North American Square-Dance - Arthur Benjamin

Arthur Benjamin (1893-1960) was an Australian composer, pianist, conductor and teacher. He is best known as the composer of 'Jamaican Rumba', composed in 1938. He was a brilliant light-music composer but also be a deeply-affecting, serious symphonist. In 1951 he composed a suite for two pianos on old fiddle tunes from America and Canada, the 'North American Square Dance'. It was Benjamin himself who orchestrated this suite later for a full orchestra and this suite has remained as one of his best known works.