Deleted folk vinyl – Argo records

I started out with some grand idea of writing about all those thousands of folk recordings that are lying around decomposing in the vaults of record companies or lost and unlistened to on the archive racks of learned institutions.

But it somehow morphed into this ramshackle look at the British record label Argo. That’s why it’s called Folk Catalogue. But isn’t really.

It’s mostly a look at the folk records Argo issued – a sort of annotated discography that reads a bit like Bermondsey Bob’s contributions to From the Message Boards in Private Eye.

(If you find you’re into it, you can sign up for the Facebook page and you’ll be kept informed about updates and new posts)

Except that I keep getting distracted…

So, in the column on the right are

– some random bits of the label’s music to listen to (they open in a new window so you can carry on reading)

– the beginnings of a complete discography of the Argo label (a major distraction)

– a potted history of the label that I’ve started working on

– a catalogue of the folk music Argo issued decade by decade

– links to posts on the folk albums that i’ve got round to doing the track list (and, in some cases, notes) for

– and in between miscellaneous things that have cropped up, like the Bloody Decca entry…and Olga Lehmann and Arthur Wragg’s fantastic Argo album covers.

Holes
It’s still got more holes than substance. Hey, it’s not easy doing a catalogue of 30-60 year old records that only exist in charity shops and auction houses (stuck between The World of Charlie Kunz Vol 5 and Richard Clayderman Plays Abba) and on eBay.

I’ve been getting loads of help from people I bump into on the internet. So if you’ve got any Argo music or information you can pass on, I’d be very grateful.

A bit of history
Argo was a quirky one-off – a very British label that went its own sweet way from 1951…till it was so caught up in the machinations of the industry that it couldn’t go its own sweet way any more. Forget the latter-day claims of resurrection, it effectively died in 1980. At the hands of the suits at Polygram.

When the label was founded (on a shoestring), long-playing records had only been on the market in the UK for just over a year. Founder Harley Usill said the label would specialise in ‘British music played by British artists’ – and so it did – but from the earliest days Argo also explored loads of off-beat new ways of filling the whopping 23-minutes-per-side of vinyl that the new technology made available.

The complete works of Shakespeare, contemporary poets reading their own work, steam locomotives, music hall, jazz, contributions to ground-breaking, progressive English learning aids, plus outsanding recordings of choral, chamber and new classical music…They even recorded and released the birth of Usill’s first son, pre-natal heartbeats and all.

And they also released folk. All sorts of British stuff – from senior Marxist-Leninist trad scholarship to loving experiments with Kipling, to young pop folksters in ironed flairs.

And pioneering field recordings of what in those days was known as ‘ethnic’ music.

In 1953, 34 years before they started sneaking "world music" dividers into the racks in records shops, Usill was helping musicologist Deben Bhattacharya to buy a tape recorder so he could go off to India and record.

The Living Tradition series of field recording LPs that Bhattacharya went on to make for Argo were a remarkable achievement – a low-profile version of what Colombia and Alan Lomax were doing around the same time with their rather grander World Library of Folk and Primitive Music.

By 1957 Argo was making decent profits, but had cash flow problems. Decca, who had been pressing the Argo releases, made Usill an offer and in November that year Argo became a division of the Decca Record Company. Usill stayed on and was given a pretty free hand to develop the Argo division along his own lines.

By 1979, Argo had a turnover of ₤1 million, with a return on investment of 34 per cent. But then Decca got taken over by Polygram, and Polygram caught a nasty cold with the sudden death of disco. Rationalisation was the order of the day, and Argo got the chop.

"I had hoped they would let it go on, not snuff it out as they did. We were not told very much. The whole episode was a nightmare to everyone involved," Usill said.

So where is the Argo back catalogue now?
Well, in 1999 Phillips sold Polygram to Seagram and it was merged into the Universal Music Group, currently owned by the Paris-based media conglomerate Vivendi.

A couple of the albums in the Argo folk catalogue have been released on CD in Japan and some artists have reissued a handful of their own recordings (The Yetties and Dave Goulder, for example).

The Dutton Vocalion label released a couple of albums (Bonnie Dobson and The Critics Group’s Sweet Thames Flow Softly), but in June 2009 they told me they had no plans to reissue any more of the Argo folk.

Since 2007, 50 LPs from the long-deleted Argo classical catalogue have been re-released by Decca in digital form under a new Argo imprint. But there’s no sign of the folk music.

(1968) Various Artists – Songs and dances from Bulgaria

Argo issue number: RG 562, re-issued April 1971 as ZFB 47

Recordings: made in the field by Deben Bhattacharya in 1965

Sleeve notes and photos: Deben Bhattacharya

Singers/musicians
Pena Grozeva – tambura (A1) singer & tambura (B5, B6)
Maria Lačeva Hristova – singer (A2)
Gueorgiu Blagolo Rutev – gajda (bagpipe) (A3)
Slavka Ivanova Gulova, Elenka Spasova Pavlina, Stoĩka Christova Kovažka, Nouscha Ivanova Manževa, Stoĩka Ranguelova Manževa, Spasouna Spasova Markova, Dafinka Rangelova Mechandjiyska – singers (A4)(B2)
Kiko Šumanov – dudùk flute
Assen Jlov, Atanass Varadénov, Jvan Guérov, Jana Petrova Anguélova, Vassilka Dimitrova Lazarova, Dinka Pavlova – singers (A6)
Sanka Miševa – singer (A7)
Kiril Pavlov – kaval (A7, A10)
Alil Alilov – clarinet (A8)
Petra Massârliykata – Singer (A9)
Nikola Petko Vâlov, Christo Tsvetanov Gueoroguev, Vassil Ivanon Načev, Todar Tsankov Stoev, Zlatan Tsolov Slatev, Tsano Vassilev Petkov, Tsvetan Vassilev Ivanov, Mihal Krâstev Jolov – singers (B1)
Andrea Kriviralčov – gajda (B3)
Zaharina Kotseva Stanoeva – Singer (B4)

TRACKS

(click on a track and it’ll play in a new window)

Side A
1 Horo – tambura solo (Dermantsi, 1965)
2 Buen vjatar vee stano – harvest song (Pirdop, 1965)
3 Dajčova and Konéšta dances – gajda solo (Pirdop, 1965)
4 Zassviri ovĕar krai gora – harvest song (Madžare, 1965)
5 Shepherd’s melody – dudùk solo (Tuden, 1965)
6 Gree, gree messečina – men’s horo (Elin-Pelin, 1965)
7 Ovčar moma lăže – shephered’s song and kaval (Elin-Pelin, 1965)
8 Lukovitski momi horo – clarinet solo (Lukovit, 1965)
9 Zamrăknala sama Jana – harvest song (Lukovit, 1965)
10 Četvorno horo – kaval solo (Elin-Pelin, 1965)

Side B
1 Koledare – Christmas carol (Lukovit, 1965)
2 Podrum verviat kiten svatove – wedding song (Madžare, 1965)
3 Ya čuvaj Lale bajova (love song) and Račenitsa (dance) (Koprivštitza, 1965)
4 Slavčo Marijka dumaše (Pirdop, 1965)
5 Koj ti kupi, dude, kăsoto eleče – Pomak song (Dermantsi, 1965)
6 Kaži Menko, kaži nani – Pomak song (Dermantsi, 1965)

Deben Bhattacharya’s notes to the songs. Click to open in a new window

.

Pics from the inner leaflet

    

Other Bulgarian recordings
For info and to hear some Bulgarian recordings between the World Wars, check out this page on the fab excavatedshellac site and this anthology of Balkan wind virtuosi from 1906 to the mid-forties on the Topic label.

Don’t know much yet about the post-war folk output of the Bulgarian state record label Balkanton, but when Bhattacharya set out for East Europe in 1964 Topic had just released the compilation ‘Bulgarian Folk Music’ (Topic 12T107, 1964) – largely the fruits of field recordings made by A. L. Lloyd in 1954 and 1963. The 1954 field trip had already formed the basis of the Bulgaria volume of the Alan Lomax-supervised Columbia World Library of Folk and Primitive Music (Columbia KL 5378, 1959).

Topic had issued some Bulgarian music earlier in the 1950s: a couple of folk songs on a 78 by the Bulgarian (State) Song and Dance Ensemble and two tracks of recordings made at the Communist-sponsored World Youth Festival in Warsaw in 1955.

The Columbia Bulgaria record seems to have disappeared off re-issuer Rounder’s catalogue (now there’s a surprise! Not). The Topic album is still available here.

No rock, no beards
What was Bulgaria like for foreigners to visit in those days? Well, you can get a little bit of the picture in an account of a trip down the Danube by a group of young Americans, published in the National Geographic in July 1965. Here’s them entering the country at Vidin on the north-eastern border with Romania:

No place we saw was more immaculate and orderly than the customs office in Vidin. The chief inspector, a husky, dark, contented-looking man, sat behind a bare glass-topped desk. Behind him hung pictures of Nikita Kruschev amd Todor Zhivkov, the Bulgarian Premier and Communist Party leader. The chief’s deputies – shoes shined, uniforms sharp-creased – flanked him smartly. On a small table sat a powerful transocean radio receiver.

“You will tell me everything and I will believe you,” said the chief. “But if you do not tell the truth, steps will have to be taken.” We presented the inventories of our gear. After sober deliberation, the officers ordered Mike to throw away the dried sunflower seeds he had brought with him for snacks.

At Vidin the young Americans are supplied with a guide and interpreter – a lad called Jordan from the Dmitrov Young Communist League.

“Jordan helped us to overcome the reluctance of Bulgarian people to talk with us,” says the account. “Most Bulgarians we met seemed to regard the Soviet Union as a benefactor, and viewed travellers from the West with reserve.”

A little further downriver at Lom their hostess for dinner, the daughter of a local Communist Party official, advises them that her countrymen are ‘advised’ not to talk to Americans. Beards are discouraged, she tells them.

“Rock ‘n’ roll is frowned on too,” the girl said. “But I have piles of Beatles records. No one knows and it wouldn’t make any difference if they did.”

Jazz, though, was accepted. The band at the dinner played Dave Brubeck’s Take Five and other modern pieces.

Later they hitched a ride on a coal-stoked river boat.

“At village stops, dark men and pigtailed farmwomen got on and off. On the open top deck elderly couples sat with only handkerchiefs to shield their heads from the broiling sun. Young men played cards. Sun-cracked faces, threadbare clothes, and gnarled, stubby fingers told of lifetimes of unremitting labour.”

The sound of Bulgarian youth
Talking of rock ‘n’ roll, I get so caught up in this rural-backwoods-visiting-folk-song-hunting mallarkey that I forget about the world outside.

So here’s a couple of pop songs that were in the Bulgarian charts at the time. The sound of Bulgarian youth from 1964 on the state-owned label Balkanton, coming soon to a transistor radio near every old gajda player.

Click on a track title and it’ll play in a new window.

Song 1: Emil Dimitrov (Bulgaria’s fave and pretty popular across other bits of Europe) singing Signal (BTK 2744-1)

Song 2: Studio 5 playing Madison 5 (Balkanton M33 2695 Б).

Thanks to Andreas Michalke for the Bulgopop. His blog – the resting place for all sorts of ‘forgotten cultural artifacts’ – is here.

(1971) Various Artists – Music from Hungary

Argo issue number: ZFB 49

Recordings: made in 1964 (Sárpilis, Mekényes), 1965 (Szebény) and 1967 (Csurgó, Budapest, Támasi, Szebény, Egyházaskozár) by Deben Bhattacharya

Cover photo: Deben Bhattacharya

Sleeve notes: Deben Bhattacharya

Musicians/singers
Szücs György – tambura (A1) 
”Women friends of the Bogar household” – singers (A2)
Istvan Bogar, Eva Bogar and ‘friends’ – singers (A3)
Vass Sandor – citera (A4)
Kelec Jószef – furulya (A5)
Jankovics Imre – duda (A6)
”A group of girls from Szebény” – singers (A7)
Toth Janos – singer (A8, A10)
”Women from Szebény” – singers (A8)
”Villagers of Szebény” – music and dancing (A9)
Unnamed musicians – (A10)
Csaba Pálfi, Katalin Balogh and group – cimbalom and dancing (A11, B1)
Gypsy musicians of the Szeged restaurant Budapest – clarinet, violin, cimbalom, double bass (B2)
Gypsy orchestra of the Szeged Restaurant Budapest (B3)
Horváth János – harp (B4,B5)
Simon Ferenc Jozsefné – singer (B6)
Gusa Pál – a pair of green pear leaves (B7) furulya (B10)
Gyurka Mihályné – singer (B8, B9)
Gyarka Antal – Kecse dancing

Pics of performers below from ‘Musik Fran Ungern’ Caprice RIKS LPX2

   
          Gusa Pal playing furulya                                   Singers from Szebény         

     Jankovics Imre playing duda                                   Simon Ferenc Jozsefné

Tracks

(click on a track and it’ll play in a new window)

Side A
(Village traditions)
1  Csárdas
    a) Slow Csárdas – Megérett a fakete eseresznye 
    b) Fast Csárdas – Szörkesztyü (Sárpilis, 1964)
2  Song for ring dance – Bádogozzák a Pilisi templomot (Sárpilis, 1964) 
3  In the green wood – Zöld erdöben (Sárpilis, 1964)
4  Pigherd’s dances
    a) Pigherd’s dance
    b) Esteledik a faluna – Csárdas
    c) Hol lakik kend Báosi – pigherd’s dance (Csurgó, 1967)
5   Pigherd’s dances – Kanásztánc (Csurgó, 1967) 
6   Two melodies on bagpipe
     a) Kukorica Csutája
     b) Este virágzik a repce (Csurgó, 1967)
7   Song of Szebény – Da sáros és pozik a szép Szebényi utea  (Szebény, 1967)
8   Love songs from Csárdas dance
     a) Háromszinü sözre van a lovamnak
     b) Este késön kiálltam a kiskapuba egy diil (Szebény, 1965) 
9   Wedding songs and dance – Máma tedd rá, holnap tedd rá (Szebény, 1965)
10  Love song – Csütörtökön este (Szebény, 1965)
11  Fergeteges – dance (Budapest, 1967) 

 

Side B

(The Gypsies)
1   Ciganytánc – Gypsy dance (Budapest, 1967)
2   Shepherd’s melody – Juhászlegeny, Szegény, Juhászlegeny (Budapest, 1967)
3   Gyors Csárdas – fast Csárdas (Budapest, 1967)
4   The Rain – Esik esö fuj a szél (Támasi, 1967)

(The Csángó Hungarians)
5   Gyors Csárdas – fast Csárdas (Egyházaskozár, 1967)
6   The ballad of the three orphans – Kaszálomba van egy nyirfa (
7   Old Csárdas – Cicéles levélbul (Mekényes, 1964)
8   Lullaby – Babaalitó (Egyházaskozár, 1967)
9   Bride’s song – Készüjj Szep Leány Készüjj (Egyházaskozár, 1967)
10  Kecsketánc – goat dance (Egyházaskozár, 1967)

Notes
A brief note to say that Bhattacharya had already mined his 1964, 65 and 67 visits to Hungary on several LPs for other labels (featuring some of the same performers) before Argo brought this one out four years after the last recordings. All new tracks, though, as far as I can tell.

Thanks to Lars/Bolingo for pics of the performers from the Caprice album.

Further notes when I get round to it.

Deben Bhattacharya – vinyl discography

Here’s a first draft of a vinyl discography of the late great Deben Bhattacharya, who wandered Europe and Asia with a microphone and a tape recorder in the second half of the 20th century. It’s often said that he produced some 130 albums, so this collection (around 80) has more holes in it than my winter socks.

Not just holes. Putting a date to the records’ issue has been tricky, sometimes impossible. Knowing what’s on some of the records and whether tracks are repeated elsewhere on another label is currently beyond me. For the time (correct me if I’m wrong) he seems to have had an almost unique independence, issuing the fruits of one field trip on up to half a dozen different labels.

And it’s not that it was just smart marketing of the same tracks in different countries. The more I look, the more it seems that each label usually got its own original tracks for their compilations.

A lot of them, of course, were on Argo. He clearly had a special relationship with the label’s founder Harley Usill and with producer Kevin Daly. But then, what’s struck me in starting to put this together is the number of labels across Europe and the USA who were into issuing his (and other people’s) field recordings a long, long time before someone dreamt up the idea of ‘world music’.

The Argo ‘Living Tradition’ albums are the most traceable, but there were (so I understand) over 25 for the Dutch label Philips, about the same number for the French labels Boite à Musique and Le Club Français du Disque, up to a dozen for the Swedish label Caprice…

Which brings me back to the holes. That’s where you come in. You’re probably sitting there with dozens of his albums on your shelves…

If you are, help me out, so I can make the necessary additions and corrections.

I haven’t barely touched the audio cassettes, a fair few of which are listed here. Happily, and rarely for an Argo artist/producer, loads of his stuff has been reissued on CD by labels like ARC and Fremaux. Check them out.

Some of the album titles are in a larger face. Click on them and they’ll take you to more information.

I’m slowly putting together a companion list of his field trips, which may, or may not, clarify what’s in the discography. It’s been done for Alan Lomax, so why not?

There are some brief biographical details of Deben Bhattacharya here, which lead to more detail if you’re interested.

Thanks to collaborators: lars/bolingo, gadaya…

1956
Music from India – Songs from Bombay Argo RG 61-62
Musique Populaire de l’Inde du Nord – Chants et danses Contrepoint, Paris, MC 20.110 Issued in cooperation with the Paris Musee de l’Homme’s Ethnic Music Dept. Edited by the Department’s G. Rouget.
Folk Songs and Dances of North India Period SPL 1614 One of several albums issued by the US Period label in cooperation with the Paris Musee de l’Homme’s Ethnic Music Department. It’s an American re-issue of the Contrepoint album above.
1957
1958
Music on the Desert Road Angel 33513 Music from Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan recorded in 1955-6 on an overland trip from the UK to India.
Songs and Rhythms of Bengal The Record Society Ltd (UK), RSX 7
I’m pretty sure the three BAM LPs listed below were released in 1958 (or even before), as I’ve seen them reviewed in magazines in January 1959. If you can confirm or otherwise, please let me know.
Musique Religieuse de l’Inde  Boite a Musique BAM LD 015
Musique Traditionelle de l’Inde Boite a Musique BAM LD 014
Chants de Bengale Boite a Musique BAM 310
1959
In Israel Today Vol 1 Westminster Collectors Series WF 12026
In Israel Today Vol 2 Westminster Collectors Series WF 12027  The orange and red cover is from the original release. Don’t know how much later the other re-issue is. Or was it just a deluxe version?
In Israel Today Vol 3 Westminster Collectors Series WF 12028
In Israel Today Vol 4 Westminster Collectors Series WF 12029
A Gypsy Festival Westminster WF 12030 and WWM 79102 Items of ensemble music performed at Les Saintes Maries de la Mer, France: secular and religious songs, the chanting during a procession to the sea, vocal and guitar music from camp and cafe performances.
Music of Western Asia USA, Westminster WF 12033 Recordings from Macedonia, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India.
1960
Music of the Oriental Jews – Visages d’Israel France, Boite a Musique BAM V1 901
Classical Ragas of India Mercury SR 90481
Pelerinage Gitan aux Saintes Maries de la Mer – Manitas de Plata France, Disques Vogue LVLX 261 (1960?)
1961
1962
Rythmes et Melodies d’Iran Club Francais du Disque CFD 284
Rythmes et Melodies du Bengale Club Francais du Disque (1962?)
Rythmes et Melodies du Monde Gitan Club National du Disque, CND 2451 (1962?) Side A (Roumanie et Hongrie) Danse Rapide Romance Gitane, aux cimbales Je vais traivailler aux champs Czardas Gitanes ”Dieu, ouvre les frontieres” Musique de cafe Hongroise (Yougoslavie) Postupana Side B (Les Saintes Maries de la Mer) Descente de la Chasse (Andalousie) Improvisation a la guitarre Soleares Gitana (Inde) Flutes de charmeurs de serpents Chant d’amour des Gdolia Lohars (Bulgarie) Dzenisinata
1964
The Vee Jay albums listed below were part of a series of up to a dozen LPs issued in conjunction with the 1964 World’s Fair in New York as the ‘Horizon World Series’. They were all dubbed “Official New York World’s Fair” recording
The Popular Folk Music of India Vee Jay, VJ 6402, mono
The Popular Folk Music of Israel Vee Jay, VJ 6405, mono
The Popular Folk Music of Greece Vee Jay, VJ 6409, mono
Musique de l’Inde: Chants et danses populaires du Bengale Boite a Musique, BAM LD 076
1965
Music from the Middle East Supraphon Artia SUA 12699 Recordings from Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Turkey
Zigeuner – Pilgerfahrt Nach Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer Vogue Schallplatten LDK 18008
Musique Indienne du Rajasthan – Painted Ballads Ocora World of Music Series, Sweden, OCR 26 Sponsored by the National Centre for Folk Concerts in Sweden (Rikskonserter) under the auspices of the Museum for the History of Music, Stockholm. Side One contains ‘a variety of Bhil folk and religious music’, including two religious songs from Hindu festivals (one Diwali), a circular dance song, a wedding song, wedding dance, lullaby and a grievance song. Side Two contains extracts from two ballads (Pabuji and Bagh-Rawat)
1966
Musique du Moyen-Orient (7” mono LP) Boite a Musique, BAM LD 385 (1966? may be earlier) Recordings made in Syria and Jordan
In the mid-sixties (1966 in the UK) the Dutch label Philips issued a series of folk recordings entitled ‘Song and Sound the World Around’. Apart from the albums listed below, I’ve seen reference to the series containing music recorded by Deben Bhattacharya from Bulgaria and Hungary (both of which he visited in 1964-5). See also the tentative Philips entries for 1967.
Songs and Dances from Turkey Philips BL 7713 (UK issue)
Classical Ragas from India Philips 831 215 PY, BL 7716
Chants Religieux du Bengale – Religious Songs from Bengal Boite a Musique BAM LD 099 Songs of the Bauls and poems of Chandidas
1967
Gypsy Music from Romania Philips BL 7778, part of the ‘Song and Sound around the World’ series Am guessing this is a Deben Bhattacharya recording. Needs substantiating.
Gypsy Music from Hungary Philips BL 7779, part of the ‘Song and Sound around the World’ series Am guessing this is a Deben Bhattacharya recording. Needs substantiating.
Indisk Musik fran Rajasthan: Malade ballader   Rikskonserter World of Music series, Sweden,  Caprice Riks LPX 1 Recorded in Rajasthan 1962
Musik fran Ungern: Csangosanger Rikskonserter World of Music series, Sweden, Caprice RIKS LPX 2 Recorded in Hungary 1964-5
Music from the Himalayas Argo (Z)RG 530, re-released in 1971 as ZFB 40
Music from Rumania Argo (Z)RG 531, re-released in 1969 as (Z)DA 125 and in 1971 as ZFB 41
Music from the Middle East Argo (Z)RG 532, re-released in 1971 as ZFB 42
Music from the Far North Argo (Z)RG 533, re-released in 1971 as ZFB 43
1968
Music from Rumania London International (1968?)   Tracks (need them by order and side, please) Ardelean Aseara am fost pe coasta Batrineasca Briul din Muscel Ce are nieca cu mine Ciobanasul Dance Cimpulung Doina and wedding dance Doina Trisca Feciorasca Baia Mare Prelude Hora Sirba Sirba Sirba fluier Two dances Two dances Brasov
Songs and dances from Turkey London International TW 91453, SW 99453 (stereo) (1968?)
Gypsy Music from Hungary London International SW 99451
Ragas from Benares Argo (Z)RG 559, re-released in 1971 as ZFB 44
Portrait of Andalusia Argo RG 560, re-released in 1971 as ZFB 45 (coming soon in Argo blog)
Music from Turkey Argo (Z)RG 561, re-released in 1971 as ZFB 46 (coming soon in Argo blog)
Songs and dances from Bulgaria Argo (Z)RG 562, re-released in 1971 as ZFB 47
Music and Drum Rhythms from Iran Limelight LS 86057
Classical Ragas of India USA, Mercury SR 90481, Limelight (re-release of Mercury) LS 86053   USA, Mercury SR 90481, Limelight (re-release of Mercury) LS 86053 Recording dates/locations not listed. Same with most performers Click on a highlighted track to play Side One 1 Sindh-Bhairavi (5:07) – sarod, tabla 2 Paraj (4:06) – on two sarangis 3 Raga Sari (2:47) – song from Kathakali dance-drama, acc. chenda, shuddha madalam, gong, cymbals  4 Sindh-Bhairavi (4:02) – on satara Side Two 1 Raga Madhuvanti (6:08) – sarangi and tabla 2 Religious song (4:20) – in Mand style with pair of sangas 3 Pilu (7:28) – sarod, tabla, tambura drone
1969
2 Ragas Sveriges Radios Forlag RELP 1066 (1969?)
1970?
Some time in the early to mid-1970s the French label Musidisc issued a series of folk and field recordings under the header ‘Musique Folklorique du Monde’. No info about year of issue on the covers/labels, and little info either about the performers or the date of recording. Listed below are the LPs in the series which were recorded by Deben Bhattacharya. I haven’t been able to date most of them, but have seen the first – Les Gitans – dated as 1970. Earliest reviews I’ve seen for many, though, were in 1975, suggesting a 1974 (ish) issue date. Further details much appreciated.
Les Gitans Musidisc 30 CV 1102 (1970) Recordings made in Romania, Hungary,Yugoslavia, France, Spain, India, Bulgaria
Grece Musidisc 30 CV 1106
Israel Musidisc 30 CV 1107
Bengale Musidisc 30 CV 1109
Bali Java Musidisc 30 CV 1110
Roumanie Musidisc 30 CV 1111
Yougoslavie Musidisc 30 CV 1112 (1974?)
Boheme Musidisc 30 CV 1113 Side A 1 Na janovej hore 2 Zelene malinaci 3 Joj, joj, joj, joj, sem chaso 4 Chanson d’amour du sud de la Moravie 5 Slobodenka, sloboda 6 Zbojnicka, danse de Moravie- Slovaquie Side B 1 Odzemek, danse de valachie 2 Fujara et chants de bandits 3 Voklepaky, danse solo 4 Starodavny, vieille ronde 5 Prichod jara, jeu d’enfants 6 Ej vojna, chant de conscrit
Iran Musidisc 30 CV 1115 Side A 1 Mahour 2 Chant d’amour 3 Improvisation (Oud) 4 Improvisation (Zarb) 5 Segah Side B 1 Ballade 2 Beyat 3 Isfahan
Hongrie Musidisc 30 CV 1116 Side A 1 Ugros et Csardas 2 Ballade de Podoripuszta 3 Violinistes gitans 4 Ballade Moldave 5 Chant d’ amour gitan , en romani Side B 1 Furulya 2 Szeretnem, Szeruetnem 3 Kad bi suze moje na kamen padala 4 Improvisation gitane au cymbalum 5 Nem zorog a falevele 6 Tambura et choeur
Grand Nord Musidisc 30 CV 1117
1970
Folk Songs and Dances from India Qualiton 12637
Folklore from the Middle East Qualiton 12699 Music from Iran, Jordan, Syria and “adjacent countries”
Voyages Autour du Monde – Iran Philips 831 216 BY (1970?) Tracks (from front cover) Bayate Tork Pahalwani Mahour Bayate Esfahan Zorkhane Tchahargah Shur
Musique du Moyen-Orient Boite a Musique, BAM LD 5716, issued as part of ‘Folklore et musiques de l’univers’ series
1971
The Sitar of India Argo ZFB 48 (coming up soon in a later post in Argo folk blog)
Music from Hungary Argo ZFB 49
Music from Israel Argo ZFB 50 (coming up in a later post in Argo folk blog)
Music from Iran Argo ZFB 51 Recorded in Meshehr and Tahran, 1955
Songs of Krishna Argo ZFB 52 (coming up in a later post in Argo folk blog)
Music from Yugoslavia Argo ZFB 53
Religions of the Middle East Argo ZFB 54 (coming up in a later post in Argo folk blog)
Religions of India Argo ZFB 55 (coming up in a later post in Argo folk blog)
Music from Bangladesh Argo ZFB 74 (coming up in a later post in Argo folk blog)
Musique Populaire Hongroise France, Ocora OCR 54 For track listing click on gatefold scans
Musik fran Bulgarien Caprice, Sweden, CAP 1085 The scans to the right are from a reissue published in 1978 with issue number CAP 1085 on the back cover, but RIKS LPX 4 on the disc labels. The RIKS LPX World of Music series started in 1967. The CAP 1000 series started in 1971. I’ve seen a reference to ‘Musik fran Bulgarien’ having been issued in 1969. So the scans to the right could well be a reissue of a reissue of RIKS LPX 4.
1972
Folkmusik fran Rumanien Caprice, Sweden, CAP 1086 Also issued as Musik fran Rumanien, Expo-Norr, Riks LPX 5 (when?). I’m guessing they’re the same recordings.
Musique Classique d’Iran Boite a Musique, BAM LD 5781 Not certain if this is a Deben Bhattacharya recording
Musique religieuse de la Terre Sainte Boite a Musique, BAM LD 5782
Songs and Dances from Macedonia Argo ZFB 56 (coming up in a later post in Argo folk blog)
Music from Afghanistan Argo ZFB 57
The Syrian Maqams Argo ZFB 58
Songs and Dances from Czechoslovakia Argo ZFB 59
Music from Bangladesh Argo ZFB 74
Two centuries of Bengali Songs Argo ZFB 75 (coming up in a later post in Argo folk blog)
1973
Musique Populaire du Rajastan – Music from the Indian desert France, Ocora OCR 47 (1973?)
Turkisk Musik Caprice Riks LPX 6, also issued as CAP 1087
1974
Dervish Ceremonial Music Argo ZFB 91
Songs and Dances from Nepal Argo ZFB 92 (coming up in a later post in Argo folk blog – if i get to hear it)
Songs of the Santal Aborigines Argo ZFB 93   (coming up in a later post in Argo folk blog – if i get to hear it)
Musik Fran Bengalen Caprice Riks LPX 7
1975
L’Inde Mystique Vol  (?) – Ragas du Matin et du Soir Boite a Musique BAM LD 5014 (1975 or 76?) The BAM LD 5000 to 5111 series were used for stereo re-issues of earlier albums from the label
L’Inde Mystique Vol 1 – Ragas de Benares Boite a Musique BAM LD 5015 (1975 or 76?) The BAM LD 5000 to 5111 series were apparently used for stereo re-issues of earlier material from the label
L’Inde Mystique Vol 2 – Chants, musiques et prieres Boite a Musique BAM LD 5076 The BAM LD 5000 to 5111 series were apparently used for stereo re-issues of earlier material from the label
1978
Religious music from the Holy Land Expo-Norr RIKSLPX 3
1981
Evening Ragas from Benares ASV ALM 4002
Inside Afghanistan ASV (???)
Folk Music from India (audio cassette) Sussex Video, UK, Music & Society HB8
1983
Reflections of Romania – Village and Urban Folk Traditions Nonesuch Explorer, H 72092, re-issue of CAP 1086 (see above), licensed from Caprice Records. Recordings made in 1965.

EAF, ZFA series – mono and stereo EPs (1960-1974)

Argo issued its first EPs in 1960 – the year the first EP entered our family home (Cliff’s Silver Discs, a joint Christmas present to us four kids from our parents).

The Argo EPs ended up being a vehicle mainly for the steam train recordings of Peter Handsford, whose label Transacord was acquired by Argo in 1961. Transacord sound of steam LPs ended up being issued on various other Argo series – DA, ZDA, ZTR – and the Decca/Argo SPA series.

In the list below the Transacord recordings are colour-coded red, the classical recordings green, spoken word yellow, and the smallish rag bag including jazz and folk white.

The EAF issues were all mono, ZFA were stereo.

Arthur Wragg’s Argo album covers

Throughout much of Argo’s life, Arthur Wragg contributed illustrations for the label’s LP covers.

A committed socialist, Christian and pacifist (he was a conscientious objector during World War II), Wragg is probably best known for his acerbic contemporary illustrations of biblical texts in his ‘Psalms for Modern Life’ (Selwyn & Blount 1933), ‘Jesus Wept’ (Selwyn & Blount 1937) and ‘The Lord’s Prayer in Black and White’ (Cape 1946).

To check out some of his work, click here.

Wragg (1903-76) seems to me to be ridiculously under-appreciated. Maybe because his art was for popular consumption and only ever saw the light of day in publications (books, magazines and adverts). That’s probably why there isn’t a catalogue in existence of his work and the only serious appreciation of his life as an illustrator, cartoonist. commercial artist and designer is Judy Brook’s 2001 Arthur Wragg – 20th Century Artist, Prophet and Jester.

So I thought I’d begin to gather together in one place the fantastic album covers he worked on for Argo right up to the time of his death – work that was a bit of a lifeline for Wragg in his later years.

There are loads of gaps to be filled, in particular his illustrations for the label’s complete recordings of the Shakespeare plays and Argo’s The Poet Speaks series, so if you’ve got any that aren’t here (or have got cleaner versions than the ones I’m using), take a photo and send me a copy please. (thanks to David Harding, who did just that)

For the fastidious, some of the Shakespeare covers I’ve used are from re-releases from the 1970s, but I’m pretty sure they are the same as the original illustrations in all cases.

	1953 W. R. Rodgers – Europa and the Bull Argo RG 12
	1954 Dylan Thomas – Under Milk Wood Argo RG 21-2 (Argo issued this album with two different covers under the RG series – one by Olga Lehmann and this one by Wragg. Don’t know if they were available simultaneously. Wragg’s version was still being used for re-releases in the 1970s under the PLP series.)
	1954 Coleridge – The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Argo RG 41
	1958 Robert Speaight reads poems by Gray, Goldsmith, Collins Argo RG 119
	1958 Shakespeare – Othello Argo RG 121-4
	1958 Shakespeare – As You Like It Argo RG 125-7
	1958 Shakespeare – Troilus & Cressida Argo RG 128-31
	1958 Shakespeare – Julius Caesar Argo RG 132-4
	1958 Shakespeare – Coriolanus Argo RG 135-8
	1958 Shakespeare – Richard II Argo RG 139-41
	1958 Music for the Feast of Christmas Argo RG 148
	1959 Victoria – Responsories for Tenebrae Argo RG 149
	1959 Shakespeare – The Merchant of Venice Argo RG 160-63
	1959 Shakespeare – Measure for Measure Argo RG 164-7
	1959 Shakespeare – King John Argo RG 168-71
	1959 Shakespeare – The Two Gentlemen of Verona Argo RG 172-4
	1959 Shakespeare – Macbeth Argo RG 175-7
	1959  A Festival of Lessons & Carols Argo RG 190
	1960 Shakespeare – Romeo & Juliet Argo RG 200-3
	1960 Shakespeare – The Winter’s Tale Argo RG 204-7
	1960 Shakespeare – Henry IV, part I Argo RG 208-11
	1960 Shakespeare – Henry IV part II Argo RG 212-5
	1960 Shakespeare – The Tempest Argo RG 216-8
	1960 Bach – St John Passion Argo RG 270-2
	1961 Shakespeare – A Midsummer Night’s Dream Argo RG 250-2
	1961 Shakespeare – Hamlet Argo RG 256-60
	1962 Shakespeare – Henry V Argo RG 261-4
	1961 Shakespeare – King Lear Argo RG 280-3
	1961 Shakespeare – Twelfth Night Argo RG 284-6
	1962 Scenes from Shakespeare – The Tragedies Vol 1 Argo DA 1
	1962 Scenes from Shakespeare – The Histories Vol 1 Argo DA 3
	1962 Shakespeare – Much Ado About Nothing Argo RG 300-2
	1962 Shakespeare – Anthony & Cleopatra Argo RG 307-10
	1962 Shakespeare – The Comedy of Errors Argo RG 311-2
	1962 Shakespeare – Love’s Labour’s Lost Argo RG 313-5
	1962 Stainer – The Crucifixion Argo RG 320
	1963 Shakespeare – Venus and Adonis Argo RG 336-7
	1963 Shakespeare – The Merry Wives of Windsor Argo RG 351-3
	1963 Shakespeare – All’s Well That Ends Well Argo RG 354-6
	1963 Tippett – A Child of Our Time Argo DA 19-20
	1964 Shakespeare – Henry VI, Part I Argo RG 386-8 (re-released as ZPR 161-3)
	1964 Shakespeare – Henry VI, Part II Argo RG 389-92 (re-released as ZPR 164-7)
	1964 Shakespeare – Richard III Argo RG 407-10
	1964 Shakespeare – Pericles Argo RG 411-13
	1966 The Elizabethan Singers – Carols of Today Argo ZRG 5499
	1966 The Happy Prince (children’s opera) Argo NF 5
	1968 Clive Sansom – The Witnesses Argo DA 87
	1968 Emlyn Williams – Dylan Thomas, A Boy Growing Up  Argo RG 546-7
	1968 A Meditation on Christ’s Nativity Argo RG 550
	1968 Handel – Ode for St Cecilia’s Day Argo RG 563
	1968 Brahms – Motets and Chorale Preludes Argo RG 571
	1969 Late Victorian Poetry Argo RG 588
	1971 Shakespeare – As You Like It Argo ZPR 180-2 (this was a new recording of the play with a different cast from the 1958 version above)
	1972 Shakespeare – Richard II Argo ZPR (I’m not sure why a new cover was issued for this play, unless it’s a completely new recording – something I haven’t been able to establish. See 1958 cover for Richard II above)
	1972 Rudyard Kipling – Just So Stories Vol 1 Argo SW 512-3
	1976 Peggy Ashcroft & Martin Best – Sense & Nonsense Argo SW 532
	1975 Glenda Jackson – The Secret Garden Argo ZSW 543-6
	1976 Oscar Wilde – The Happy Prince & The Star Child Argo ZSW 547
	1976 Oscar Wilde – The Selfish Giant Argo ZSW 548

 

ZRG 800-899

A busy time in the Argo/Decca recording studios for the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, with involvement in no less than 30 of the 100 LPs issued under the flagship classical ZRG series. And they were selling. In early 1978 Neville Marriner received a disc on the ASMF’s behalf for European sales of over a million.

But by 1979 things were looking a lot less rosy for parent company Decca, which went into the red for the first time in over 25 years. The records/tv/audio division went from $1m profits in 1977-8 to posting a loss of $3.8m for 1978-9. The writing was on the wall. In November a deal for Polygram to take over the ailing company emerged. Decca boss Edward Lewis, it appears, had been talking to Polygram president Coen Solleveld (a long-term friend) for several months.

Its subsidiary Argo, meanwhile, kept on recording and issuing records right to the bitter end…

ZRG 800-1	Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, dir Neville Marriner	Vivaldi –Twelve Concertos Op 4 ‘La Stravaganza’	Mar 1975
ZRG 803	Schutz Choir, dir Roger Norrington	Strauss – Der Abend, Hymne Op 34/2, Deutsche Motette	Apr 1975
ZRG 804	Felicity Palmer (soprano) John Constable (piano)	Poulenc – Trois chansons de Federico Garcia Lorca and other titles	July 1975
ZRG 805	Ralph Holmes (violin) James Walker (piano)	Kreisler – 15 titles	Jun 1975
ZRG 807	Peter Hurford (organ of St Alban’s Abbey)	Franck, Langlais, Mathias, Stanley, Hurford, Bossi	Jun 1975
ZRG 808	Anne Shasby & Richard McMahon (pianos) Rec in assoc with Music Dept. University College, Cardiff	Rachmaninov – Symphonic dances. Debussy – Nocturnes (arr. Ravel)	May 1975
ZRG 809	Cardiff Festival Ensemble, Martin Jones (piano) James Barton (violin) Stephen Broadbent (viola) George Isaac (cello) Rec in assoc with Music Dept. University College, Cardiff	Reger – Piano quartet in A minor. R. Strauss – Piano quartet in C minor	July 1975
ZRG 810	Peter Bodenham (tenor) Glenville Hargreaves (baritone)Royal Northern College of Music Chorus & Orchestra, cond Michael Lankester. Rec in assoc with British Council	Crosse – Purgatory	Dec 1975
ZRG 811	Magdalen College Choir cond Bernard Rose	Stainer – ‘Church Music’	July 1975
ZRG 812	Gillian Weir (organ of Royal Festival Hall)	Charles Camilleri – Missa Mundi	Jun 1975
ZRG 813	Philip Jones Brass Ensemble	Addison – Divertimento Op 9 R.R. Bennett – Commedia IV Dodgson – Sonata for Brass Quintet. Gardner – Theme and Variations	Dec 1975
ZRG 814	Robert Tear (tenor) Philip Ledger (piano)	Liszt – Eight lieder, Chopin – Polish Songs (excerpts)	Feb 1976
ZRG 815	Felicity Palmer (soprano) John Constable (piano)	Faure – Five songs Op 23/1-3 Cing melodies de Venise, La Bonne	Aug 1976
ZRG 816	Rhonda Gillespie (piano)	Saint Saens titles	Never issued
ZRG 817-8	Elizabeth Gale & Lilian Watson (sopranos) James Bowman (counter-tenor) Ian Partridge (tenor) Tom McDonnell & Alan Watt (bass) Christ Church Cathedral Choir, English Chamber Orchestra cond Simon Preston	Handel – Israel in Egypt	Apr 1976
ZRG 819 (see ZK 80)	Kenneth Gilbert (harpsichord)	Chambonnieres – Premier livre de clavecin (five suites)	Not issued as ZRG
ZRG 820	Carmel Kaine, Ronald Thomas, Richard Studt (violins) Tess Miller (oboe) William Bennett (flute) Academy of St Martin-in the-Fields dir Neville Marriner, arrangements by Christopher Hogwood	Bach – a) Flute concerto in G minor b) Concerto for violin and oboe in D minor c) Triple violin concerto in D	Dec 1975
ZRG 821	Carmel Kaine (violin) Neil Black (oboe and oboe d’amore) William Bennett (flute) Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields cond Neville Marriner, arrangements by Christopher Hogwood	Bach – Concerto for violin, oboe and flute in D minor, Concerto for oboe d’amore in A, Concerto for oboe in F	Mar 1976
ZRG 822 (see ZK 64)	Kenneth Gilbert (harpsichord)	Clerambault – Livre de clavecin (two suites). Jacquet de la Guerre – Suite in D minor	Not issued as ZRG
ZRG 823	Philip Jones Brass Ensemble	‘Renaissance Brass’ – arrangements of Franchos, Agricola, Becchi, Byrd, Gibbons etc	May 1976
ZRG 824	a) Csaba Erdelyi (viola) New Philharmonia Orchestra cond David Atherton b) Felicity Palmer (soprano) Thomas Allen (baritone) Welsh National Opera Chorale, New Philharmonia Orchestra cond David Atherton c) d) New Philharmonia Orchestra cond David Atherton. Rec in assoc with Welsh Arts Council	Alun Hoddinott – a) Viola concertino b) Dives and Lazarus c) Night Music d) Sinfonietta	Jun 1976
ZRG 825	Felicity Palmer (soprano) Helen Watts (contralto) Kenneth Bowen & Wynford Evans (tenors) Christopher Keyte (bass) Choir of St John’s College Cambridge, Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields cond George Guest	Schubert – Mass in E flat	Oct 1975
ZRG 826
ZRG 827	Robert Tear (tenor) with a) Philip Ledger (piano) b) Timothy Walker (guitar)	‘Soiree with Robert Tear’ – a) Mendelssohn – eight lieder b) Weber – thirteen lieder	Jun 1976
ZRG 828 (from ZRG 773-775)	Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields cond Neville Marriner	‘Corelli Christmas Concerto’ – Corelli – Concertos Nos 6, 7, 8, 12	Jan 1976?
ZRG 829	Wendy Eathorne (soprano) Paul Esswood (alto) Philip Langrdige (tenor) Stephen Roberts (baritone) Richard Hickox Singers & Orchestra cond Richard Hickox	Bach – Mass in G minor, Mass in G	Feb 1976
ZRG 830 (see ZK 9)	Rhonda Gillespie (piano)	Liszt – piano works	Not released as ZRG
ZRG 831	St John’s College Choir dir George Guest, John Scott (organ)	‘Purcell Verse Anthems for choir, soloists and strings’	Feb 1976
ZRG 832	St Alban’s Abbey Choir cond Peter Hurford	‘Maurice Greene Anthems’	Apr 1976
ZRG 833	Alban Singers dir Peter Hurford	‘Songs of leisure and love’ – Dowland, Morley, Tomkins, Wilbye, Delius, Gardiner, Rubbra, Warlock, Pearsall & Cornyshe	Mar 1976
ZRG 834	Felicity Palmer (soprano) with a) Nash Ensemble cond Simon Rattle b) Judith Pearse (flute) Christopher van Kempen (cello) Clifford Benson (piano) c) and d) John Constable (piano)	‘Felicity Palmer sings Ravel’ – a) Trois poemes de Stephane Mallarme b) Chansons madecasses c) Histoires Naturelles d) Cinq melodies populaires grecques	Feb 1976
ZRG 835	Peter Hurford (organ of Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Toronto), * with Marion Rowlett (soprano)	‘Chorale Variations’: John Bull – Revenant, Buxtehude – Chorale Fantasia, Trauermusik*, Bach – Partite, Nicolas de Grigny – Veni Creator	Sep 1976?
ZRG 836	Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields cond Neville Mariner, with * Stephen Shingles (viola)	Telemann – Don Quichote suite, Concerto in G for viola*, Overture in D for two oboes and two horns	Feb 1976
ZRG 837	Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields cond Neville Mariner	Telemann – Overture in C ‘Hamburger Ebb und Fluth’, Overture des nations anciens et modernes, Overture in C major	Apr 1977
ZRG 838	Benjamin Luxon (baritone) David Willison (piano)	Butterworth – A Shropshire Lad, Five Housman Songs, Finzi – Earth and Air and Rain	Mar 1976
ZRG 839	Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields cond Neville Marriner, with a) William Bennett (flute) b) and Neil Black (oboe) c) Martin Gatt (bassoon) d) Celia Nicklin (oboe) Martin Gatt (bassoon) Timothy Brown & Robin Davis (horns) Iona Brown (violin)	Vivaldi – ‘Concerti for wind and strings’; a) in C minor RV441 b) in F RV456, c) in A minor RV498, d) in F RV574	Nov 1977
ZRG 840	Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields cond Neville Marriner, with a) William Bennett (piccolo), b) Neil Black & Celia Nicklin (oboes) c) Timothy Brown & Robin Davis (horns) d) Celia Nicklin (oboe) Martin Gatt (bassoon) Timothy Brown & Robin Davis (horns) Iona Brown (violin)	Vivaldi – ‘Concerti for wind and strings’; a) in C RV443, b) in D minor RV535, c) in F RV539, d) in F RV574	Apr 1978
ZRG 841	St John’s College Choir, Cambridge, Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields cond George Guest, Jonathon Bond (treble) Benjamin Luxon (baritone), Stephen Cleobury (organ)	Faure – Requiem & Cantique de Jean Racine	Apr 1976
ZRG 842	a) London Symphony Orchestra Ensemble cond Michael Lankester, with Sarah Francis (oboe) b) Sarah Francis c) Sarah Francis (oboe) Emanuel Hurwitz (violin) Margaret Major (viola) Derek Simpson (cello)	a) Gordon Crosse – Ariadne b) Britten – Six Metamorphoses after Ovid c) Britten – Phantasy Quartet	Aug 1976
ZRG 843-4	Alban Singers, Peter Hurford (organ)	Bach – ‘The Eighteen Chorale Preludes’	Jun 1976
ZRG 845	Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields cond Neville Marriner	Barber – Adagio for Strings Copland – Quiet City Cowell – Hymn and Fuguing Tune Creston – A Rumour Ives – Symphony No 3 ‘The Camp Meeting’	July 1976
ZRG 846	Magdalen College Choir cond Bernard Rose, Ian Crabbe (organ)	‘Music at Magdalen Volume 4’ – Early English music – five titles	Apr 1976
ZRG 847	a) Schutz Choir dir Roger Norrington b) Schutz Consort cond Roger Norrington	a) Schutz – Cantiones Sacrae (motets) b) Monteverdi – Lagrime d’amante (sestina)	Mar 1978
ZRG 848 (both sides issued earlier)	Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields cond Neville Marriner. Re-coupling of a) ZRG 584 and b) ZRG 670	‘Serenades for Strings’: a) Tchaikovsky – Serenade for Strings in C major  b) Dvorak – Serenade for Strings in E major	June 1976?
ZRG 849 (see ZK 37)	Jordi Savall (viola da gamba) Trevor Pinnock (virginal, organ)	Titles by Bull, Ferrabosco, Gibbons, Simpson etc released as ‘Seventeenth Century English Music’ in Oct 1978	Never issued as ZRG
ZRG 850	Felicity Palmer (soprano) Paul Esswood (alto) Philip Langridge (tenor) Christopher Keyte (bass) Philomusic of London, John Scott (organ) St John’s College Choir cond George Guest	A. Bononcini – Stabat Mater Caldara – Crucifixus Lotti – Crucifixus	Mar 1978
ZRG 851	Philip Jones Brass Ensemble	‘Divertimento’: eight titles by Tchaikovsky, Arnold, R. R. Bennett, Previn etc	Jun 1977
ZRG 852	Magdalen College Choir cond Bernard Rose	Stanford – Three Latin motets & Three English motets. C. Wood – Six anthems	Sep 1976
ZRG 853	Felicity Palmer (soprano) Helen Watts (contralto) Robert Tear (tenor) Stephen Roberts (bass) King’s College Choir Cambridge, Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields cond Philip Ledger	Bach – Magnificat in D minor	Mar 1977
ZRG 854	Felicity Palmer (soprano) Helen Watts (contralto) Robert Tear (tenor) Stephen Roberts (bass) King’s College Choir Cambridge, Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields cond Philip Ledger	Bach – Magnificat in D major Vivaldi – Magnificat	Sep 1977
ZRG 855	James Bowman (counter-tenor) Robert Tear (tenor) Christopher Keyte (bass) St John’s College Choir, Philomusica of London dir George Guest	‘The King Shall Rejoice and other Chapel Royal Anthems’: Six titles by Mathew Locke, John Blow & Pelham Humphrey	Mar 1977
ZRG 856	Tommy Reilly (harmonica) Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields cond Neville Marriner	‘Tommy Reilly – harmonica’: James Moody – Little Suite, Gordon Jacob – Five Pieces, Vilem Tausky – Concertino Vaughan Williams – Romance	Feb 1977
ZRG 857	Magdalen College Choir dir Bernard Rose, Richard Gowman (organ)	‘Laudate Dominum – Venetian music by the Gabrielis and Bassano’	Mar 1978
ZRG 858	Christ Church Cathedral Choir cond Simon Preston	Byrd – Mass for Four Voices, Mass for Five Voices	Apr 1977
ZRG 859	Magdalen College Choir dir Bernard Rose, Richard Gowman (organ)	‘Music from Venice’: titles by Andrea Gabrieli, Giovanni Gabrieli, Croce, Bassano, Monteverdi	Apr 1977
ZRG 860	Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields cond Neville Marriner	Britten – Variations on a theme of Frank Bridge; Butterworth – The Banks of Green Willow, Two English Idylls, A Shropshire Lad Rhapsody	Nov 1976
ZRG 861 (see ZK 39)	Robert Tear (tenor) Timothy Walker (guitar). Unpublished due to copyright issues with publishers.	Walton – Anon in love. Seiber – Four French Folksongs, Four old French songs. Britten – Five folk song arrangements, Bonny at morn	Never issued as ZRG
ZRG 862	Robert Tear (tenor) Philip Ledger (piano)	Copland – Old American Songs, Twelve poems of Emily Dickinson	Feb 1977
ZRG 863 (see ZK5 Dec 1976)	Colin Tilney (harpsichord)	D. Scarlatti – 14 sonatas	Never issued as ZRG
ZRG 864	Gillian Weir (organ)	‘’The Organ at Hexham Abbey’’: titles by Bull, Tomkins, Grigny, Sweelinck, Langlais, Vierne, Widor, Mulet, Daquin, Dupre, Worster, Dubois	Feb 1977
ZRG 2865 (see RG 440)	a) Marisa Robles (harp) b) Roger Parker (treble) Michael Pearce (counter-tenor) Robert Tear (tenor) Forbes Robinson (bass) St John’s College Choir dir George Guest, Brian Runnett (organ) c) Brian Runnett (organ) This matrix number used for reissues of RG 440/ZRG 5440, which had to be withdrawn after Britten requested the re-recording of ‘incorrect’ passages.	Britten – a) A Ceremony of Carols b) Rejoice in the Lamb c) Missa Brevis
ZRG 866	Richard Hickox Orchestra cond Richard Hickox with a) Sara Barrington (oboe) b) Alastair Ross (organ)	Albinoni – a) Concerto in D Minor b) Giazotto Adagio in D minor c) Bononcini – Sinfonia da chiesa d) Pachelbel – Lam Canon e) Purcell – Chacony in G minor	Jun 1976
ZRG 867	St John’s College Choir, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, dir George Guest with John Scott (organ) b) Helen Watts (contralto) Robert Tear (tenor) Benjamin Luxon (baritone) a) and b) Jennifrer Smith (soprano)	Haydn – a) Mass in B flat b) Mass in C Mariazeller c) Pieces for Mechanical Clocks	Oct 1978
ZRG 868 (see ZK 12)	Aeolian String Quartet: Emanuel Hurwitz (violin) Raymond Keenlyside (violin) Margaret Major (viola) Derek Simpson (cello) with Kenneth Essex (viola)	Mozart String Quintets in C minor and D	not issued as ZRG
ZRG 869	Academy of St Martin in the Field, dir George Guest, with Wendy Eathorne (soprano) Bernadette Greevy (contralto) Wynford Evans (tenor) Christopher Keyte (bass), St John’s College Choir	Schubert – Mass in A flat	Oct 1977
ZRG 870	Philip Jones Brass Ensemble	‘Fanfare’ – 12 titles by Byrd, Purcell, Brian, Tippett, Walton, Copland, Jolivet, Howarth, Gevaise/Attaignant, Anon	Nov 1977
ZRG 871	Christ Church1 Cathedral Choir, dir Simon Preston, Colin Walsh (organ)	‘Romantic Choral Classics’ – 10 titles by Brahms, Bruckner, Elgar, Faure, Kalinnikov, Rachmaninov, Verdi	Oct 1977
ZRG 872 (see D183D3)	Academy and Chorus of St Martin in the Fields, Lszlo Heltay (chorus master) Iona Brown (leader) dir Neville Marriner, with John Wilbraham (trumpet) Kenneth Heath (cello continuo) Nicholas Kraemer (harpsichord) Christopher Hogwood (chamber organ) Elly Ameling (soprano) Philip Langridge (tenor) Anna Reynolds (contralto) Gwynne Howell (bass)	‘Handel Messiah Choruses’	Nov 1978
ZRG 873	Richard Hickox Singers and Orchestra, with Wendy Eathorne (soprano) Paul Esswood (counter-tenor) and also with b) Neil Jenkins (tenor) Stephen Roberts (bass)	Bach – a) Mass in F b) Mass in A	Dec 1977
ZRG 874	Academy of St Martin in the Fields, dir Neville Marriner	William Boyce – Symphonies I-VIII	Feb 1978
ZRG 875	Academy of St Martin in the Fields, dir Neville Marriner	Delius – orchestral works including A village Romeo and Juliet, The Walk to the Paradise Garden, Hassan Intermezzo & serenade , A song before sunrise, Fennimore & Gerda intermezzo, On hearing the first cuckoo in spring, Summer night on the river, Air & dance, Koanga – La Calinda	Feb 1979
ZRG 876	Academy of St Martin in the Fields, dir Neville Marriner and Chorus dir Laszlo Heltay, with Ileana Cotrubas (soprano) Helen Watts (contralto) Robert Tear (tenor) John Shirley-Quirk (baritone)	Mozart Requiem	Nov 1977
ZRG 877	Academy of St Martin in the Fields, dir Neville Marriner	‘Scandinavian Music’: Grieg – Elegaic Melodies; Sibelius – Valse Triste, Rakastava; Nielsen – Little Suite; Wiren – Serenade for Strings	Apr 1980
ZRG 878	Academy of St Martin in the Fields dir Iona Brown, with a) George Malcolm (organ) and b) George Malcolm (harpsichord)	Poulenc – a) Organ Concerto in G, b) Concert Champetre	May 1979
ZRG 879	Academy and Chorus of St Martin in the Fields, dir Neville Marriner, wth Elly Ameling (soprano) Philip Langridge (tenor) Anna Reynolds (contralto) Gwynne Howell (bass)	Handel – Messiah Arias and Choruses	1979?
ZRG 880	Academy of St Martin in the Fields, soloist and director Iona Brown	Mozart violin concertos – K216 No. 3 in G major, K 218 No. 4 in D major	Jun 1980
ZRG 881	Academy of St Martin in the Fields, dir Neville Marriner	Vaughan Williams – Concerto Grosso, Concerto for Oboe and Strings, Warlock – Capitol Suite, Serenade for Strings	Sep 1979
ZRG 882	New Philharmonia Orchestra dir David Atherton with a) Gervase de Peyer (clarinet) c) Geraint Evans (baritone)  Sponsored by the Welsh Arts Council	William Mathias – a) Clarinet Concerto b) Laudi  c) Elegy for a Prince d) Vistas	Apr 1978
ZRG 883	St John’s College Choir dir George Guest	Poulenc – Mass in G, Salve Regina, Exultate Deo; Peeters – Missa Festiva	Jun 1978
ZRG 884
ZRG 885	Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, cond Eiger Howarth	Mussorgsky (arr. Howarth) – Pictures at an Exhibition	JUn 1978
ZRG 886-7	Academy of St Martin in the Fields, dir Neville Marriner, with Jill Gomez (Galatea – soprano) Robert Tear (Acis – tenor) Philip Langridge (Damon – tenor) Benjamin Luxon (Polyphemus – baritone) and Jennifer Smith (soprano) Margaret Cable (contralto) Paul Esswood (counter-tenor) Wynford Evans, Neil Jenkins (tenors) Richard Jackson (bass) Nicholas Kraemer (harpsichord continuo)	Handel – Acis and Galatea	Sep 1978
ZRG 888	Academy of St Martin in the Fields, dir Neville Marriner with George Malcolm (organ)	Handel Organ Concertos – B flat Op 4 No. 2; F major Op 4 No. 4; D minor Op 7 No 4; F major No. 13	Sep 1979
ZRG 889	Worcester Cathedral Choir, cond Donald Hunt, with Simon Colston (treble) Anthony do Rivaz & John Vickers (counter-tenors) Trevor Owen (tenor) Brian Harvey (bass) and Paul Trepte (small organ) Roy  Massey (grand organ)	Saint-Saens – Mass for four voices	Sep 1978
ZRG 890	Worcester Cathedral Choir, cond Donald Hunt, with Simon Colston (treble) Anthony do Rivaz (counter-tenor) Timothy Hooke (tenor) Alan Fairs (bass) and Paul Trepte (small organ) )	Samuel Sebastian Wesley  ‘Choral Music’ – Te Deum in E major, Jubilate in E major, Cast me not away, Let us lift up our heart. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace	Sep 1978
ZRG 891
ZRG 892	St John’s College Choir dir George Guest with John Scott (organ)	‘Psalms of Consolation and Hope’ – 13 titles by Skeats, Walmisley, Luard Selby, Hylton Stewart, Stanford, Watfortod Davies, S. Wesley, Attwood	Apr 1979
ZRG 893-4	Margaret Marshall (soprano) Alfreda Hodgson (contralto) Robert Tear (tenor) Malcolm King (bass) London Chamber Choir(with Sylvia Halford & John Constable (pianos) John Birch (harmonium) dir by Laszlo Heltay	Rossini – Petite Messe Solennelle	Nov 1978
ZRG 895	Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, featuring James Watson (trumpet) Ifor James (horn) John Fletcher (tuba)	‘Easy Winners’ – 14 titles by Hazell, Mozart, Joplin, Trad., Abreu, Monti, Debussy, Premru,	Dec 1978
ZRG 896	London Symphony Orchesta, cond Richard Hickox with Philip Langridge (tenor) and a) London Symphony Chorus Recorded in association with the Finzi Trust	Finzi – a) For St Cecilia b) Dies Natalis	Apr 1979
ZRG 897	Magdalen College Choir dir Bernard Rose with Geoffrey Morgan (organ)	Thomas Tomkins – music from Musica deo Sacra (12 excerpts, two organ pieces)	Apr 1979
ZRG 898	Philip Jones Brass Ensemble	‘Baroque Brass’ – 16 titles by Biber, Anon.,Frank, Hassler, Speer, Scheidt, Bach, Scarlatti, C. P. E. Bach	May 1979
ZRG 899	Academy of St Martin in the Fields, dir Neville Marriner Sponsored by the Arts Council of Great Britain and supervised by Nicholas Maw	Nicholas Maw – Life Studies	Nov 1979

(1972) Various Artists – The Syrian Maqams

Argo issue number: ZFB 58

Recorded by Deben Bhattacharya in Damascus in 1955 (tracks A1, A3, B1, B2, B3) and 1960 (A2, A4)

Production and sleeve notes by Deben Bhattacharya

Availability: the seven tracks here (plus two others) have been re-issued on ARC Music EUCD1765. Buy it here.

Musicians
Joudad Halibie – Qanun (A1)
Muhammad Jaban – ‘Ud (A1, B3)
Badruddin Halibie – Nay (A2)
Unnamed teacher of the Damascus Conservatoire – violin (A3)
Muhammad Abdul Karim – Buzuk (A4)
Unnamed Dervish vocalist, chorus and musicians – Nay, Daff, Nakkar, cymbals (B1)
Unnamed Dervish musicians – Nay, Daff, Nakkar, cymbals (B2)

Click on one of the highlighted tracks and it’ll play in a new window.

Tracks

Side A
1 Bashraf Sama’i Taatyus
2 Taqsim on Nay
3 Taqsim on violin
4 Ajam on buzuk

Side B
1 Hijaz
2 Rasd
3 Taqsim on ‘Ud

Footnote
The buzuk player on track A4 – Muhammad Abdul Karim – was already an established musician by the time Deben Bhattacharya reached Damascus. The Syrian actor-director Abdullatif Abdulhamid opens his 2010 film ‘September Rain’ in 1940s Damascus with a young man listening to a broadcast of music by Muhammad Abdul Karim.

(1971) Various Artists – Music From Iran

Argo issue numbers: ZFB 51

Recorded in Meshed (tracks A2, B2) and Tehran (A1, B1) by Deben Bhattacharya in 1955

Production and sleeve notes by Deben Bhattacharya

Musicians
Hossein Saba – santour (track A1)
Jabad Aliyani – tar (A2)
Sher Koda – chant and zarb drum (B1)
Eskandare Ebrahimi – setar (B2)

Click on a track title and the track will play in a new window.

Tracks

Side A
Shur on santour
Shur on tar

Side B
Shahnama
Mahour on setar

Notes

Tracks A1 and A2
If you’re into finding out just what it is you’re listening to here, the shur is one of the 12 dastaghs (musical modal systems) around which Persian music is organised. The dastagh is explained here and the shur here.

Track B1
Recital of parts of the Shahnama (Book of Kings), Iran’s national epic poem, completed in the year 1010 by Ferdowsi. Take an online audio tour of the poem here, courtesy of the Cambridge Fitzwilliam Museum.

Find out more about Ferdowsi here.

Track B2
The mahour is another of the dastaghs. Find out about it here.

Hossein Saba
Haven’t found anything out about the other three, but Hossein Saba (track A1) was born in Tehran in 1924. He studied the santour and the piano and graduated from the Tehran Conservatory of Music as a piano major in 1949. He went on to teach both instruments at the School of National Music.

The year after this recording (1956) he published the first method for the santour. When the National Instruments Orchestra was founded at the School of National Music, Saba was offered the position of lead santour soloist. He died from a brain tumour in 1957, at the age of 36.

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Thanks and praises to bolingo once again for passing me a copy.

(1968) Various Artists – Voices (6 vols)

VOICES – an anthology of six long-playing records of sounds, music, song and speech presented in association with Penguin Education

Argo issue numbers: DA 91-96 (six LPs), re-released 1970 or 1971 as PLP 1112-17

Edited by: Geoffrey Summerfield
Produced and directed by: Harley Usill and John Gilbert

Narrators/readers
Mike Newby
Sidney Bradley
David King
Peter Orr
Freda Dowie
Tony Church
Yvonne Bonnamy
Frank Duncan

Original Recordings – Performers/Musicians

Children of Archbishop Holgate’s Grammar School, York
Children of Heslington Primary School, York
Choir of Trinity School, Croydon
Staff and students of York University
Freda Dowie
Richard Orton
Jane Phillips
Patrick Harrex
Moray Welsh

The Critics Group
Terry Yarnell
Bob Blair
Tom Paley
John Faulkner
Sandra Kerr
Phil Colclough

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In the listing below, the folk music tracks are given in italics. Where possible, sources of musical tracks taken from earlier Argo and Decca recordings are given at the end of each listing. Not sure yet which of the poetry and prose readings are original recordings made for the anthology.
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FIRST BOOK, RECORD ONE (DA 91, PLP 1112)

SIDE ONE
Band 1
Noises – knives sharpening
Band 2
The Devil’s Nine Questions (trad) – Peggy Seeger (1)
The Devil’s Polka – Ilona Porma kantele (2)
Band 3
Jabberwocky (Herbert) – n. Mike Newby, Archbishop Holgate’s Grammar School children percussion
Child’s bouncing song (Connor) – Children of Heslington Primary School, York
Jane, Jane (trad) – Shirley Collins & Davy Graham (3)
Band 4
Old Man’s Song (Mellers) – Trinity School, Croydon choir, c. David Squibb
Toward The Grave – Kaarina Kuivalainen vocal, Onno Kuivalainen kantele (4)
Band 5
The Seafarer excerpt – n. Sidney Bradley, read in Anglo-Saxon
Man Cursing the Sea (Holub) – n. David King
Sea Interludes (Storm/Britten) – Royal Opera House (London) Orchestra, c. Benjamin Britten (5)

SIDE TWO
Band 1
Pastoral (trad) – Sicilian shepherd playing open pipe
Shepherds’ Fire (Clare) – n. Peter Orr
Aunt’s Tantrums (Barnes) – n. Freda Dowie
Turf Carrier on Aranmore (Hewitt) – n. Peter Orr
Derby Ram (trad) – Peggy & Mike Seeger unacc. (6)
Band 2
Church bells – sound of bells in Zurich, Switzerland in Bolby B
Bells of Rhymney (Seeger/Davies) – Terry Yarnell & The Critics Group
Band 3
What’s What (Reid) – n. Tony Church
Narnian Suite (Harrex) – staff & students of York University, primary school children spoken chorus
Band 4
Chant before battle – David King
Janos Hary excerpts (Kodaly) – LSO c. Istvan Kertesz (7)

(1) from The Long Harvest Vol 2, Argo ZDA 67, 1967
(2) from Music from the Far North – Argo ZDA 127, 1967
(3) from Folk Routes New Routes – Decca LK 4652, 1964
(4) from Music from the Far North – Argo ZRG 533, 1967
(5) from Decca SXL 2150-2, 1959
(6) from Peggy ‘n’ Mike – Argo ZDA 80, 1967
(7) from Hary Janos – Decca SXL 6136, 1965

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FIRST BOOK, RECORD TWO (DA 92, PLP 1113)

SIDE ONE
Band 1
Noises – noises of lions, tigers, elephants, monkeys and tropical birds
Band 2
Enigma Variations, XI (Elgar) – London Symphony Orchestra, c. Malcolm Sargent (1)
Band 3
The Gallows (Thomas) – n. Yvonne Bonnamy
Kangaroo (Lawrence) – n. Frank Duncan
Folk Rhymes – Freda Dowie vocal
The Badger (Clare) – n. Peter Orr
Hedgehog (Clare) – n. Frank Duncan
Hedgehogs Sniffing and Eating – recording
The Fox (Clare) – n. Frank Duncan
Band 4
Ketjak (Monkey Dance) – Gamelan Orchestra from Pliatan (2)

SIDE TWO
Band 1
Violin Concerto, excerpt 1st movement (Sibelius) – LSO, c. Oivin Fjeldstad, Ruggiero Ricci violin (3)
Band 2
Thief in the Night (Lawrence) – n. Tony Church
Ploughing on Sunday (Stevens) – n. Freda Dowie
Band 3
Autumn (Kato) – n. David King
Nocturne from Serenade for tenor, horn and strings (Britten) – Peter Pears tenor, Barry Tuckwell horn, LSO c. Benjamin Britten (4)
Band 4
Cherry Tree Carol (trad) – Peggy Seeger, vocal and banjo (5)
Boy at the Window (Wilbur) – n. Yvonne Bonnamy
Winter (Clare) – n. Freda Dowie
Winter Piece (Tomlinson) – n. Frank Duncan
Band 5
Symphony No 7 (Vaughan Williams) – London Philharmonic Orch. C. Adrian Boult (6)

(1) from Enigma Variations – Decca LXT 2786, 1953
(2) from Music from Bali – Argo RG1-2, 1952
(3) from Sibelius, Violin Concerto D minor – Decca SXL 2077, 1959
(4) from Nocturne from Serenade, Decca SXL6110, 1964
(5) from The Long Harvest, Vol 8 – Argo ZDA 73, 1967
(6) from Sinfonia Antartica – Decca LXT 2912, 1954

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SECOND BOOK, RECORD ONE (DA 93, PLP 1114)

SIDE ONE
Band 1
Entrance of the Emperor (Kodaly) – LSO, c. Istvan Kertesz (1)
Band 2
There Was a Man (Crane) – n. Yvonne Bellamy
The Nightmare (Wang Yen-Shou) – n. Tony Church
A Fire-Truck (Wilbur) – n. Yvonne Bellamy
Band 3
Strigaturi De Nunta (trad wedding dance) – Maria Popa (vocals) and gypsy musicians from Lazareni (2)
At a Country Fair (Hardy) – n. Freda Dowie
Roome for Companie (trad) – The Critics Group, John Faulkner vocal plus whistle and drum
Band 4
Royal Fireworks Suite Movement 4 (Handel) – LSO, c. George Szell (3)
Band 5
The Casualty (Ted Hughes) – n. David King
Band 6
Rumba – El Sali and his Band Espagnol (4)

SIDE TWO
Band One
Tod Und Verklarung excerpt (Richard Strauss) – Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, c. Herbert Von Karajan (5)
Band Two
First Blood (Stallworthy) – n. Frank Duncan
Blue Moles (Plath) – n. Yvonne Bellamy
The Mosquito (D.H. Lawrence) – n. Tony Church
Band Three
Le Festin de l’Araignee (Roussel) – L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, c. Ernest Ansermet (6)
Band Four
Original Sin (Jeffers) – n. David King
Old Blue (trad) – Peggy Seeger vocal and banjo (7)
Travelling Through the Dark (Stafford) – n. Frank Duncan

(1) from Hary Janos Suite – Decca LXT 6136, 1965
(2) from Music from Rumania – Argo ZRG 531, 1967
(3) from Decca LXT 5666, 1962
(4) from El Sali and his Ballet Espagnol – Flamenco! – Decca LK4787, 1966
(6) from Decca LXT 5035, 1955
(5) from Decca LXT 5629, 1961
(7) from Poetry and Song Vol 1 – Argo DA 50, 1967

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SECOND BOOK, RECORD TWO (DA 94, PLP 1115)

SIDE ONE
Band One
False Friends-like (Barnes) – n. Freda Dowie
Band Two
Cancion del amor dolido (Falla) – Marina de Gabarain, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, c. Ernest Ansermet (1)
Girl, Boy, Flower, Bicycle (Joseph) – n. Yvonne Bonnamy
Crow Sat on the Willow (Clare) n. Frank Duncan
Scarborough Fair (trad) – Frankie Armstrong and Sandra Kerr unacc. (2)
Band Three
Song (Clare) – n. Yvonne Bonnamy
The Great Silkie (trad) – Bob Blair
Reuben Bright (Robinson) – n. Tony Church
Band Four
Amores (Cage) – Richard Orton prepared piano, Jane Phillips percussion, Patrick Harrex percussion, Moray Welsh percussion

SIDE TWO
Band 1
Johnny Armstrong (trad) – John Faulkner unacc.
Night Wind (Clare) – n. Frank Duncan
North Wind (Whittemore) – n. Freda Dowie
Band 2
Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche (Strauss) – Vienna Philharmonic, c. Von Karajan (3)
Band 3
John Henry (trad) – Tom Paley (4)
Scialoma (trad) – Sicilian fishermen (5)
Gresford Disaster (trad) – Critics Group, John Faulkner vocal
Band 4
Choirmaster’s Burial (Hardy) – n. David King

(1) from El Amor Brujo – Decca LX 3151, 1956
(2) from Poetry and Song vol 4 – Argo DA 53, 1967
(3) from Decca LXT 5620, 1961
(4) from Poetry and Song, vol 7 – Argo DA 56, 1967
(5) from Sicily in Music and Song – Argo DA 30, 1965

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THIRD BOOK, RECORD ONE (DA 95, PLP 1116)

SIDE ONE
Band 1
Dustbowl Song (Guthrie) – Tom Paley vocal and banjo
Follower (Heaney) – n. David King
Hay for the Horses (Snyder) – n. Frank Duncan
Band 2
I am (Clare) – n. Yvonne Bonnamy
Africa’s Plea (Dempster) – n. David King
Telephone Conversation (Soyinka) – n. Tony Church
Black and White (MacColl) – John Faulkner and Sandra Kerr
From William Tyndale to John Frith (Bowers) – n. Frank Duncan
Band 3
Dance of the Knights (Prokofiev) – Orch. De la Suisse Romande, c. Ernest Ansermet (1)
Band 4
Sair Fyeld Hinny (trad) – Bob Blair unacc.
Soup (Sandburg) – n. Frank Duncan
Epitaph on a Tyrant (Auden) – n. David King
Leader of men (MacCaig) – n. Tony Church
Band 5
Dārbāri Kānadā (raga for the second quarter of the night) – Jyotish Chandra Chowdhury on surbahar (bass sitar) (2)

SIDE TWO
Band 1
Miralogia (trad) – Nicholas Halkias clarinet, with ‘three female voices’ (3)
Jesus and his Mother (Gunn) – n. Yvonne Bonnamy
The Unquiet Grave (trad) – Sandra Kerr unacc.
Band 2
Father and Child (Yeats) – n. Tony Church
Strawberries (Morgan) – n. Yvonne Bellamy
Ou Phrontis (Causley) – n. Tony Church
Frankie and Johnny (trad) – Tom Paley, vocal and guitar
Band 3
Kije’s Wedding (Prokofiev) – L’Orchestre de la Societe des concerts du Conservatoire de Paris, c. Adrian Boult (4)
Band 4
Magpies (Glover) – n. Freda Dowie
Death and the Maiden (Nemerov) – n. Yvonne Bonnamy
For Sale (Lowell) – n. Tony Church
Father Dunman’s funeral (Hardy) – n. Frank Duncan
Last mystery (Stallworthy) – n. David King
Band 5
Soleares (trad) – Paco Peña guitar (5)

(1) from Romeo and Juliet – Decca SXL 2306, 1962
(2) from Ragas From Benares – Argo ZRG 559, 1968
(3) from Greece in Music and Song – Argo DA 29, 1965
(4) from Decca LXT 5119, 1956
(5) from El Sali and his Ballet Espagnol – Decca SLK 16825, 1966

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THIRD BOOK, RECORD TWO (DA 96, PLP 1117)

SIDE ONE
Band 1
Latest Decalogue (Clough) – n. David King
Grey October (Peggy Seeger) – Peggy Seeger (1)
Band 2
Guns firing – sound effect
Anthem for Doomed Youth (Owen) – n. Peter Orr
Parable of the Old Man and the Young (Owen) – n. Tony Church
Big Muddy (Pete Seeger) – Tom Paley vocal and guitar
Defence (Silkin) – n. Frank Duncan
Band 3
Victory Dance – villagers from Himalayan village of Tuinem (2)
Death (Yeats) – n. David King
Musee des Beaux Arts (Auden) – n. Yvonne Bonnamy
Twin of Sleep (Graves) – n. Tony Church
Band 4
Death of Tybalt (Prokofiev) – Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, c. Ernest Ansermet (3)

SIDE TWO
Band 1
Trap (Stallworthy) – n. David King
Birds (Wright) – n. Yvonne Bonnamy
Red Cockatoo (trans Waley) – n. Frank Duncan
Wedgebury Cocking (trad) – Critics Group, Phil Colclough vocal
Band 2
Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird (Stevens) – n. Freda Dowie
Four Seasons, Spring, 1st movement (Vivaldi) – New Philharmonia Orchestra, c. Stokowski, Hugh Bean violin (4)
Band 3
Four Seasons, Winter, 2nd movement (Vivaldi) – New Philharmonia Orchestra, c. Stokowski, Hugh Bean violin (5)
Saying from the Northern Ice (Stafford) – n. David King
Snow (Thomas) – n. Yvonne Bonnamy
Band 4
God’s Grandeur (Hopkins) – n. Tony Church
Lament (Stallworthy) – n. David King
Felix Randall (Hopkins) – n. Tony Church
Acension (Messiaen) – Simon Preston organ (6)

(1) from The Angry Muse, Argo DA 83, 1968
(2) from Music from The Himalayas – ZRG 530, 1967
(3) Death of Tybalt – Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet Suites, Decca SXL 2306
(4) and (5) from Decca LK 4873, 1967
(6) from Argo ZRG 5339, 1963

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Notes

Here’s a nice summary of what these records are all about, courtesy of a review in The Gramophone in January 1969:

“Briefly, Argo and Penguin Education have collaborated to produce a set of records to complement the latter’s threebook anthology of poetry and pictures entitled Voices. The anthology is edited by Geoffrey Summerfield, of the York University English and Education departments, costs 25s. 6d. for the three books and has been very well received. The books give the visual and literary side; each record deals with a special topic (heroes, winter, jealousy inter alia) and adds further dimensions through natural, musical and ‘prepared’ sounds. Bands of a disc enclose elements of the topic, so the inbuilt variety might give you some Kodaly, a Rumanian wedding dance, Hardy’s poem on a country fair, a folksong and a movement from Handel’s Royal Fireworks Music. On another side, a Balinese choir, sniffing hedgehogs, a John Clare poem and an Enigma variation will find common ground.

“Although there appears to be no financial package deal, I would think that many people will want to buy both discs and books as it is rather difficult to absorb the poems at first hearing. In any case, one angle that the discs add is musical settings of established poems—two excerpts from Britten’s Serenade appear in this context. The orchestral music, from existing first-class recordings, is programmatic, thus adding possibilities of mime and spontaneous drama to the inexaustible discussion-points of musical and poetic imagery. Mr Summerfield’s introduction, which usefully appears on all six record-leaflets is stimulating, particularly on creative music-making.”

(More on the people responsible for putting this fantastic teaching aid together and how it was received in the classroom when I find my notes)

(1973) Various Artists – Giles Farnaby’s Dream Band

Argo issue number: ZDA 158
Produced by: Kevin Daly
Recorded by: Iain Churches
Sleeve notes: Kevin Daly

Availability: long deleted by Argo; issued on CD in 2004 by German label Valhalla (WH90324)

Performers

St George’s Canzona:
Frank Grubb – rebec, recorder
John Grubb – lute, harpsichord
Derek Harrison – rebec
John Lawes – crumhorn, recorder
Mike Oxenham – crumhorn, clarinet, curtal, recorders
John Sothcott – citole, crumhorn, rebec, recorders, whistle
Leila Ward – crumhorn, recorders

Trevor Crozier’s Broken Consort:
Trevor Crozier – vocals, banjo, cittern, guitar, harmonica, mandolin
Annie Crozier – concertina, bowed psaltery
Vic Gammon – concertina, guitar

The Druids – vocals
Judi Longden
Keith Kendrick
John Adams
Mick Hennessy

Plus
Jeff Clyne – bass guitar
Dave MacRae – electric piano
Trevor Tomkins – drums, percussion

TRACKS

Side One
1 The Hare’s Maggot (trad. arr Gammon)
2 Rufty Tufty/Beau Stratagem/Apply House (trad. arr Gammon)
3 The Hole In The Wall/The Chirping Of The Nightingale (trad. arr Sothcott)
4 Pastime With Good Company (Henry VIII arr Adams/Sothcott)
5 Daphne (trad. arr Sothcott)/Nonsuch/Jack Maggot/Childgrove (trad. arr Gammon)
6 Shrewsbury Lasses (trad. arr Sothcott)
7 Newcastle Brown (Sothcott/Daly)
8 Helston Furry Dance (vocal Trevor Crozier)/Picking Of Sticks/The Butterfly (trad. arr Sothcott)

Side Two
1 The Indian Queen (trad. arr Sothcott)
2 The Happy Clown (trad. arr Sothcott)
3 Ratcliffe Highway (trad. arr Adams/Sothcott)
4 The Twenty Ninth Of May (trad. arr Sothcott)
5 The Black Nag/Poor Robin’s Maggot/Greensleeves (trad. arr Gammon)
6 Portabella (trad. arr Sothcott)
7 The Draper’s Maggot (trad. arr. Grubb)/Tower Hill (trad. Arr. Grubb)
8 Mr. Beveridge’s Maggot (trad. arr Gammon) /The British Toper/Londons Glory (trad. arr. Sothcott)

Producer Kevin Daly’s sleeve notes

“Giles Farnaby’s Dream Band make an entirely new medieval-electric sound. Formed by linking the medieval St George’s Canzona with the folk trio Broken Consort, the resulting band brings together early and present day instruments in imaginative and unique performances of some of the most tuneful and infectious music of all time.

“Most of the titles on this album are taken from ‘The English Dancing Master, published by John Playford, Britain’s first ever music publisher. The Tin Pan Alley of 1655 was situated near the Temple Church in London, and it was from a tiny shop near the church door that Playford’s publications were sold.

“The English Dancing Master or ‘Plaine and easie rules for the dancing of country dances, with the tune to each dance’ was first published in 1651, during the period of Oliver Cromwell’s Puritan Commonwealth. It was an austere time, with most of the old customs forbidden: dancing, profane singing, wakes, revels, ringing of bells, maypoles were all banned as dangerous to the security of the nation, and it seems a curious time to publish a collection of dance music. Playford’s own explanation was simple…’I publish this book lest the tunes be forgot’…

“The volume was immediately successful and went into several editions over the next twenty years (in fact it is still in print today). A possible reason for its popularity might have been that although Parliament abolished most forms of merry making, the Lord Protector himself seems to have enjoyed the occasional revel and given dancing a subdued show of approval…

“14th November 1657: ‘On Wednesday last was my Lord Protector’s daughter married to the Earl of Warwick’s grandson; and on Thursday was the wedding feast kept at Whitehall, where they had 48 violins, 50 trumpets and much mirthe with frolics, besides mixed dancing (a thing heretofore accounted profane) till five of the clock yesterday morning.’

“The first West End appearance of Giles Farnaby’s Dream Band.”