Leroy Anderson’s name on a disc cover is pretty much a guarantee of vitality, wit and enjoyment. The only proviso concerns performances. And as with the first volume in Slatkin’s Naxos series the performances are engaging, stylistically apt and full of curvaceous allure. The fact that we have five world premiere recordings—and no mere shavings from the bench at that—is surely even more reason to look favourably on this latest, peppy entrant.

The disc is excellently played and conducted—and warmly recorded—so Anderson devotees will find much to excite and entertain them.

That’s why this Naxos series is so valuable to the Anderson enthusiast, and to almost anyone interested in light classical music. This, the second volume in the series, contains some real gems: The Waltzing Cat (1950), Home Stretch (1962) and Lullaby of the Drums (1970), the latter billed here as a world premiere recording. Of course, there are the two hit numbers from early in his career Jazz Pizzicato and Jazz Legato, both dating to 1938. Most of these and the other numbers on the disc contain Anderson’s trademark orchestral touches, from the clattery, rhythmic percussive effects, heard in Horse and Buggy (1951) and Home Stretch to the swoops and whistles, heard in The Waltzing Cat and March of the Two Left Feet (1970).

This second volume in Naxos’ ongoing survey of Leroy Anderson’s (1908–1975) complete orchestral music features five world première recordings. Not only that, but most of the remaining eleven selections will be new to most, making this release a must for all pops enthusiasts. You’ll find each of these tiny pieces a perfectly cut, melodically lustrous gem.

I must admit that I tend towards being a completist when it comes to music. It probably goes back to days when I used hang over railway bridges and haunt the end of Motherwell station platforms to collect steam and diesel locomotive numbers. However, my thoughts on musical completeness are slightly different. It is not really my burning desire to ‘collect’ every work written by Bax, Beethoven or Bliss. Goodness knows, I would not want to plough my way through the myriad ‘dances’ for piano by Ludwig any more than I could settle down to address every sonata written by Scarlatti. But there is a valid reason for a ‘complete’ or ‘collected’ edition of the complete works of a poet, an author or a composer. It gives the listener, the student and the musicologist a reference on which to base their criticisms and understanding of the composer. And for this reason alone I applaud Naxos and their attempt to present all the orchestral works of Leroy Anderson.

It goes without saying that the playing is excellent and the sound quality superb. The balance of the programme is well thought out and the sleeve-notes are informative…