Music and Film
Film music is popular with our member orchestras. We have a comprehensive collection in our library worth exploring.
Charlie Chaplin was one of the most influential figures in cinema, best known for creating the Tramp — the bowlerhatted, cane-twirling character who became a global icon. Born in London in 1889, he rose from extreme poverty to become a pioneering actor, director, writer, and composer. His films such as The Kid, City Lights, Modern Times, and The Great Dictator blended comedy with sharp social commentary, shaping the language of film for generations. Knighted in 1975, Chaplin’s legacy remains foundational to both comedy and world cinema.
A number of arrangements of Chaplin's film music are available for reference in our Library.
Here is Eternally (From ''Limelight'') (1952)
Charlie Chaplin - Eternally (From ''Limelight'') (1952)
Women Composers
We are exploring the many works in our catalogue by women composers and arrangers.
With over 100 women represented, there is plenty to discover.
Cecile Chaminade
Cécile Chaminade was a French composer and pianist born in 1857, celebrated in her lifetime as one of the first women to achieve true international fame as a professional composer. She wrote hundreds of works, especially piano pieces, songs, and chamber music, all marked by melodic charm and elegant craftsmanship. Her Flute Concertino, Op. 107 remains a staple of the flute repertoire. By the early 1900s she was a cultural star, touring widely and admired across Europe and the United States. Although her reputation faded later in the 20th century, she is now recognised as a pioneering figure for women in classical music and an important voice of the French Romantic tradition.
Here is Suite Callirhoë, Op. 37
Search our women composer listing - https://www.lightmusicsociety.com/services
Listen…
What makes your audiences smile?!
Here is a suggestion that would make a perfect programme filler or encore.
Holiday for Strings - David Rose
We have a version of this for orchestra in our library.
Repertoire ideas
Here is a selection of works currently on loan from our library by member groups:
Fairy Coach - Tomlinson
Elizabethan Serenade - Binge
Scrub, Brother Scrub - Warner
Polka Dots - Lubbock
Our Classical World
Our library is not just about light music. We have a significant collection of lighter opuses from the western classical tradition.
Here is a suggestion:
Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves - Verdi
Composer of the Month
Sir Arthur Sullivan
Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900) was one of Victorian Britain’s most gifted composers, best known for his 14 comic opera collaborations with W. S. Gilbert, including H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, and The Mikado. A prodigy from childhood, he could play every instrument in his father’s military band by eight and wrote his first anthem the same year. Winning the first Mendelssohn Scholarship sent him to the Royal Academy of Music and then Leipzig, where his refined orchestral style took shape. His graduation work, The Tempest (1861), caused a sensation in London and launched his career.
Beyond the operas, Sullivan was a prolific composer whose catalogue includes 11 major orchestral works, 10 choral works, two ballets, and numerous hymns and songs such as Onward, Christian Soldiers and The Lost Chord. His music blended lyrical melody, elegant orchestration, and a keen sense of parody, making him a defining figure in British musical theatre. His legacy endures as one of the era’s most versatile and influential musicians.
We have several of his works in our library. Contact us on lmsliborders@gmail.com for more information about the music we have by this composer.
Looking Ahead…
Our October play day is coming up. Book your place for a great day of music making at our home at the Victoria Hall, Bolton.
Light Music News
Our LMS Member Chris Perry recently teamed up with a host of musicians and LMS conductors Jim Cooke and Howard Rogerson to release a series of recordings of Light Music for Percussion. Take a journey through the wonders of lesser-known light percussion works HERE!
Savings Available
Can your group benefit from ordering more orchestral sets from LMS?
Music groups can order multiple orchestral sets at a reduced rate. Here are the details.
Orchestral Music sets for sale
Is your music group looking to buy some orchestral music?
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