The recording dates of the 20 pieces here give an acute sense of the impact Robert Farnon made on the British light music scene immediately after the Second World War. The earliest two recordings – Willie the Whistler and Canadian Caravan – date from 1946 and are conducted by Charles Williams‚ showing Farnon’s beginnings writing music for the Chappell Music Library. After that‚ he is given his head to conduct his own music. It’s difficult to avoid a sense of wonder at the attractive melodies that then emerged from one man in such a short time. Most of the recordings included here were made for the Chappell Music Library‚ and indeed in one or two cases producer David Lennick has preferred the Chappell originals to the commercial re­makes Farnon made for Decca. Connoisseurs may thus enjoy spotting subtle differences from familiar versions. In a few cases we do have the Decca re­makes‚ most notably in the celebrated Jumping Bean and Portrait of a Flirt‚ made on September 8‚ 1948 and issued as the two sides of a single 78rpm record. Not all the most popular numbers are here‚ The Westminster Waltz being the most notable absentee. I confess that‚ with 20 pieces laid end to end‚ the sound of singing strings is apt to become a little wearing. However‚ nobody who appreciates Farnon’s joyous contribution to British light music can fail to appreciate having all these numbers – familiar and unfamiliar – so well transferred and available at such a bargain price.