It must be quite a challenge to come up with titles for individual CDs in this Guild light music series. Rather than individual volumes concentrating on particular orchestras or schools of composers, the aim seems generally to present as diverse a mix of light orchestras and styles as possible.

“Continental Flavour” is a high-spirited collection of pieces that have a European connection. It’s a pretty limited coverage of the continent, though. German and Dutch orchestras are represented (as are British and American); but the titles evoke exclusively France, Italy and Iberia. Representing Italy are Nino Rota’s theme from La Strada and Victor Herbert’s Italian Street Song, while Spain is portrayed in such varied items as Lecuona’s Malagueña, Marquina’s España Cañi, Binge’s Red Sombrero and Curzon’s Cachucha. By far the bulk of the disc is devoted to France, beginning with an imaginative Ron Goodwin arrangement of Kern’s The last time I saw Paris and ending with an intriguing French potpourri by the Melachrino Orchestra. In between there are valuable glimpses of genuine French orchestras such as those of Roger Roger, Eddie Barclay, Emile Deltour and Claude Yvoire.

“Amor Amor” derives its title from a romantic piece by Mexican composer Gabriel Ruiz featured in the 1944 film Broadway Rhythm. The overall atmosphere of this CD is appropriately smoochy, with no shortage of singing strings from a variety of orchestras popular in the 1950s, including those of David Rose, Johnny Douglas, Ray Martin, Percy Faith and Gordon Jenkins. Sam Coslow’s Cocktails for Two, Cole Porter’s Easy to Love and Victor Young’s Sweet Sue set the tone and typify much of what follows. At the same time, in very different style, room has commendably been found for Charles Williams and the Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra with the sadly neglected Paul Rubens’s I Love the Moon.

These CDs are aimed at those with happy memories of light music of the late 78rpm era. Alan Bunting’s transfers are excellent, and David Ades’s notes informative.