Wynford
Hubert Reynolds was born
in Ebbw Vale in 1899.
After studying the violin
in Cardiff, he joined the
Army during the First
World War. Upon his
return to civilian life
he studied violin, viola
and composition at the
Royal Academy of Music,
later becoming musical
director of a cinema,
like so many of his
contemporaries, gaining
his early experience
playing for silent
movies. He later joined
Sir Henry Wood as a
violinist in the famous
Queen's Hall Orchestra.
It
was as a member of a
string quartet that he
made his first broadcast
from Savoy Hill.
Subsequently he played
viola in many
broadcasting
combinations, including
those of Fred Hartley,
Reginald King and Jack
Payne.
During
the thirties he directed
his own orchestra at the
Spa, Felixstowe, his
signature tune being his
own composition 'Spa
Song', which was later
re-titled 'Cocktail of
Happiness'. Other
delightful compositions
from his pen include an
exhilarating Viennese
waltz entitled 'Morning
Glory' and novelties such
as 'Twinkletoes'.
By
the late thirties,
Wynford Reynolds and his
Orchestra were
broadcasting regularly.
This orchestra, which
specialised in light,
tuneful novelties and
medleys, initially
comprised 11 players but
was later increased to
13. Around this time,
Wynford Reynolds also
joined the staff of the
BBC as a producer.
When
Music
While You Work
commenced in 1940,
Wynford Reynolds and his
Orchestra were early
contributors, appearing
nine times in the first
year. In 1941, the BBC
created the post of
'Music While You Work
Organiser' and appointed
Wynford Reynolds to take
on this task. As part of
his work would involve
the selection and
allocation of
contributing orchestras
to the programme, he was
not permitted to appear
with his own orchestra
whilst he held this
appointment. He might
have been seen to have an
unfair advantage over
other contributors, and
there was the potential
for difficulties to arise
when dealing with
disciplinary matters. In
any case, he was kept
busy visiting factories
around the country,
advising managers on
suitable receiving
equipment, ascertaining
the views of the workers
on the suitability of
contributing bands, and
even listening to
programmes in prevailing
conditions to establish
their audibility above
factory noises.
Although
independent of the BBC,
the Decca Record Company
produced some 420 records
on their special 'Music
While You Work' label,
the majority of which
were produced by Wynford
Reynolds, whose own
orchestra was well
represented. Many of the
recordings from this
series have now been
released on compact disc.
Wynford
Reynolds relinquished his
appointment as MWYW
Organiser in 1944 and his
orchestra resumed
broadcasting in the
series. After the war, he
continued to participate
in various light music
programmes including 'Bright
and Early',
'Morning
Music',
'Uninterrupted Music',
and 'Time For Music'. He
also had a 19-piece
combination called The
Raeburn Orchestra, his
pseudonym as a composer
being Hugh Raeburn. This
larger orchestra was also
featured in 'And So To
Bedtime' and 'Time for
Music'. The two
orchestras collectively
appeared in 109 editions
of 'Music While You
Work'. Many will recall
the Raeburn Orchestra's
long association with 'Marching
and Waltzing'.
Other
combinations directed by
the Maestro were The
Wynford Reynolds Players
and the 29-piece Wynford
Reynolds Concert
Orchestra, which was
mostly used in
breakfast-time
programmes.
Unfortunately,
in 1956, Wynford Reynolds
was told by the BBC that
his original 13-piece
orchestra was 'dated' and
had 'outlived its
usefulness'. The BBC
disliked his use of three
saxophones at a time
'when the public had
become accustomed to the
sound of five
saxophones', which (in
their opinion) gave 'an
aura of the early
thirties'. It would seem
that his style was
considered redundant!
Graciously,
the BBC told Wynford
Reynolds that he could
continue broadcasting
with the Raeburn
Orchestra. This he did
until being taken
seriously ill in 1958. At
this time the orchestra
was contracted do a
series of 'Marching and
Waltzing' as well as some
MWYW programmes.
Violinist/conductor Bernard
Monshin,
who played in the
orchestra as well as
being its 'fixer', told
me that he offered to
conduct the scheduled
programmes himself, 'to
prevent the broadcasts
being lost to another
orchestra'. Consequently,
quite a number of the
Raeburn Orchestra's
programmes were conducted
by Bernard Monshin.
In
August 1958,Wynford
Reynolds informed the BBC
that he hoped to return
to broadcasting the
following January and
that, in the meantime, he
was working on new
arrangements in his
hospital bed. Sadly, his
optimism was ill-founded,
as he died in October
1958, aged 59.
Listen
to Wynford Reynolds and
his Orchestra
playing their signature
tune, 'Cocktail of
Happiness'
(also known as 'The Spa
Song')
composed by Wynford
Reynolds
(60 second
clip) |
Listen
to Wynford Reynolds and
his Orchestra
playing 'Fairies in the
Moon' by Montague Ewing
(60 second
clip) |
MUSIC
WHILE YOU WORK at 10.31
a.m. on 21st April 1956
played by Wynford
Reynolds and his
Orchestra
Calling
All Workers (sig)
Begorrah
Rip Van Twinkle
Medley:
. Chansonette
. Indian Love Call
. Every Little While
. Only a Rose
Flirtation Waltz
Medley:
. The Poor People of
Paris
. Love is the Tender Trap
. Robin Hood
The Royal Tango
Theme from The
Threepenny Opera
Throw Open Wide
Your Window
Medley:
. I've Got a Pocketful of
Dreams
. An Apple for the
Teacher
. Great Day
Guanta le Gusta
Valse Royale
Calling All Workers (sig) |
Coates
Martin
Nelson
Friml arr. Reynolds
Heywood
arr. Reynolds
Monnot
Van Heuson
Sigman
Monshin
Weill
May
arr. Reynolds
Burke/Monaco
Burke/Monaco
Youmans
Ruis
Reynolds
Coates |
MUSIC
WHILE YOU WORK at 10.31
a.m. on 24th May 1958
played by The Raeburn
Orchestra
Conductor: Wynford
Reynolds
Calling
All Workers (sig)
Marching Strings
Westminster Waltz
The March Hare
La Petite Valse
Stringing Along
The Gay
Nineties
Pepita
Selection:
Where's Charley
Calling All Workers (sig) |
Coates
Ross
Farnon
Green
Heyne
Reynolds
arr. Gray
Versey
Loesser
Coates |
|