A tribute to composers whose melodies in the past twenty-five years have enriched the world of musical comedy and operetta Introduced by Eric Maschwitz and ' The First-Nighter ' Written by Gale Pedrick
Chapter 13
The music of: Ivan Caryll and Lionel Monekton
Jack Strachey
Andre Messager
Franz Lehar with Billie Baker , Lucille Graham
Bruce Trent , Dudley Rolph
Jan van der Gucht
BBC Chorus
(Chorus-Master, Leslie Woodgate )
BBC Concert Orchestra
(Leader, John Sharpe )
Conductor, Gilbert Vinter
Produced by Michael North
At one period, the Edwardian dramatists and the writers of libretti found it hard to resist the charms of the bewitching little shop-girl heroine. Among the most popular of these delightful creatures was Our Miss Gibbs,' who was brought to life so captivatingly by Gertie Millar and who sang so merrily, ' I'm such a silly when the moon comes out.' Caryll and Monekton open this week's programme as we recall one of Daly's pre-first war successes. Messager, whose * Monsieur Bsaucaire ' has already featured in ' Nights of Gladness,' is represented by ' Veronique ' and we are reminded again, this time with his ' Gypsy Love,' that Lehar is a giant in this field of entertainment. To strike a more modern note, the programme pays tribute to Jack Strachey , whose score of ' Spread It Abroad ' leaves us a legacy of melody.
J.P.