The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Soon after the introduction of electrical recording, HMV began to issue records in its plum-label series attributed to the New Light Symphony Orchestra, no conductor being named. These records bear American matrix numbers and are presumably of Victor origin. The repertoire consists of familiar 'lollipops' such as the Light Cavalry overture, the intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana, Ponchielli's Dance of the Hours and the like. Further records appeared between 1932 and 1941, sometimes with one Joseph Lewis named as conductor; these apparently have British matrix numbers and I am not entirely convinced that they are by the same ensemble as the earlier ones, although the character of the music is very similar.

I have long wished to find out something about this group. The standard of playing is very high, and I strongly suspect that the musicians were members of one or more of the major American orchestras, playing anonymously to conceal what was probably a breach of contract on their part. The records are about as far from being collectable as anything ninety years old can possibly be; one of my lifelong favourites, the Suppé overture, actually arrived as a 'sacrifice' included in the packing of a batch of much more valuable records, all of which I have utterly forgotten.

Can anyone tell me anything about this orchestra? An online search reveals a number of discographical listings but no background information.

Oliver Mundy.

This may help. I've got lots of these on Victor Scroll and HMV labels. My assumption was that they were a Nat Shilkret group, but not so. If your Dance of the Hours is the "C" series HMV disc below, we probably have our answer. I'm not home to look and wouldn't be able to even if I were!

Hope this helps,
Sean

I think that is the answer, Sean; thank you! Something that confirms your identification is that I have somewhere (though I could not find it today) seen among the New Light Symphony's listings a version of Gershwin's An American in Paris with the composer himself taking part. Now, according to Wikipedia, this work was first recorded in 1929 under Shilkret's supervision by the 'Victor Symphony Orchestra' (compare the listing you have reproduced), and Gershwin himself took the celesta part at the last moment. As it is hardly likely that the work was recorded twice within a year or so by two intimately related companies and that the composer was involved on both occasions, I think we can take it as established that there was only one recording and that the New Light Symphony Orchestra, in its 1920s incarnation at least, was the Victor Symphony Orchestra. If Wikipedia is correct in stating that the latter consisted of Philadelphia Symphony players, their excellent quality is not surprising.

I have not set eyes on my copy of the Ponchielli disc for many years (my house is so overcrowded that many of the records are accessible only at considerable risk of breaking a leg), but it is certainly a 12-inch record in the C series; I am sure it is the same.

Rosario Bourdon was I believe Canadian in origin; I know he did a great deal of accompaniment work for Victor in the late acoustic and early electric eras.

Oliver Mundy.