Evening star., 1944-04-05
This and That
BIZ Charles E. TraceUeu.

Dinner music is something to which
the musical purist listens with delight,
before you tell him what it is, but once
you name the composition and the COM
poser he wrinkles his nose and says,
"Oh!"
That "Oh" contains world of dis
approval, for, you see, dinner music is
light music, and light music, though it
be by the masters, has to be disap-
proved by the purists.
We are not purists, thank heaven,
either IN language or music. Anything
which is good, Is good enough for all
of us.
There is, of course, good dinner music
and dinner music which Is not quite so
good.
In the better class are the works of
Eric Coates English composer, whose
by the Sleepy Lagoon" and "Cinder-
ella" a fantasy, may be secured on
Columbia records.
by the Sleepy Lagoon" played by
the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
with the composer conducting, was is
sued several years ago, as the last side
of four sides devoted to the cinderella"
suite.
1t was not until by the Sleepy La
goon' was made into a popular song
that the American world heard of Eric
Coates.
AS hit tune" it won thousands of
music lovers, but it you want to hear it
as the composer intended, you will
have to get the old 12-inch record, now
put out by itself, with Last Love" bv
the same composer, on the other side.
Columbia discs recorded in England
are, as a rule, very fine, with deep, mel
low tones surprising, in some ways.
anything which other companies have
been able to achieve.
This single record is one of them. It
brings the real sound of a great Or
chestra to any living room holding a
modern electric phonograph.
This is good music, nothing to be
sneered at, even if it is popular. The
demonstration is what may be called
lush, but not in the sense that some
OF our own popular recordings are.
Recently the cinderella" was issued
in this country, with Sleepy Lagoon"
taken off the fourth side, and Foot
Aghts, concert waltz, substituted.
This last is in fast time, played with
all the enthusiasm of our own Boston
Pops" Orchestra.
The "Clnderella" records contain, in
the main, a sort of romance, fine
waltz, and an odd march, with Incl
dental music to make up the story It
is played by the London Philharmonic,
with Coates leading.
such records as these afford a rest
from the symphonies with which the
American record enthusiast is liable to
load his shelves. Symphonies are great
indeed, but little relief is often in
order. One may be too serious in one S
music as we'll as in other pursuits.
AS an appreciator of good music. the
American collector is likely to 90 "hiph-
prov with a vengeance
such things as the music of our own
"Oklahoma' and Eric Coates music
will set things straight Coates was
born in 1886, near Nottingham. He is
the son of surgeon. He 'plavs the
viola, his instrument when a member
of the Queens Hall Orchestra. Since
1919 he had devoted himself to COM
position, turning out program music of
the lighter type, including cinderella, "
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and
"The Three Bears"
His ideal musician, as might be ex
pected, was the late Sir Arthur Sullivan,
This Coates must not be confused
with Albert Coates, the English con-
ductor, who was born in Petrograd and
whose real name of course, is not
Coates. He has to his credit an opera
Samuel Pepys,' and "Lancelot" SYM
phony.
Other works by Eric Coates available
on records are his London Suite" and
London Again" The "Knightsbridge
March, from the former, is used as a
signature by a feature of the British
Bfoadcasting Co.
None of this mans music can be
called great music, but it is very en-
| joyable, and has its definite place in
the heart of the person whose sympa
thies are attuned to all which is good
| In a great art.