Ballet freely adapted and music originally written as settings to poems by Edith Sitwell.
Country Dance
The BBC Television Orchestra
Leader, Boris Pecker
Conducted by William Walton

William Walton's 'Façade' was written in 1923 when the composer was twenty-one years of age. It was originally conceived as a series of poems by Edith Sitwell to be recited through a megaphone with musical accompaniment, for flute, clarinet, saxophone, cello, trumpet, and percussion. These accompaniments are mostly in the form of very clever and witty parodies of popular dance tunes, ranging from the polka to the foxtrot.
In 1926 Walton revised the music and also arranged an orchestral suite for concert use, in which form it was played as an interlude during the Diaghilev Russian Ballet seasons. A few years ago, however, the Vic-Wells Ballet had the happy idea of adapting the music of 'Façade' for a ballet, and accordingly one of the cleverest and wittiest of modern ballets was produced.

The inimitable Sophie, America's 'red-hot momma', made her debut in an old German village cafe in New York, owned by her father. She then earned a couple of pounds a week, augmented by coins thrown on the stage after her turn. Now after thirty years or so in the show business, she is one of the most highly paid artists in the world.

led by Prunella Bagot Stack.

More than six years ago this society was founded by Mrs. Bagot Stack to enable business girls and busy women to improve their physique. The first exercise class accompanied by music was attended by sixteen members in March, 1930. Since Mrs. Bagot Stack's death her sister, Mrs Cruickshank, and her daughter, Prunella, have carried on the good work. Over ninety classes are now held in London every evening; and 1,800 are held each week in the suburban, provincial, and Dominion centres.

Directed by Henry Hall