Music publishing companies often offer library music to their customers. To acquire library music they invite composers to submit a number of compositions. If deemed suitable, the company will arrange a recording studio session and employ suitable musicians to record the pieces all at the company's expense. Apart from collecting a payment for their work the musicians also agree to accept a further payment to forego any future royalties when the music is used. The composer is able to hear his compositions played by top musicians and may sometimes be able to take the baton and conduct them. The composer will also receive royalties when any of the numbers are used. The company advertises its library music to film and television producers and, of course, charges for any music that is used.

Standard Music Library Standard Music Ltd was formed in 1968 so all of the pieces that Peter Cork submitted to them must have been written earlier than that. Purchasers of library music often want it to sound very similar to pieces that they know well and that can be a big problem. To be successful the piece has to be similar, but not too similar! The composer does not want to be accused of plagiarism. Our composer needs to be aware of every piece of music ever written to be completely safe! Standard Music played their part well. The recording studio was booked, the eight top-class musicians arrived and the music was conducted and the whole session produced by Peter Cork. The result was published on a vinyl LP in stereo and Peter was given nine copies to keep.

Standard ESL 151 front cover

Standard ESL 151 back cover

Peter Cork must have made an extremely good impression on Standard Music to have 14 of his numbers included under the bold heading 1900-1940 Four Decades of Light Music with further notes; From The Grand Hotel, The Palais de Danse and the Bandstand in the Park, a series of numbers written in the style of a Palm Court Trio, an Afternoon Tea Dance and Open Air Music for the Band, during the years 1900-1940. COMPOSED, CONDUCTED AND PRODUCED BY PETER CORK Standard Music are somewhat unusual in listing the musicians that took part: Leslie Pearson - piano, Vivian Joseph - cello, Kenneth Sillito - violin, James Watson - trumpet/cornet, Nat Peck - trombone, Roy Willox - clarinet/alto sax, Joe Mudele - double bass, Johnny Dean - percussion.

side A 1900 - 1910

1. - MARCHING DOWN THE MALL - An Edwardian march for the Coronation. - 2:49

2. - HOW SILVER THE MOON - An Edwardian waltz. - 2:35

3. - THE ROSE AND THE HONEYSUCKLE - A song from Edwardian Musical Comedy. - 3:10

1910 - 1920

4. - MY HEART IS YOURS ALONE - A love song from Operetta. - 2:48

5. - STEPPING OUT TO RAGTIME - A rhythmic number in the 'new stile'. - 2:05

6. - PARTING FROM YOU - A song from the Great War. - 2:59

side B 1920 - 1930

1. - WEDDING OF THE BRIGHT YOUNG THING - A number from the early Twenties. - 1:41

2. - MY DUSKY SPANISH ROSE - A Tango from the days of Valentino. - 2:47

3. - DOWN LIMEHOUSE WAY - A late Twenties Blues. - 1:45

4. - THE GIRL ON THE SILVER SCREEN - A Waltz to accompany the Silent Movies. - 3:25

1930 - 1940

5. - SKYLINE OF MANHATTAN - An evocation of the New York scene in the Thirties. - 2:47

6. - ON SYNCOPATION AVENUE - A Piano solo from the Thirties. - 1:34

7. - COCKNEY TUNE - A song of London defiance at the Blitz. - 2:10

8. - SWEET MUSIC AND YOU - A Ballad in Swing style from the end of the decade. - 1:54

Bruton Music Limited Bruton Music Limited was founded in 1977 and so any of the musical numbers in their early library were written prior to that date. As in the previous case, Peter Cork was able to supply a title for a vinyl LP record containing 17 of his numbers. He was also recognised as the producer of the record. Bruton labelled the record as BRO 2 Historical Period; could it have been just the second record included in their library? Peter Cork named the record CAVALCADE OF MUSICAL THEATRE A sequence of numbers written in the style of Popular Music from the Theatre, Music Hall, Cinema and Radio during the years 1890-1930.

Standard BRO 2 front cover

Standard BRO 2 back cover

Bruton do not mention the names of the musicians and this tends to be the norm. SIDE A

1. - OFF TO THE BOER WAR - A Victorian Patriotic March. - 3:28

2. - SWEET ALICE, WHERE ARE YOUR PRETTY FLOWERS - A Victorian ballad. - 2:58

3. - SAVOYARDS IN ARCADIA - A number from Edwardian Operetta. - 2:35

4. - GOLD AND AMBER - An Edwardian Waltz. - 1:54

5. - WALKING OUT IN WAPPING - A lively song. - 1:47

6. - DARLING GERTIE - A Music Hall waltz. - 2:15

7. - SHE WILL BE MY SWEETHEART - A sentimental Music Hall song. - 3:03

8. - STRUMMING THE IVORIES - A Ragtime number. - 2:28