Recording British Music

A personal history of fifty years researching and recording

neglected repertoire

Lewis Foreman 

Foreword by Roger Wright

If you are thrilled by the revival of the music of British composers from the first half of the twentieth century – from Elgar and Delius to Bax, Brian, and John Foulds, not to mention Richard Arnell and, of course, Vaughan Williams – then you will want Lewis Foreman’s first-hand account of how some of it was done in the recording studio over a period of fifty years. Foreman’s memories of composers, conductors, and artists, and some half-dozen recording companies, begin with the Lyrita label and end with Dutton Epoch.

Foreman's activities have included not only researching the repertoire, but also taking session photographs, and this autobiographical account features more than 200 colour plates. He writes about recording sessions entertainingly, and includes anecdotes and even two cartoons. Also memorialised are several of the musicologists – Anthony Payne, Christopher Palmer, Graham Parlett, Martin Yates, Rodney Newton, and Jeremy Dibble – who have brought composers’ sketches and forgotten music to performance.

Ultimately, this book is a fascinating journey through Britain’s rich heritage of music-making.

Recording British Music specifications:

• Publisher: Vocalion Books
• 460 pages
• Hardback edition only
• ISBN: 9781999679620
• Fully indexed
• Three photo sections: one in b&w, two in colour

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