Sir Dan Godfrey (1868-1939) was part of a musical family, of which he is the best remembered. In 1893 he took up an invitation which his father could not fulfil – to form a Municipal Military Band in Bournemouth. In fairly short order, to meet his musical requirements, this became the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra. It has since gone from strength to strength, and is now known as the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Dan Godfrey made his first records for HMV in August 1913 with “The Mayfair (Metropolitan) Orchestra”, then with the BMO in November 1913. Recordings followed with the “Royal Symphony Orchestra” for Edison Bell (who also recorded Godfrey’s son, Dan Godfrey Jr conducting the 2LO Military Band). In 1923 Godfrey started recording for Columbia, firstly with the London Symphony Orchestra in an abridged version of Vaughan Williams “London” Symphony, then a complete version of the same. Two further recordings were made electrically with the LSO, then in 1927 an anonymous “Symphony Orchestra”. Then from mid-1927, Godfrey brought the BMO back into the studios for a series of delightful recordings. These included many lighter works which showcase the talents of his orchestra both as players and composers. Byron Brooke was leader of the orchestra for many years, and some of his pieces display the skills of percussionists W.W. Bennett, and his predecessor W. Byrne. Ernst Slaney who is the second xylophonist on one 1930s recording was actually the principal cellist of the orchestra! The flautists of the orchestra for many years were the brothers Jean and Pierre Gennin, and Jean composed several virtuosic pieces for two flutes or two piccolos. | |
Saint-Saëns – Henry VIII – Ballet music: Danse de la gipsy & Finale Grieg – Norwegian Dances Op.35 (Nos. 2 and 3) Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, Dan GodfreyAvailable to download from Historic Recordings |
His Master’s Voice C 340 Matrices: al 7632f, al7635f (single side numbers 0957, 0958) Recorded 9th November 1913 |
Dvorak – Slavonic Dances Nos. 1 to 4 London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Dan Godfrey |
Columbia L 1830/1 Matrices: WAX 1340-2, 1341-2, 1342-2, 1343-2 (5931, 5932, 5933, 5934) Rec 12th March 1926 Available from March 1927 to January 1939 |
Debussy – Petite Suite 1. En bateau 2. Cortège 3. Menuet 4. Ballet London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Dan Godfrey |
Columbia L 1786/7 Matrices: WAX 1344-1, 1345-2, 1346-1, 1347-1 (5935, 5936, 5937, 5938) Rec 12th March 1926 Available from November 1926 to May 1938 |
Mozart –Symphony No.41 in C major (“Jupiter” Symphony) Symphony Orchestra, Sir Dan GodfreyMediafire link for Mozart – Jupiter Symphony – Dan Godfrey (This is a zip file – left click the link, download the file, then unzip when downloaded) |
Columbia L1938-41 Matrices: WRAX 2432-2, 2433-1, 2434-2, 2435-2, 2436-2, 2437-2, 2438-2, 2439-2 Recorded 4th February 1927 Available November 1927 to April 1934This recording is unusual in that there is a substantial overlap between sides 2 and 3. The first movement spreads over 3 sides, despite lasting only a little over 8 minutes. The first side contains the exposition (which could therefore be repeated by playing the record twice.) The second side carries through into the recapitulation, up to bar 243. The third side begins at bar 212, therefore overlapping 32 bars with the previous side, a fact acknowledged (but not explained) in the notes of the original record album. It’s a shame that Godfrey chose this unusual side arrangement – if he’d squeezed the first movement onto 2 sides, he could have included a filler on the 8th side. |
Wagner – Kaiser March Symphony Orchestra, Dan Godfrey |
American Columbia 50081-D Matrices WAX 2522-1, 2523-1 Recorded 23rd March 1927 Issued in the UK on L2003, available January 1928 to April 1933This is an abridged recording, with a significant chunk of music omitted between the two sides. |
Wagner – Homage March (Huldigungsmarsch) Symphony Orchestra, Sir Dan Godfrey |
Columbia L 2002 Matrices: WAX 2524-1, 2525-1 (7365, 7366) Rec 23rd March 1927 London, Scala Theatre Available from January 1928 to April 1933 |
C Grunow – Dance or Seville Xylophone solo: W W Bennett Kenneth Alford – The Two Imps Xylophones: W W Bennett & W Byrne Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, Sir Dan Godfrey |
Columbia 9505 Matrices: WRAX 2699-1, 3569-1 (7591, 9256) Recorded: 8th May 1927, 29th April 1928, Winter Gardens, Bournemouth Available from November 1928 to December 1945 |
Hérold – Zampa – Overture Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, Sir Dan GodfreyAvailable to download from Historic Recordings |
Columbia 9582 Matrices: WAX 3566-2, 3567-1 (9260, 9257) Recorded: 29th April 1928, Winter Gardens, Bournemouth Available from January 1929 to April 1948 |
Jean Gennin – Fluttering Birds (Duet for two piccolos) Idylle Bretonne (Duet for two flutes) Solos by Jean Gennin and Pierre Gennin Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, Sir Dan Godfrey |
Columbia 9471 Matrices: WAX 3570-3, 3571-1 (9236, 9237) Rec 29th April 1928, Bournemouth Winter Gardens Available from October 1928 to January 1938 |
Suppe – Pique Dame – Overture Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, Sir Dan GodfreyAvailable to download from Historic Recordings |
Columbia 9496 Matrices: WAX 3572-2, 3573-? (9255, 9258) Rec 29th April 1928, Bournemouth Winter Gardens Available from November 1928 to December 1945 |
Byron Brooke – Zip Zip Marimba solo: W W Bennett W Byrne – Whispering Pines Xylophone solo: W Byrne Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, Sir Dan Godfrey |
10” Columbia 5683 Matrices: WA 8232-1, 8233-2 (37064, 37062) Recorded: 16th December 1928, Winter Gardens, Bournemouth Released: January 1930 |
German – Three Dances from Henry VIII 1. Morris Dance 2. Shepherd’s Dance 3. Torch Dance Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, Sir Dan GodfreyAvailable to download from Historic Recordings |
10” Columbia 5577 Matrices: WA 8236-2, 8235-2 (37067, 37066) – Shepherd’s Dance is split across the two sides Rec 16th December 1928, Bournemouth Winter Gardens Available from November 1929 |
Mozart – Don Giovanni – Selection Part 1: For a carousel; Entrance of the statue; Zerlina’s Entrance; Masetto; Give me thy hand Part 2: Serenade; Finale Act 1 Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, Sir Dan GodfreyAvailable to download from Historic Recordings |
American Columbia 50178-D (UK recording, released in UK as Regal G 1056) Matrices: WAX 4470-3, 4472-2 Recorded: 17th December 1928, Winter Gardens, Bournemouth Released February 1929 |
Mozart – Le Nozze di Figaro – Fandango Mozart – Don Giovanni – Act 1. Minuet Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, Sir Dan GodfreyAvailable to download from Historic Recordings |
10” Regal G 9422 Matrices: WA 9654-2, 9655-2 (46111, 46109) Recorded: 8th October 1929, Bournemouth Pavilion Released: December 1929 |
Jean Gennin – The Jolly Whistlers The Language of the Nightingale (Duets for two piccolos) Solos by Jean Gennin and Pierre Gennin Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, Sir Dan Godfrey |
10” Columbia DB 178 Matrices: WA 10333-2, 10334 (51799, 51798) Rec 1930, Bournemouth Pavilion |
Auber – Crown Diamonds – Overture Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, Sir Dan GodfreyAvailable to download from Historic Recordings |
Columbia DX 77 Matrices: WAX 5563-?, 5564-? (13614, 13615) Rec 1930 Bournemouth Pavilion |
Auber – The Bronze Horse – Overture Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, Sir Dan GodfreyAvailable to download from Historic Recordings |
Columbia DX 69 Matrices: WAX 5565-?, 5566-? (13617, 13616) Rec 1930 Bournemouth Pavilion |
C White – A Fairy Ballet T de la Rivière – Raindrops: Pizzicati for strings Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, Dan Godfrey de la Rivière: Pizzicati – Godfrey (mp3 file – click to play, or right click the link, then select “Save as”) |
Columbia DB 689 Matrices WA11560, 11561 (61825, 61824) Recorded c1930 |
Schumann – Traumerei Grieg – Solveig’s Song Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, Sir Dan GodfreyAvailable to download from Historic Recordings |
10” Columbia DB 810 Matrices: WA 11562-2, 11564-2 Rec 1931/2?, Bournemouth Pavilion |
Flynn (arr. Blight) – The Clatter of the Clogs Xylophone solo: W W Bennett Montague Birch – Dance of the Nymphs Xylophones: W W Bennett & Ernest Slaney Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, Sir Dan Godfrey |
10” Columbia DB 1110 Matrices: WA 13517-1, 13519-1 Recorded: c1934, Bournemouth Pavilion |
Offenbach – Orpheus in the Underworld – Overture Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, Sir Dan GodfreyAvailable to download from Historic Recordings |
Columbia DX 593 Matrices: CAX 7116-2, 7117-1 Rec 1934 Bournemouth Pavilion |
Meyerbeer – Le Prophete – Coronation March Handel – Largo (from Serse) Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, Sir Dan Godfrey |
Columbia DX 620 Matrices: CAX 7230-1, 7231-1 Rec 1934 Bournemouth Pavilion |