To mark the centenary of the birth of Richard Rodgers (our ‘Reputations’ subject in the July issue)‚ the Boston Pops Orchestra have recorded a beautiful and unhackneyed selection of his music‚ including three songs‚ under their conductor Keith Lockhart. Even such familiar fare as ‘Slaughter on 10th Avenue’ appears in the unusual guise of a most beguiling arrangement made for the Paul Whiteman Band‚ and the overture to Oklahoma! isn’t the familiar theatre version but an arrangement by Robert Russell Bennett and Adolph Deutsch for a much larger orchestra‚ as heard on the film soundtrack before the film rolled. Other rare items are the first appearance of the ‘March of the Clowns’ derived from Rodgers’ circus musical Jumbo‚ and ‘D­Day’‚ newly re­assembled for this recording from the music for Victory at Sea. For all the advocacy of the Boston Pops playing‚ this turns out to be the one disappointment of the set‚ the musical content being less than inspired. The arrangements of Rodgers’ music by many distinguished hands does at times have a tendency to overwhelm the music as happens with John Williams’ arrangement of Surrey With a Fringe On Top and to a degree in the three vocal items where the singers are‚ for all their forward placing at the microphone‚ part of the symphonic landscape. However‚ Don Sebesky’s treatment of ‘Grant Avenue’ is great fun with blazing showbiz wind up; likewise the playful arrangement by Alexander Courage of ‘Shall We Dance?’ which ends with a brilliant canter to the finish. The overture to Babes in Arms‚ a wonderful melody of hit tunes‚ might have been preferable with an orchestra of theatre pit dimensions. Lockhart’s account of the ‘Carousel Waltz’ brings out all the lyricism of this piece without slackening the tempi‚ and in the ‘Slaughter’ ballet his orchestra embrace the gentler sequences as well as playing their hearts out where appropriate. The three singers are distinctive in a modern manner. The recording misses no detail of a most enjoyable programme.