Military Bands #2 Recorded 1928 - 1934 CD122BN

Military Bands Disc #2 CD122BN

Tracks 1 - 13 were from 78 rpm pressings for O.R.B.S. the Overseas Recording service, conducted by Flying Officer Peter Yorke. They had hand typed labels and were very limited production - for assembling shows randomly. I have no idea how many of these records were made. The BBC had a Forces section but the results weren't up to scratch. in 1942 the Germans were doing Armed Forces radio programmes by the Forces for the Forces. A army liason officer was appointed to Broadcasting House and Major-General Harry Willans was instrumental in elevating the less than thrilling efforts existing since 1940 to well arranged and played light entertainment. Peter Yorke ( London , December 4 1902 - there, 2 February 1966 )The son of a printer in London, by the age of 16 was organist and choirmaster at a London church. He studied at the Trinity College of Music in London. He started as a pianist in an orchestra in West London. In 1927 and 1928 he performed as a pianist and worked as an arranger for several British dance bands - Percival Mackey, George Fisher (1928), Jay Whidden (1928), Jack Hylton (1929 to 1933) and Henry Hall (1932-1933 ). In further collaboration with Jack Hylton he found the constant travel around the country too much stress and founded his own orchestra, with which he concentrated on recordings for European radio stations. His arrangements were so skillful that they were played by the most important bands in London. In 1936 as chief arranger for Louis Levy and his Gaumont-British Orchestra he became, one of the pioneers of British music for films. Yorkes lush orchestrations complemented Louis Levy and his Gaumont-British Orchestra in their many recordings and broadcasts. In 1940, York joined the Royal Air Force, and for six months he was transferred to the three services department of broadcasting. After the War he returned to composing and arranging in and formed his own concert orchestra, based on the symphonic sound that he had developed before the war under Louis Levy.The shows "Sweet Serenade", "Our Kind of Music" and "The Peter Yorke Melody Hour" were very popular on the BBC network, providing refined renditions of current hits. The Peter Yorke Concert Orchestra consisted of 30 to 40 musicians, and he introduced saxophonist Freddy Gardner as a soloist. Peter York's Orchestra was one of the most popular radio orchestras in the U,K.in the 1960s. ~ Mickey Clark

Overseas Recorded Broadcast Service

Peter York And The R.A.F.Concert Orchestra