Battle for Music Blu-ray

Directed by Donald Taylor in 1943, Battle for Music is a clunky yet hugely engaging semi-documentary charting the wartime history of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Facing liquidation through loss of financial support, the orchestra's players formed their own company and managed to keep the ensemble afloat, touring extensively across the UK. Author J B Priestley became the figurehead for a fundraising campaign, and bandleader Jack Hylton engaged the LPO to perform in variety theatres and music halls. The idea for the film originally came from the Ministry of Information, who unexpectedly withdrew their backing. The musicians' attempts to play themselves are unintentionally hilarious. Viola player Thomas Russell proves a hugely likeable Secretary for the orchestra, despite delivering his lines in comically deadpan style. Charles Gregory, the LPO's principal horn, is equally wooden.

But the musical performances captured are fascinating – composer Constant Lambert's electrifying account of Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet is a treat, and he also accompanies Benno Moisewitch in a generous, well-edited chunk of Rachmaninov. Adrian Boult conducts Elgar's Cockaigne. Malcolm Sargent's plodding conversation with Russell about the need to interest children in classical music still has relevance, though the message is undercut by shots of a youthful audience looking slightly bored by a languid reading of Delius's La Calinda. The montage sequences showing speeding trains accompanied by Eileen Joyce must have been an inspiration for David Lean's Brief Encounter. The booklet notes are worth perusing, particularly for their narration of Boult's shabby role in removing the left-wing Russell from his position as Chairman. Readers of a certain age will be interested to discover that Russell subsequently became the MD of Colletts bookshop on Charing Cross Road. Image and sound quality are excellent, and the extras are generous, particularly a delightful animated Musical Poster and a short propaganda film about the work of the wartime Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts.

A fascinating piece of British WW2 propaganda illustrating how the London Philharmonic Orchestra re-invented itself to survive the war.