George Melachrino (born George Miltiades; 1 May 1909 – 18 June 1965)[1] was a musician, composer of film music, and musical director who was English born of Greek and Italian descent. He was an accomplished player of the violin, viola, oboe, clarinet and saxophone.
George Melachrino was born in London, England.[2] As a young boy, he had a love of music. At the age of five, he began composing and by the age of fourteen he enrolled in the Trinity College of Music.[2] In 1927, he began his career by singing and playing at the Savoy Hill Studios in London.[2] For the next twelve years, he played in many different bands and orchestras. In the 1930s, Melachrino started working for bands led by Ambrose singing and playing saxophone with Carroll Gibbons at the Savoy Hotel London, and Bert Firman, and started playing on radio for the BBC.[2] In 1935, he was living at Ascot Court, Grove End Road, in St John's Wood.[3]
By 1939, he had started his own band and secured a contract at the Café de Paris.[2] He joined the Army a year later, and received training at the Corps of Military Police where he became a P.T. Instructor. Melachrino also gained experience as a military musician at the Army Broadcasting Department, as Musical Director for the recording of entertainment for overseas forces, leading the British Band of the Allied Expeditionary Forces and the Orchestra Khaki.[2]
After the war, in 1945, he formed the George Melachrino Orchestra, an orchestra that became synonymous with lush string arrangements.[2] From 1945 to 1947, he conducted for Richard Tauber in most of his Parlophone recordings and BBC broadcasts. Beginning in the 1950s he specialized in easy listening arrangements of popular music standards. His ensemble recorded under the names, 'Melachrino Strings' and the 'Melachrino Strings and Orchestra.'
In 1956, his orchestra's track "Autumn Concerto" reached number 18 in the UK Singles Chart, and remained in the chart for nine weeks.[1] His album, Immortal Ladies, recorded in late 1954 had sold over one million copies by 1956, and he was presented with a gold disc by RCA Records chief, George Marek, so becoming the first British orchestra leader to receive such an award.[4]
Melachrino frequently performed on BBC and American Armed Forces Radio.
The "Starlight Roof Waltz", as performed by the George Melachrino Strings, was the signature tune of the radio programme Moeders wil is wet (1949–1974), the Dutch equivalent of Housewives' Choice.
His lead arranger during the British Band of the AEF and later with the Melachrino Strings was Bert Thompson, who also arranged "Little White Bull" and "The Young Ones".
Melachrino has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
| TITLE | LABEL & NUMBER | YEAR | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Music for Dining (10") | RCA Victor DLP-1000 | 1952 | |
| Music for Relaxation (10") | RCA Victor DLP-1001 | 1952 | |
| Music for Reading (10") | RCA Victor DLP-1002 | 1952 | |
| A Melachrino Concert (10") | RCA Victor LPM-1003 | 1952 | |
| A Melachrino Concert (EP) | RCA Victor EPB-1003 | 1952 | |
| Melachrino Magic Strings (10") | His Master's Voice DLP-1014 | 1953 | |
| Soft Lights and Sweet Music (10") | His Master's Voice DLP-1046 | 1953 | |
| My Lady Fair (10") | His Master's Voice DLP-1090 | 1953 | |
| Midnight on Park Avenue (10") | His Master's Voice DLP-1101 | 1953 | |
| Music for Dining | RCA Victor LPM-1000 | 1953 | |
| Music for Relaxation | RCA Victor LPM-1001 | 1953 | |
| Music for Reading | RCA Victor LPM-1002 | 1953 | |
| Music for Faith and Inner Calm | RCA Victor LPM-1004 | 1954 | |
| Serenade in the Night | His Master's Voice DLP-1127 | 1954 | |
| The Music Of The Melachrino Strings (EP) | RCA Victor – EPA 491 | 1954 | |
| Music for Courage and Confidence | RCA Victor LPM-1005 | 1954 | |
| The Melachrino Strings (EP) | His Master's Voice – 7EG 8002 | 1954 | |
| Music for Courage and Confidence (EP) | RCA Victor EPB-1005 | 1954 | |
| Music to Help You Sleep | RCA Victor LPM-1006 | 1954 | |
| Plays Medleys Show Tunes | RCA Victor LPM-1008 | 1954 | |
| Music for Two People Alone | RCA Victor LPM-1027 | 1954 | |
| Music for Daydreaming | RCA Victor LPM-1028 | 1954 | |
| Music to Work or Study By | RCA Victor LPM-1029 | 1954 | |
| Christmas In High Fidelity | RCA Victor LPM-1045 | 1954 | |
| Music for the Nostalgic Traveler | RCA Victor LPM-1053 | 1955 | |
| Autumn Leaves (EP) | RCA Victor – SPD 4 | 1955 | |
| Immortal Ladies | RCA Victor LPM-1110 | 1955 | |
| Melodie In Penombra | La Voce Del Padrone – QDLP 6023 | 1955 | |
| George Melachrino At San Remo 1956 (10") | Odeon URL7300EP | 1956 | |
| Masquerade | RCA Victor LPM-1184 | 1956 | |
| Stardust (EP) | RCA Victor – EPA-597 | 1956 | |
| Masquerade (2 X EP) | RCA Victor – EPB-1184-3 | 1956 | |
| Sounds of Paris | RCA Victor LPM-1261 | 1956 | |
| Melachrino on Broadway | RCA Victor LPM-1307 | 1956 | |
| I'll Walk Beside You | RCA Victor LPM-1329 | 1957 | |
| Magic In Music (EP) | His Master's Voice – 7EGM 8218 | 1957 | |
| Those Beautiful Strings | RCA Victor LPM-1330 | 1957 | |
| Moonlight Concerto | His Master's Voice DLP-1197 | 1958 | |
| Fascination (EP) | His Master's Voice – 7-EGS 77 | 1958 | |
| Under Western Skies | RCA Victor LSP-1676 | 1958 | |
| Strauss Waltzes | RCA Victor LSP-1757 | 1958 | |
| Lisbon at Twilight | RCA Victor LSP-1762 | 1958 | |
| Rendezvous In Rome | RCA Victor LSP-1955 | 1959 | |
| Christmas Joy | RCA Victor LSP-2044 | 1959 | |
| Music of Romberg | RCA Victor LSP-2106 | 1960 | |
| Music of Victor Herbert | RCA Victor LSP-2129 | 1960 | |
| Music from Frank Loesser's Greenwillow | RCA Victor LSP-2229 | 1960 | |
| The Magic Of Melachrino Strings (EP) | His Master's Voice – 7EG 8470 | 1961 | |
| More Music for Relaxation | RCA Victor LSP-2278 | 1961 | |
| Music from Bells Are Ringing | RCA Victor LSP-2279 | 1961 | |
| Music of Kern | RCA Victor LSP-2283 | 1961 | |
| More Music for Dining | RCA Victor LSP-2412 | 1961 | |
| Music of Rodgers | RCA Victor LSP-2513 | 1962 | |
| Waltzes of Berlin | RCA Victor LSP-2561 | 1962 | |
| Our Man in London | RCA Victor LSP-2608 | 1963 | |
| All the Hits from Oliver | RCA Victor LSP-2660 | 1963 | |
| April in Paris | RCA Victor LSP-2739 | 1963 | |
| Ballads of Berlin | RCA Victor LSP-2817 | 1964 | |
| You and the Night and the Music | RCA Victor LSP-2866 | 1964 | |
| Music for Romance | RCA Victor LSP-2979 | 1965 | |
| New Sound of Broadway | RCA Victor LSP-3323 | 1966 | |
| Something to Remember You By | RCA Victor LSP-3398 | 1966 | |
| Music to Write Letters By Vol 1 (2 sides) | RCA Victor PRM-247 | 1967 | |
| Love Walked In | Pickwick SPC-3234 | 1971 | |
| Play the Tom Jones Hits | Pickwick SPC-3242 | 1971 | |
| Love Story | Pickwick SPC-3263 | 1972 | |
| Velvet Voices - Velvet Strings | Columbia Musical Treasury P6S5532 - 6LPSet | 1975 | |
| L'Orchestra D'Archi Di George Melachrino | RCA – NL 45307 | 1982 | |
| Great Film and Show Tunes (1950-1952) | Living Era CDAJA 5469 | 2003 |