“And now we take you to the Palm Court of the Grand Hotel…” as the announcer used to say, introducing a programme of fine light classical and dance music from the Grand Hotel in Eastbourne, on Britain’s South Coast.
Today we take you back to the dance-halls of the early to middle 20th Century, from around the mid-20s to the 50s, characterised by the BBC radio series, Grand Hotel. We’ll also be hearing some classic big-band recordings and much more.
Join us for another episode in our Second Life travelogue series, “Where Have You Been?”. “WYB” airs every Wednesday and Saturday at 12 noon and 4pm Pacific / SLT, and each episode is broadcast over a couple of weeks. And don’t miss “Engines of Our Ingenuity” from the University of Houston, every four hours from 4am Pacific.
Broadcasts of light classical music on the BBC started in 1925 from The Grand Hotel in Eastbourne and featured, to quote the Radio Times of the era, ‘Music of the Palm Court Orchestra’. The Lounge Hall of the Grand was used — the hotel did not actually have a Palm Court.
We’ll be featuring the modern-day Palm Court Orchestra — in fact several different ones, including the Palm Court Orchestra of the Stockholm Philharmonic! Much of the music you’ll hear today is instrumental, but there are some vocal numbers; similarly, the recordings are a mixture of authentic 1920s-40s dance-band recordings from the Charleston era and later, and modern light classical dance tunes and other pieces.
The Grand Hotel programme itself ran on Sundays from 1943 to 1973 and was generally broadcast live, usually from the Concert Hall at Broadcasting House but occasionally on location. It was hosted by violinist Albert Sandler until early in 1948 when he was taken ill and left the programme, being replaced by Tom Jenkins. Both had previously been musical directors of the Grand Hotel Eastbourne (Sandler 1924–28 and Jenkins 1938–40). However other hotels were also used, notably the Royal Bath, Bournemouth and these programmes were not called ‘Grand Hotel’.
The programme lapsed for a couple of years before returning for its final series in 1951 when it was pre-recorded and introduced by Tom Jenkins with the Palm Court Orchestra and guest baritone Alfred Swain. Max Jaffa took over in 1956, succeeding Jean Pougnet, and stayed to the end. Reginald Leopold directed the Palm Court orchestra for 17 years, until 1973.
The programme’s signature tune was the “big tune” from Strauss’s Roses from the South.
Some original period recordings may contain negative stereotypes or language now regarded as offensive. Such materials should be seen in the context of the time period and as a reflection of attitudes of the time. The recordings are part of the historical record, and do not represent the views of Virtual Community Radio.
Text based on the entry for Grand Hotel in Whirligig, http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/radio/musicprog.htm The picture shows Reginald Leopold and his Orchestra rehearsing for Grand Hotel
