March 2025

Legends of Light Music

All of the articles in the above category, which appeared on the RFS website over the years, have now been reproduced and posted in the 'Articles' section of the LLMMG website for easy reference.

March 2025

RFS Website

Due to insurmountable technical problems, Geoff Leonard, who has run the website of the former Robert Farnon Society for the last ten years, has been obliged to permanently shut the site down.

I am pleased to inform you that I have been able to acquire the entire set of data files, as a result of invaluable assistance from Jonathan Burns, and with due thanks to Geoff Leonard.

These will now be held as an archive; no further additions will be possible, but they will soon be accessible via the LLMMG website.

Tony Clayden
14/03/2025

March 2025

Robert Walton

It is with great sadness that I have just learned of the death – in Ireland – of Robert Walton, which occurred about six months ago.

Robert had been a stalwart member of the former Robert Farnon Society for many years and – after having retired to the 'Emerald Isle' – he maintained a steady stream of contributions to the RFS website, which were always of great interest.

An obituary can be found in the 'Obituaries' section here.

Tony Clayden
14/03/2025

January 2025

Laurie Holloway
(1938-2025)

The composer, pianist and musical director Laurie Holloway has died at the age of 86.

An obituary by Anthony Wills can be found in our Obituaries section, HERE

January 2025

"The History of the Northern Dance Orchestra"

The BBC Northern Dance Orchestra was a big band run by the BBC and formed in 1956 as the successor to the BBC's Northern Variety Orchestra. Known to listeners as the NDO, it broadcast on the radio daily, usually from recordings made at the Playhouse Theatre in Hulme, Manchester, and on many trips to halls throughout the UK.

The NDO project produced for Serenade Radio — 3 x one hour programmes on the NDO and NVO, with contributions from people who knew and worked with the bands, and lots of great music!

Listen here!