I have a recording of the theme from The Prisoner (which is called 'The
Age of Elegance') played by Grainger himself on a Baldwin electric
harpsichord. Very spooky stuff.
The Dr Who theme has (I think) suffered a lot over the years. The
original wobbled microtonally which gave it a fantastic 'swimming'
effect (not unlike that in the second half of 'Strawberry Fields') and
comprised timbres you were never entirely certain about. The tune is
masterful, but Delia's craft is what makes it so memorable. Of course
the BBC went and savaged it in the 1980s with truly /horrific /synthed
up versions (not to mention a series of shit stories, shit actors, shit
plots, shit sets and shit monsters) but redeemed themselves with the new
theme (circa Eccleston) which now seems to have been compressed and EQed
flat for some reason. Come to think of it, it's a bit like the way the
show has progressed recently. But no doubt they have their reasons. A
shit reason, no doubt.
Mike
tronbros@aol.com wrote:
>
> The Doctor Who theme still puts tingles down my spine like it did the
> first time I heard it in November '63. What a tune. Ron Grainer was
> a great TV theme composer and deserves credit. He also wrote the
> fabulous Prisoner theme.
>
> Best
>
> M
>
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