Joseph Muscant enjoyed considerable success during the thirties. He had given classical violin recitals in his young days but turned his attention to light music in 1929 when he was appointed Musical Director at the Commodore Theatre, Hammersmith directing the famous Commodore Grand Orchestra.

From 1930, this orchestra broadcast for an hour every Saturday lunchtime as well as making more than 50 commercial recordings for Decca, Regal Zonophone, Edison Bell and the Broadcast label.

In 1934, Harry Davidson took over the conductorship of the Commodore Grand Orchestra, until the outbreak of war in 1939, although he was later to become famous with his own orchestra in the long-running series 'Those Were The Days.' Joseph Muscant moved on, taking up a similar position with the Troxy Broadcasting Orchestra — a position which he held for some years.

After the Second World War, he formed his own light orchestra, playing summer seasons at resorts such as Paignton and Broadstairs, broadcasting regularly in programmes such as 'Morning Music' and from 1948 in 'Music While You Work' for which the orchestra performed fifty-one editions. The orchestra was classed as a theatre orchestra, because it had a brass section in addition to the usual strings, woodwind, piano and percussion. Consequently, it was larger than many of the orchestras on the BBC's books and rather more expensive - a factor that was, no doubt, a contributary factor to the BBC's decision to phase out most such orchestras in the late fifties. Joseph Muscant gave his final broadcast in 1959 and died, aged 84, in 1983 having for many years been co-president (with Arthur Anton) of the Vintage Light Music Society.

Listen to Joseph Muscant and his Orchestra
playing 'Dusky Aristocrat' by Norman Whiteley
(60 second clip)

3.00 p.m. Light Programme 25th August 1953
played by Joseph Muscant and his Orchestra

MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK at 3.45 p.m. on 20th January 1959
played by Joseph Muscant and his Orchestra