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Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Music For An Arabian Night - Ron Goodwin And His Orchestra

Window Of The East

Music For An Arabian Night
Ron Goodwin And His Concert Orchestra
Produced by Frank Brooks and Dave Dexter, Jr.
Parlophone/EMI Records (England) PMC 1109
1959

From the back cover: Ron Goodwin's confections orchestrations are rich in the sounds and colors of the Middle-East. With a large body of mellow strings he features several flutes, including a hauntingly seductive alto flute, reeds, and a sparingly used brass section. A different kind of sparkle is given to each selection by ever-changing combinations of guitar, concertina, harp, piano and celesta. In four of the selections the strings are replaced by the sparkle of mandolins, to add rhythmic drive and characteristic Eastern sound. A rainbow of exotic percussion (finger cymbals, metal rattles, triangles, tambourine and tuned drums of all sizes) accents the rhythmic element and adds to the originality of the sound.

From Billboard - October 10, 1960: Here are some sophisticated arrangements of Eastern melodies. Music for you Turkish coffee and water pipe. Quite an engaging package with a touch of novelty. Don't get the idea it is too far out for Western ears. It is cut for the Western audience, but with its inspiration in the land of the houris and flying carpets.

Old Beirut

Music For An Arabian Night
Ron Goodwin And His Orchrestra
Capitol International Series ST 10251 & T 10251
1960

Windows Of The East
Bazarr
Old Beirut
Wedding Dance
Return To Paradise
Arab Feast
Dancing Eyes
Come Back To Me
Barefoot Girl
The Moon And I
Desert Hero
The Cedars Of Lebanon

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