Sir Adrian Boult’s advocacy of English music perhaps overshadowed his protean abilities to secure stylish performances in a much wider range of repertoire.

The first half of this collection focuses on Holst and Parry, music for which he cared deeply, but the second half shows a more playful side to his musical personality, in Russian Romantic dances, suites and overtures, and in the lighter repertoire of marches and intermezzi that was once staple fare and can still charm and entertain in equal measure.

The final CD is a pot-pourri of popular orchestral works including marches from a variety of countries in Europe and the USA. Many of these recordings are making their first appearance on CD.

Contents:
CD 1 [59.52]
Gustav Holst
- The Planets Op.32/H125
Ladies of the BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra
Recorded: 2–5.I.1945, Corn Exchange, Bedford

Sir Edward Elgar
- Introduction and Allegro Op.47
Solo quartet: Paul Beard (violin), Barry Squire (violin), Bernard Shore (viola), Ambrose Gauntlett (cello)
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Recorded: 24.III.1937, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

CD 2 [77.50]
Gustav Holst
- The Planets Op.32/H125
Ladies of the Ambrosian Singers, New Philharmonia Orchestra
Recorded: 21–22.VII.1966, Kingsway Hall, London

Robert Simpson
- Symphony No.1 (1951)
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Recorded: 24 & 27.I.1956, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

CD 3 [76.54]
Gustav Holst
- The Planets Op.32/H125
Ladies of the Geoffrey Mitchell Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra
Recorded: 12 & 30.V, 4.VI and 31.VII.1978, Kingsway Hall & No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Herbert Howells
- Concerto for String Orchestra
Denis Simons (violin), Robert Growcott (violin), John Chambers (viola), Alexander Cameron (cello)
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Recorded: 17 & 19.XI.1973, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

CD 4 [74.17]
Gustav Holst
- A Choral Symphony Op.41/H155 (Keats)
Dame Felicity Palmer (soprano)
London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra
Recorded: 5, 7 & 9.III.1974, Kingsway Hall, London

Sir Arthur Bliss
- Music for Strings
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Recorded: 20.XI.1973 & 20.II.1974, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London
Recorded in the presence of the composer

CD 5 [58.09]
Sir Charles Hubert H Parry
- Symphony No.5 in B minor
- Blest Pair of Sirens (Milton)
- Symphonic Variations
- Elegy for Brahms
London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra
Recorded: 21–23.XII.1966 (5), 4, 9, 19.X & 20.XII.1978, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

CD 6 [72.19]
Sir William Walton
- Crown Imperial – Coronation March (1937)
- Orb and Sceptre – Coronation March (1953)
Recorded: 10.I.1977, Kingsway Hall, London
- Portsmouth Point Overture
Recorded: 27.VII.1967, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Jeremiah Clarke
- Trumpet Voluntary (arr. Henry J. Wood)
Rodney Webb (trumpet)
Recorded: 3.VIII.1967, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Trad arr. Stanford Robinson
- The British Grenadiers
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Recorded: 3.VIII.1967, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Henry Walford Davies
- Royal Air Force March Past

Kenneth Alford, after Henry Purcell
- Lilliburlero: March

Kenneth Alford
- Colonel Bogey: March

Eric Coates
-  Dambusters March
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Recorded: 4.VIII.1967, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

George Butterworth
- A Shropshire Lad: Rhapsody
Hallé Orchestra
Recorded: 5.III.1942, Houldsworth Hall, Manchester

Dame Ethel Smyth
- Entente cordiale – Interlude (Two interlinked French folk melodies)
- Fête galante – Minuet
Light Symphony Orchestra
Recorded: 3.III.1939, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Sir William Walton
- Crown Imperial: Coronation March (1937)
Berkeley Mason (organ), BBC Symphony Orchestra
Recorded: 16.IV.1937, Kingsway Hall, London

-  Portsmouth Point Overture
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Recorded: 3.XII.1936, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

CD 7 [69.12]
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- Orchestral Suite No.3 in G Op.55
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Recorded: 12, 14 & 17.VI.1974, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

- Capriccio italien Op.45
- Marche slave Op.31
- Mazeppa – Gopak (Act II)
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Recorded: 25, 28.IV & 1.V.1974, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

CD 8 [76.45]
Mikhail Glinka
- Ruslan and Ludmila: Overture
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- Romeo and Juliet: Fantasy Overture
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Recorded: 22–23.X.1966, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

- The Nutcracker: Suite Op.71a
- The Sleeping Beauty Op.66: Suite
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Recorded: 8–11.VIII.1967, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

CD 9 [74.12]
- 1812 Overture Op.29
Recorded: 28.II.1967, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
The Snow Maiden
- Dance of the Tumblers (Act III)
Recorded: 22–23.X.1966, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Mlada
- Procession of the Nobles (Act III)

- Capriccio espagnol Op.34
Recorded: 25, 28.IV & 1.V.1974, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Igor Stravinsky
- Circus Polka
Recorded: 27.VII.1967, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Bedrich Smetana
The Bartered Bride
- Overture
- Polka (Act I)
- Furiant (Act II)
- Dance of the Comedians (Act III)

- Má vlast: Vltava
Recorded: 22–23.X.1966, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London
London Philharmonic Orchestra

CD 10 [60.39]
Amilcare Ponchielli
- La Gioconda: Dance of the Hours
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari
- I gioielli della Madonna: Intermezzo
Manuel de Falla
- El amor brujo: Ritual Fire Dance
Camille Saint-Saëns
- Danse macabre
Josef Franz Wagner
- Under the Double Eagle: March
Carl Teike
- Alte Kamaraden
George Gershwin
- Cuban Overture
John William Steffe
- The Battle Hymn of the Republic
John Philip Sousa
- The Stars and Stripes Forever: March
- The Washington Post: March
- El Capitan: March
- The Liberty Bell: March
Charles Zimmerman
- Anchors Aweigh: March
Richard Rodgers
- Victory at Sea: Guadalcanal March
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Recorded: VII/VIII.1967, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London