Composer | Music | Associated with |
Haydn Wood | The Horse Guards, Whitehall (From suite: London Landmarks) | Down Your Way |
Arthur Wood | Barwick Green (From suite: Our Native Heath) | The Archers |
Charles Williams | The Devil's Galop | Dick Barton: Special Agent |
Charles Williams | High Adventure | Friday Night is Music Night |
Eric Coates | By the Sleepy Lagoon | Desert Island Discs |
Eric Coated | Calling all Workers | Music while you Work |
Robert Farnon | Portrait of a Flirt | |
Robert Farnon | Jumping Bean | |
Vivian Ellis | Coronation Scot | Paul Temple detective series |
Vivian Ellis | Alpine Pastures | My Word |
Hubert Bath | Out of the Blue | Sports Report |
Colin Smith | Looking Around | The Appleyards |
Charles Williams | Girls in Grey | BBC Television Newsreel |
John Malcolm | Non-stop | ITV News |
Woolf Philips | Parisian Mode | What's my Line? |
Charles Williams | Young Ballerina | The potter's wheel interlude |
Eric Coates | Halcyon Days (from suite: The Three Elizabeths) | The Forsyte Saga |
Ronald Binge | The Watermill | The Secret Garden |
Trevor Duncam | March (From little suite) | Dr. Finlay's Casebook |
Lennox Berkeley | Rondo from Divertimento | ???????? |
Eric Coates | March: Knightsbridge | In Town Tonight |
I included the two pieces by Robert Farnon because no programme devoted to British light music would be complete without something by this Canadian-born composer who made his home in England after the 2nd War. The items are both so catchy and are (or were) so well-known that it's almost certain they were used as signature tunes from time to time; I just can't say for what programmes.
The Lennox Berkeley item stands out in this company as a piece of "straight classical" music which I know for certain was the original signature tune (later changed) to an early 50s television programme. I have been unable to identify the programme or contact anyone who knows the answer. I thought it was used for "Panorama" in its earliest days but information on the Web seems to contradict that. If anyone does know please email me!
Derek Haslam