November 15 - Mantovani; William Horsley (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for November 15th are here: Mantovani (2019), William Herschel (2020), and Petula Clark (2021)

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Mantovani (15 November 1905 – 29 March 1980) was an enormously popular conductor and arranger of light orchestral music. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cascading String Theory: Two Variations

The “cascading strings” technique is associated in the U.S. with the style of  easy listening known as beautiful music, and was first developed by British composer/arranger Ronald Binge in 1951 for Mantovani and his Mantovani Orchestra, with whom the sound would be most associated. – adapted from Wikipedia, s.v. “Cascading Strings”

(1)

The use of the “cascading strings”

Was one of the signature things

That gave the effect,

In a certain respect,

Of an orchestra floating on wings.

(2)

A certain nostalgia still clings

To the sound of  the “cascading strings”.

In fact, it’s this glistening

That defines “easy listening”

By the luminous nimbus it brings.

 

 

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William Horsley (15 [or 18] November 1774 – 12 June 1858) was an English composer and musician.  [NB: There is disagreement on his birth, e.g., Wikipedia gives his birthday as 18 November while Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians gives 15 November.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bigger Isn't Always Better

His compositions were numerous, and include amongst other instrumental pieces three symphonies for full orchestra. More important are his glees, of which he published five books (1801–1807) besides contributing many detached glees and part songs to various collections. – Wikipedia

Horsley studied in Germany under Moritz Hauptmann and  Felix Mendelssohn, and on his return to England composed several oratorios and other pieces. None of them had lasting success. – Wikipedia

Of Horsley, I’ll tell you, that he’s

Most famous for writing some glees,

And his big compositions

With their larger ambitions

Were not as successful as these.

 

 

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