Sargent Conducts Holst; Walton Conducts Walton

Last night, after Britain voted to leave the European Union, reader Andrew wrote, "Buster, a few years ago, after it took the UK nearly a week to decide choose a Government, you found some Vaughan Williams to calm us down. We've just taken a day to leave the EU and we need it even more. Anything appropriate?"

Well, this music by Gustav Holst may not be soothing, but may be suitable for the situation. It is the ballet music from his opera The Perfect Fool, as performed by the London Philharmonic under Malcolm Sargent, in a Kingsway Hall session from March 1946. The transfer is from the original 78 set, with a fourth-side fill-up of Victor de Sabata's "Ride of the Valkyries," a left-over from his 1946 LPO dates.

At the same time, let me add a few noble and peaceful works (and one rowdier one) from another great British composer, Sir William Walton. These come from a 10-inch LP issued in celebration of Queen Elizabeth's coronation. They comprise the "Orb and Sceptre" coronation march written for Elizabeth, the "Crown Imperial" march from George VI's 1937 ceremony, the "Portsmouth Point" overture, and the arrangement of Bach's "Sheep May Safely Graze" done for Walton's "The Wise Virgins" ballet. The composer conducted the Philharmonia Orchestra in March 1953 Kingsway Hall sessions.

The sound on all these items is good.