Music and Film
Film music is popular with our member orchestras. We have a comprehensive collection in our library worth exploring.
High Flight (March) by Eric Coates is one of the composer's most stirring and cinematic works, a perfect example of how British Light Music bridged the worlds of concert hall and film.
Composed in 1957, High Flight was written for the Royal Air Force and later used as the title music for the 1957 film of the same name, directed by John Gilling and starring Ray Milland. The film celebrated the spirit of aviation and RAF training, and Coates’ march captured that airborne energy with his trademark polish and optimism.
Contact our Library team for further information about borrowing this work, or others by Coates.
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.
Peggy Cochrane
Peggy Cochrane was one of Britain’s most versatile Light Music entertainers, equally brilliant as violinist, pianist, singer, composer, and broadcaster. A child prodigy, she won a Royal Academy scholarship at eight and soon became known for performing — and winning — competitions on both instruments. From the 1920s she was a familiar voice on BBC radio, later appearing in cabaret acts, early television, and films such as Radio Parade of 1935. Her long partnership with Jack Payne brought nationwide popularity, from ENSA tours to regular broadcasts. Cochrane’s effortless movement between classical technique and popular style made her a defining figure of interwar British entertainment, leaving a legacy of charm, virtuosity, and remarkable adaptability.
Here is a selection Cochrane playing some of her hits.
To search for work by Peggy Cochrane in our library, visit - https://www.lightmusicsociety.com/services
Listen
What makes your audiences smile?!
Here is a suggestion that would make a perfect programme filler or encore.
High Stepper - Ronald Binge
Did you know that we have a version of this for orchestra in our library.
Repertoire ideas
Here are works being borrowed from our library by member groups:
Mill on the Cliff Overture - Carl Gottlieb Reissiger
Miss Saigon Selection - Claude Michel Schönberg
Leroy Anderson Medley - Leroy Anderson
Broadway Tonight - Various
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:
Raymond Overture - Ambroise Thomas
Composer of the Month
Sidney Torch
Sidney Torch (1908–1990) was one of Britain’s most dynamic figures in Light Music, celebrated for his flair as both composer and conductor. Beginning his career as a cinema organist, he later became a leading force in orchestral broadcasting, founding the BBC Concert Orchestra and shaping the beloved Friday Night is Music Night. His works, including On a Spring Note, Meandering, and London Transport Suite, sparkle with rhythmic vitality and rich orchestral colour, capturing the optimism of postwar Britain.
Here is Meandering, which is available from our library.
To find out about more works you can borrow by Torch, contact us on lmsliborders@gmail.com.
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.
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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