading Light Orchestras provide the lion’s share of the music in the present collection: David Rose, Mantovani, Sidney Torch, and Percy Faith. Each has enjoyed international success with his numerous commercial recordings, and it may come as a surprise to some of his admirers to learn that he was also actively involved in making transcription recordings.