Walter Collins

British composer and arranger of light classical music. Born 1891/2 in Liverpool, England, UK. Died 1956.. Collins studied at The Royal Academy of Music in London. He flourished around mid 20th century as a composer of light orchestral miniatures with intriguing titles and worked as a musical director for British International Pictures. His novelty piece "Laughing Marionette" was recorded by Paul Whiteman's Orchestra in 1929. In the 1940s Collins conducted many recordings for the Paxton production music label. Apart from the Four Cornish Dances, which pre-date those by Malcolm Arnold and which finish with a setting of the Helston Floral Dance, those Collins works are in single movements. Such as his Cumberland Green, Rat-a-Tat Polka, Strings in the Wood, Vabe Capricietto. Holiday Parade, The Persistent Serenade, In the Cloisters and the marches Olympia, Devil May Care and Paper Hats and Wood Swords.