Born in Venice, Italy, in 1905 into a musical family, he moved to the UK in 1912, and after studying at Trinity College formed his own orchestra, and during the 1930s became one of the most popular British dance bands. He started recording for Columbia and Decca in the UK, and had his first hit in 1936. Developing a sound and technique he called “Cascading Strings” he continued having hits on both sides of the Atlantic right through to the ‘60s, as well as being in the vanguard of the stereo album boom of the 1960s and ‘70s. 

This 45-track 2-CD collection comprises all his hits from this era on Columbia, Decca and London, along with selected classic orchestral recordings from his singles and EPs from these years. It features his UK No. 1 and US No. 8 with “The Theme From Moulin Rouge”, and his UK and US Top 10 hits with “Red Sails In The Sunset”, “Serenade In The Night”, “Charmaine”, “White Christmas” and Swedish Rhapsody”, and the Top 20 hit “Around The World”, plus hits with British singer David Whitfield, including the UK No.1 “Cara Mia”. It also includes famous orchestral pieces like “Warsaw Concerto”, “Cornish Rhapsody”, “Legend of A Glass Mountain”, “Dream of Olwen”, Intermezzo”, “Tales From The Vienna Woods” and others. 

For lovers of this style of lush melodic orchestral music it makes for a thoroughly entertaining programme.

Tracks

CD 1
1. RED SAILS IN THE SUNSET Mantovani And His Tipica Orchestra (Columbia 3097) 1935 
2. SERENADE IN THE NIGHT Mantovani & His Orchestra (Columbia 3159) 1937 
3. LA CUMPARSITA Mantovani & His Orchestra (London 1245) 1940 
4. DIANE Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F9696) 1951 
5. CHARMAINE Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F9696) 1951 
6. GREENSLEEVES Mantovani & His Orchestra (London 1171) 1952 
7. DANCING WITH TEARS IN MY EYES Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F9820) 1952 
8. IT HAPPENED IN MONTEREY Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca 75098) 1952 
9. SOME ENCHANTED EVENING Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F9914) 1952 
10. TALES FROM THE VIENNA WOODS Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca DFE6002 (EP)) 1952 
11. BLUE DANUBE Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca 75084) 1952 
12. WHITE CHRISTMAS Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F10017) 1952 
13. GYPSY LEGEND Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F10032) 1953 
14. VOICES OF SPRING Mantovani & His Orchestra (London 1273) 1953 
15. AH! SWEET MYSTERY OF LIFE Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F10154) 1953 
16. MOULIN ROUGE THEME (WHERE IS YOUR HEART) Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F10094) 1953 
17. ROYAL BLUE WALTZ Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca DR17873) 1953 
18. SWEDISH RHAPSODY Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F10168) 1953 
19. LUXEMBOURG POLKA Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F10233) 1954 
20. MOONLIGHT SERENADE Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F10250) 1954 
21. CARA MIA David Whitfield With Mantovani & His Orch. (Decca F10327) 1954 
22. LONELY BALLERINA Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F10395) 1955 
23. WE'LL GATHER LILACS Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F10439) 1955 
24. BEGIN THE BEGUINE Mantovani & His Orchestra (London 1543) 1955

CD 2
1. BEYOND THE STARS David Whitfield With Mantovani & His Orch. (Decca F10458) 1955 
2. STRANGER IN PARADISE Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F10495) 1955 
3. INTERMEZZO Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F10543) 1955 
4. WHEN YOU LOSE THE ONE YOU LOVE David Whitfield With Mantovani & His Orch. (Decca F10627) 1955 
5. AROUND THE WORLD Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F10888) 1957 
6. WARSAW CONCERTO Mantovani & His Orchestra With Rawicz & Landauer (Decca DFE6371) 1958 
7. CORNISH RHAPSODY Mantovani & His Orchestra With Rawicz & Landauer (Decca DFE6371) 1958 
8. STORY OF THREE LOVES Mantovani & His Orchestra (London  1790) 1958 
9. TULIPS FROM AMSTERDAM Mantovani & His Orchestra (London  1823) 1958 
10. I COULD HAVE DANCED ALL NIGHT Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F11017) 1958 
11. UNDER PARIS SKIES Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F11068) 1959 
12. FASCINATION Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F11103) 1959 
13. SUMMERTIME Mantovani & His Orchestra (London  1869) 1959 
14. LEGEND OF THE GLASS MOUNTAIN Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca DFE6618) 1960 
15. THE DREAM OF OLWEN Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca DFE6618) 1960 
16. THE GREEN LEAVES OF SUMMER Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F11261) 1960 
17. THEME FROM 'THE SUNDOWNERS' Mantovani & His Orchestra (London 1946) 1960 
18. MAIN THEME FROM 'EXODUS' Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F11332) 1960 
19. THEME FROM 'THE VALIANT YEARS' Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F11341) 1961 
20. MOON RIVER Mantovani & His Orchestra (London 2021V) 1961 
21. FANNY Mantovani & His Orchestra (Decca F11386) 1962 
22. WHAT KIND OF FOOL AM I? Mantovani & His Orchestra (London 9552) 1962