The Music of the Avengers

[Andrew Pixley]

Finger crossed this one day sees the light of day.

That being said: I'm as much hoping for an OST release for the Dankworth Avengers music as well.

To the best of my knowledge, somebody else was working on this for another company.

And for The Saint monochrome soundtrack as well, yes we got a terrific Network Saint colour OST release, but I would have preferred one for the earlier episodes.

Having just watched all the b/w editions for the first time in about 50 years, yes, I can only agree. Such a shame the music doesn't seem to exist. There's some lovely cues on the monochrome editions that it would be lovely to have had. I was also amazed to discover what a very heavy reliance these shows (particularly the early ones) had on material from "International Detective" (and there's also a fair bit of "Gideon's Way" in some of the 1965 shows too).

All the best

Andrew

[Frankymole]

I was also amazed to discover what a very heavy reliance these shows (particularly the early ones) had on material from "International Detective" (and there's also a fair bit of "Gideon's Way" in some of the 1965 shows too).

I always wondered if any of the music from The Prisoner appeared in Man In a Suitcase or vice versa, perhaps there was some library music used in both (the production timescale of the two shows overlapped), or whether that is just a faulty impression of my memory due to Albert Elms's work being recognisable in both series.

I do enjoy it when I recognise bits of The Saint soundtrack in other things. Even if they came first!

[Andrew Pixley]

I always wondered if any of the music from The Prisoner appeared in Man In a Suitcase or vice versa, perhaps there was some library music used in both (the production timescale of the two shows overlapped), or whether that is just a faulty impression of my memory due to Albert Elms's work being recognisable in both series.

The overlap is minimal. I don't recall hearing any music from "The Prisoner" elsewhere. "Dance of the Dead" and "Hammer into Anvil" make use of some chamber music recorded for "The Girl Who Never Was"... but I think that's about it. It's not like watching "Space: 1999": "The Last Sunset" and going "Hang on! This is all the stuff that used to be in 'Supercar'!"

I have to say, both sets of scores from Albert Elms are rather wonderful. "Man in a Suitcase" was a major revelation when I got to hear these properly separated out as opposed to all the endless retracking.

All the best

Andrew

[Lee]

I would love to have seen this release, particulalry the incidental version of the theme tune from series 4, played on harp, strings and piano, which was used quite widely in the first half of the series.

However, we're still waiting for the Dankworth tapes that were found a few years ago, contining incidental music and other versions of the theme to see the light of day. Was really loooking forsard to that one.

[darren]

There's a lovely stock harpsichord piece used in The Prisoner a couple of times (Girl Who Was Death and Dance of the Dead) that appears in Adam Adamant Lives! episode Black Echo as Adam arrives at the manor house. A Johnny Hawksworth composition played by the Ron Grainer Harpsichord Group -

[mariocki]

The Howard Blake soundtrack for the 1968-69 series is to be released on vinyl next month:

http://www.juno.co.uk/products/howard-b ... 975818-01/

[dissolute]

It's a great looking set, Jaz has really evoked two of the different title sequences with his choice of vinyl colours.

[AgentCooper]

Juuuust curious - has there been any movement in terms of getting these Laurie Johnson soundtracks released by any other record labels (Silva Screen, maybe?)? (You can’t blame a guy for asking!)

[mousemeat]

I've heard el-zippo.....and I supposed it's tied up...thru either studio Canal, or the estate...as they figure out whether or not, there's a market...I suspect a CD , even vinyl release of Laurie's material, wouldn't be a big seller, as well as Dankworth's as well...so it depends on who ever can licensed the material out...plus costs, etc etc

[Frankymole]

No, I have not seen anything about the newly-discovered Dankworth tapes being released either. That's something I'd be very interested in.