The Sound of TV

[Nearly Sane]

Neil Brand is great


https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000pz1b/the-sound-of-tv-with-neil-brand-series-1-episode-1

[Aruntraveller]

Just watched this, properly good.

Never knew that Jack Warner wrote the Dixon theme tune.

Minor quibble but I would liked to have heard more about Barry Gray's work (he did after all compose "Marina" for Stingray) for Anderson as they were the soundtrack to my childhood. But that's just me being picky.

So many memories, the Robinson Crusoe theme took me straight back to our living room when I was a child.

[Nearly Sane]

By its nature there were obviously going to be things missed out. I suspect he could have done three hours on TV theme tunes rather than just 1 hour of the three.

The Robinson Crusoe theme did the same for me, as White Horses would have done. I never saw the end of Robinson Crusoe  because the BBC used to show it in line with the English school holidays, and so it finished when I was already back in school for at least a week, if not 2 in Scotland. And we are onviously in a time before video recorders

[Anchorman]

Agreed on all points so far. Definately with Trent on Barry Gray, and equally miffed with NS on Robinson Crusoe. As I seem to recall, every damned year, we got to the bit when Crusoe started teching Friday to talk, using that blasted parrot as a teaching aid....Then the bleeping holidays ended. Life was a bummer sometimes.

[Aruntraveller]

As I seem to recall, every damned year, we got to the bit when Crusoe started teching Friday to talk, using that blasted parrot as a teaching aid....Then the bleeping holidays ended.

A better memory than me.

All I can remember of the programme IS the theme tune, which kind of reinforces Brand's point about music.

[jeremyp]

What an utterly brilliant programme. There's not a dry eye in this house.

[Harrowby Hall]

I was in my car yesterday morning and BBC Radio 3 was playing on the car radio.

I hadn't listened to its introduction, but the music being played grabbed my attention. It was lyrical, warm, melodic and instantly recognisable - except that I could not identify it nor even hazard a guess as to who had written it, but I sang along to it silently in my head.

It turned out to be the main theme for the BBC tv 1974 adaptation of the Anthony Trollope parliamentary novels The Pallisers. I remembered how I had been a devoted follower of this spellbinding series. I don't know when I last heard this music - it must have been decades ago.

The three tv programmes from my distant past that I recall most clearly are Maigret (with Rupert Davies), The Forsyte Saga (with a string of well known faces including Eric Porter as Soames) and The Pallisers. All were introduced by unforgettable music - The Forsyte Saga's being taken from a suite by Eric Coates.

[ProfessorDavey]

I was in my car yesterday morning and BBC Radio 3 was playing on the car radio.

I hadn't listened to its introduction, but the music being played grabbed my attention. It was lyrical, warm, melodic and instantly recognisable - except that I could not identify it nor even hazard a guess as to who had written it, but I sang along to it silently in my head.

It turned out to be the main theme for the BBC tv 1974 adaptation of the Anthony Trollope parliamentary novels The Pallisers. I remembered how I had been a devoted follower of this spellbinding series. I don't know when I last heard this music - it must have been decades ago.

The three tv programmes from my distant past that I recall most clearly are Maigret (with Rupert Davies), The Forsyte Saga (with a string of well known faces including Eric Porter as Soames) and The Pallisers. All were introduced by unforgettable music - The Forsyte Saga's being taken from a suite by Eric Coates.

And writing music for tv can be quite lucrative.

I've met this guy a couple of times as he has written a few pieces for my choir:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Gunning

You've probably never heard of him before, but I bet you know some of his music. Now I think his line is that the music he wrote for a couple of well known adverts (Black Magic chocs; Martini) paid for the school fees for his kids - and the music for Poirot has paid for his retirement.

He has also written many serious classical pieces (including 12 symphonies) - he largely funds this work through ongoing royalties every time Poirot is on ITV3 again!

[Nearly Sane]

Catching up with the second programme. What an incredible career! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_November