REVIEW: The Mood Modern

by Oliver Lomax

Just occasionally a new music book appears which outlines the history of something never attempted before. This is one such volume and what a monster! The author is a key part of the Dutton Vocalion company for which, as light music lovers, we have much to thank, not just for their releases of previously unrecorded music by composers such as Alfred Ketelbey, Haydn Wood, John Foulds, Montague Phillips and Hubert Clifford, but for dozens of other tuneful composers whose works would not otherwise have seen the light of day. They have also released mountains of British dance band and more serious classical music which for a younger generation is an important legacy before it all gets swallowed up and forgotten.

Now …. all of us experienced it but few of us knew much about it. What am I alluding to? Why, the very background music which has serviced radio, TV and cinema screens since transmissions began. Nowadays it has expanded far beyond those horizons so how and when did it begin and, more importantly, who were the brains behind the many various recorded music companies? Although he makes special reference to KPM (Keith Prowse Maurice) and Bruton Music, both of which owed much to Robin Phillips whose picture appears on the front cover, Oliver Lomax traces the history of all the other recorded library music companies since the start of the 20^th century. Remember Chappell, Bosworth, De Wolfe, Boosey and Hawkes and many more? Of course you do but I bet you didn’t know Chappell was founded in 1811. Me neither!

Nobody has previously attempted such an enormous undertaking and, packed full of photographs, fascinating stories and general information we are taken behind the scenes to see just how, when and where it all happened - and still does. In a labour of love spread over many years, the author has interviewed an enormous number of people and among those credited is Tony Clayden who runs the London Light Music Meetings Group. 

It will take weeks to read so how is the book relevant to the LMS and why should you buy a copy? Well, if you know who said the following then you might get a clue!

It’s all tuneful, easy listening music, but it’s properly orchestrated and it doesn’t have to be driven by somebody banging drums. That’s the key to it!

These words appear at the start of the first chapter entitled Let There Be Light and are a quotation from our very own Ernest Tomlinson. All the other famous light music composers are mentioned in the opening pages followed by a huge number of others, many of whom you have never previously heard of. Congratulations, therefore, to Oliver Lomax and Dutton Vocalion for opening up yet another chapter in the history of tuneful music. (465 pp, 194 illustrations, £24.99 available direct from Dutton Vocalion).                           

Peter Worsley