Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
Henry Hall And The BBC Dance Orchestra play Reginald Foresythe's composition "Southern Holiday", released on a 12 inch 78, with the composer at the piano.
HENRY HALL AND THE BBC DANCE ORCHESTRA
Henry Hall directing: Frank Wilson, Charles Price and Andy Hodgkiss - trumpets / Bill Mulraney and Eric Tann - trombones / Burton Gillis - alto sax, clarinet / Freddy Williams - alto sax, clarinet / Eddie Cromar - alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet, violin / Jack Halsall - tenor sax, clarinet, flute / Joseph Hitchenor, Eric Cuthbertson and Bert Powell - violins / Reginald Foresythe - piano, arranger / George Dickinson - guitar / Unknown - banjo / Theo Farrar - string bass / George Elrick - drums (one of the woodwind musicians also plays oboe)
Recorded in London, March 19, 1935.
CAX-7494-2 …….Southern Holiday - Part I…….American Columbia 7337-M
CAX-7495-1….….Southern Holiday - Part II…….American Columbia 7337-M
Subtitled "A Phantasy Of Negro Moods", the themes of "Southern Holiday" draw upon musical sketches Foresythe made when, in August and early September 1930, he took a break from performing in Los Angeles - where he'd been singer Walter Richardson’s pianist - to travel across the southern states of the USA, in order to gain an insight into the lives of African-Americans living there.
Reviewing the recording in the June 1935 edition of "Rhythm" magazine, Julian Vedey said "I am glad to hear, on Columbia, Reginald Foresythe's charming interpretation of negro moods, "Southern Holiday". It is played with great understanding by Henry Hall and his BBC Dance Orchestra, with the composer at the piano. Somehow I never get tired of it. I always feel that a work such as this is worth while. The recognition that it has obtained both here by Henry Hall and in America by Paul Whiteman proves its worth. The simple gaiety of the holiday mood as expressed in Part 1 is followed by a sadder sequence, with a touch of the dramatic in the piano solo. Religious fervour is majestically introduced into the orchestration later, yet the work never entirely loses that gay little theme resplendent in the title. Foresythe has tied up more negro psychology into this masterpiece than any other composer of this idiom. He has portrayed it as faithfully in music as the historians have done in words. This is something we insular English can understand, despite its exotic character, and I am glad that it has taken its rightful place in our music. Congratulations to Columbia."
This transfer is taken from an American "blue wax" Columbia. The British Columbia has the catalogue number DX 683. Someone has stuck a filing label over the top half of the label of Part I, so I have used the Part II label as the main pic.
Henry Hall And The BBC Dance Orchestra play Reginald Foresythe's composition "Southern Holiday", released on a 12 inch 78, with the composer at the piano.
HENRY HALL AND THE BBC DANCE ORCHESTRA
Henry Hall directing: Frank Wilson, Charles Price and Andy Hodgkiss - trumpets / Bill Mulraney and Eric Tann - trombones / Burton Gillis - alto sax, clarinet / Freddy Williams - alto sax, clarinet / Eddie Cromar - alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet, violin / Jack Halsall - tenor sax, clarinet, flute / Joseph Hitchenor, Eric Cuthbertson and Bert Powell - violins / Reginald Foresythe - piano, arranger / George Dickinson - guitar / Unknown - banjo / Theo Farrar - string bass / George Elrick - drums (one of the woodwind musicians also plays oboe)
Recorded in London, March 19, 1935.
CAX-7494-2 …….Southern Holiday - Part I…….American Columbia 7337-M
CAX-7495-1….….Southern Holiday - Part II…….American Columbia 7337-M
Subtitled "A Phantasy Of Negro Moods", the themes of "Southern Holiday" draw upon musical sketches Foresythe made when, in August and early September 1930, he took a break from performing in Los Angeles - where he'd been singer Walter Richardson’s pianist - to travel across the southern states of the USA, in order to gain an insight into the lives of African-Americans living there.
Reviewing the recording in the June 1935 edition of "Rhythm" magazine, Julian Vedey said "I am glad to hear, on Columbia, Reginald Foresythe's charming interpretation of negro moods, "Southern Holiday". It is played with great understanding by Henry Hall and his BBC Dance Orchestra, with the composer at the piano. Somehow I never get tired of it. I always feel that a work such as this is worth while. The recognition that it has obtained both here by Henry Hall and in America by Paul Whiteman proves its worth. The simple gaiety of the holiday mood as expressed in Part 1 is followed by a sadder sequence, with a touch of the dramatic in the piano solo. Religious fervour is majestically introduced into the orchestration later, yet the work never entirely loses that gay little theme resplendent in the title. Foresythe has tied up more negro psychology into this masterpiece than any other composer of this idiom. He has portrayed it as faithfully in music as the historians have done in words. This is something we insular English can understand, despite its exotic character, and I am glad that it has taken its rightful place in our music. Congratulations to Columbia."
This transfer is taken from an American "blue wax" Columbia. The British Columbia has the catalogue number DX 683. Someone has stuck a filing label over the top half of the label of Part I, so I have used the Part II label as the main pic.
