During the last century there was a surge in the composition of Light Music, mainly from the 1940s onwards. This was commissioned by leading publishers who established libraries of recorded music to satisfy the requirements of radio, television and film producers, with special emphasis on the needs of cinema newsreels and documentary film makers.

Although some recognised composers were prepared to venture into these new areas, it soon became apparent that special skills were required to produce just the right works, and a new breed of talented writers emerged. Among them Robert Farnon, Charles Williams, Sidney Torch, Clive Richardson, Trevor Duncan and Roger Roger excelled at creating miniature cameos to capture every kind of mood. Fine examples of their work, together with many of their talented contemporaries, can be found in this fascinating selection from a niche of the music business largely unknown to the general public.