Eric Coates (transcr. Lou Singer) : Sleepy Lagoon

Eric Coates (1886-1957) was a well-known British composer of light music, whose orchestral suites (such as 'London', 'London Again', 'The Three Elizabeths') were enormously popular in the 1930s and 1940s, and are still regularly heard today. Most of his orchestral music was issued in piano solo versions, and there is a literal version of this piece. It achieved fame as the signature tune for the long-running BBC radio show 'Desert Island Discs'. This video is of a very free (and abridged) transcription by Louis ('Lou') C Singer (1913-66). Singer was a child prodigy pianist who later became an arranger for Duke Ellington in the 1930s and 1940s. He was also a percussionist, appearing on sessions in the 1950s with Peggy Lee, Harry Belafonte and others. In this and other commercial piano arrangements, aimed at a domestic market, Singer brings touches of the dance-band and musical theatre scoring of the period to much older songs - making fascinating period piece versions of earlier period pieces.
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Played by Phillip Sear
http://www.psear.co.uk

Category:

Music

Tags:

• piano
• light
• british
• 古典钢琴
• классическое
• фортепьяно
• البيانو
• الكلاسيكي
• ピアノクラシック
• klasik
• موسیقی
• کلاسیک
• پیانو
• เปียโนเพลงคลาสสิค
• cổ
• điển
• âm
• nhạc
• πιάνο
• κλασική
• μουσική

[powersphincter]

I hope this music and talent is never lost. Sadly I think it already is....

[PSearPianist]

@powersphincter Well, this composer is certainly no longer around, but there are plenty of amazing musicians still with us...

[pc4l2]

Oh bliss, I'm dozing on a desert island... where are the sea gulls?

I noticed that for some reason your uploads don't seem to attract the wrong crowd, i.e. yobs - unlike those of many other unfortunate artists. Do you have an idea why is this the case? Is it your choice of music? Youtube is a good social site but it often brings out the worst in human behaviours. Sigh.

[PSearPianist]

@pc4l2 Thank you. I do get the occasional spiteful or off-the-wall comment. I think it is all down to the labelling, descriptions and tags. Some people put irrelevant keywords in to get views - but then they get the wrong sort of views. Others send messages announcing new videos, which can be an irritant. I only do this on Twitter.

[PSearPianist]

@lazhands The book is called 'Chappell's Famous Melodies for Piano Solo transcribed by Louis Singer' published by Chappell (now Warner Chappell) c1955. I imagine it is out of print, but I found my copy in a charity shop. There is a companion volume 'Chappell Showcase for Piano' by the same arranger which I would certainly like to get!

[lazhands]

@PSearPianist in that case, do you know of where i could buy it?

[PSearPianist]

@lazhands I do, but copyright prevents me from distributing it.

[lazhands]

this is amazing! do you have any sheet music for it?

[PSearPianist]

@zaroziniart Thanks!

[zaroziniart]

Beatiful.