Swing The Classics
Altering
well-known musical pieces and giving them an up-tempo beat is anathema to some but to others it shows a healthy regard for a fine original tune. Such is the case with this new compilation where several musicians have altered the tempi of 25 popular classical favourites to give them a new dimension. One famous tune has been done twice but totally differently, thus making 26 tracks in total. Some are fast and furious such as Flight of the
Bumblebee and Galloping Comedians while others are considerably slower but still swing beautifully, like Who is Sylvia? and Entrance of the Little Fauns.
Other composers given the full treatment include Beethoven, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Bach, Brahms, Verdi, Dvorak, Offenbach, Waldteufel, Liszt, Bizet and Johann Strauss. Even two Shakespeare songs receive the full works, brilliantly performed by Al Bowlly and the Henderson Twins, likewise Rudyard Kipling’s On the Road to Mandalay. You are also sure to recognise
Starlight Serenade, the famous tune by Johnny Heykens, not to mention all the other updated melodies. If you can identify all the tunes in Swinging at the Met then please let us know!
Among the artistes having great fun are Fats Waller, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Geraldo, Harry James, Jack Payne, John Kirby, Maxine Sullivan, Bob Crosby, Stephane Grappelli, Django Reinhardt, Jo Stafford, Claude Thornhill, Sydney Kyte, Billy Cotton, Alan Breeze, the Nat King Cole Trio, and Les Brown and His Band of Renown. We feel sure the original composers would have approved.
Tracks include: • Bach Goes to Town • Moonlight Sonata • Entrance of the Little Fauns • March of the Toys • Who is Sylvia? • Can Can Polka • Humoresque • Skaters Waltz • Song of India • Liebenstraum • Blue Danube • On the Road to Mandalay • Hungarian Dance No. 5 • Prelude in C-sharp Minor • Double Violin Concerto • It was a Lover and His Lass • Blow Blow Thou Winter Wind • Galloping Comedians • Anvil Chorus • Swinging at the Met
• No Other Love • Starlight Serenade • Bach Up to Me • Pathetique.