More British Film Music of the 40s

A few years ago I put up a fairly extensive compilation of British film music from the 1940s in vintage performances. Here is a supplement, covering some notable pieces left out of the first collection, including music by Hubert Bath, Richard Addinsell and Arnold Bax.

Bath - Cornish Rhapsody

Hubert Bath wrote many film scores and much other music, but will be remembered most for his "Cornish Rhapsody," one of the best of the quasi-concertos that followed the success of Richard Addinsell's "Warsaw Concerto" of 1941.

Bath wrote the "Cornish Rhapsody" for the 1944 film Love Story, a wildly melodramatic love triangle set in Cornwall, with one character dying of heart disease and another going blind. Margaret Lockwood is the former party, a composer-pianist who writes and performs the Rhapsody during the proceedings.

Margaret Lockwood in Love Story

Hubert Bath

Lockwood could play piano, so she reportedly is convincing in the part. The performance heard on the soundtrack, however, was by Harriet Cohen, a distinguished pianist who also features in the Bax score discussed below. 

The composer conducts the London Symphony for this well recorded performance.

Addinsell - Music from Blithe Spirit

Noel Coward's 1941 stage fantasy, Blithe Spirit, was adapted for the screen in 1945. Margaret Rutherford, Fay Compton and Kay Hammond returned from the West End cast, but Rex Harrison replaced Cecil Parker. The American poster above claimed it was a "spicy screen comedy" and "in Blushing TECHNICOLOR," although it is hardly spicy and would make no one blush. It is witty and diverting, however.

Director David Lean and Richard Addinsell

This supernatural comedy did not call for the sort of pianistic dramatics that Richard Addinsell had employed for Dangerous Moonlight's concerto. These two excerpts - the Prelude and a Waltz - are much lighter in tone while conveying a bit of unease, in keeping with the goings-on in the film.

These recordings are again from the London Symphony, with the ubiquitous Muir Mathieson at the podium.

Bax - Music from Oliver Twist

David Lean was also the director for the 1948 film adaptation of Dickens' Oliver Twist. The film turned out to be both highly influential and controversial for what was considered to be an anti-semitic portrayal of Fagin.

The music for Oliver Twist was by Sir Arnold Bax (1883-1953), who wrote relatively little towards the end of his life, but did score a few films. The recorded excerpts include the "Oliver Theme," "The Pickpocketing," "The Chase," "Fagin's Romp" and "The Finale." Muir Mathieson conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra.

Harriet Cohen and Arnold Bax in 1921

Harriet Cohen is featured in the "Oliver Theme," which is lovely but diffuse, as Bax's music tended to be. "The Pickpocketing," "The Chase" and "Fagin's Romp" are largely busy music. "The Finale" is Elgarian, which would seem suited to the tale's uplifting ending.

Muir Mathieson in commanding form

The sound is very good in the Bath and Addinsell pieces, which come from 78s. The Oliver Twist music is from a 10-inch LP that also includes the "Cornish Rhapsody" and the "Warsaw Concerto." I've chosen to use a 78 transfer for the Rhapsody because it had better sound. The "Warsaw Concerto" can be found in my first compilation of British film music, taken from 78s. That collection also incudes my personal favorite of the quasi-concertos, Charles Williams' "Dream of Olwen" from While I Live.

The 78s are remastered from Internet Archive sources. The LP can be found in my collection. The download includes labels, cover scans and reviews.