TV Century 21

This recently released CD is one of a series of Songbooks released by EMI. Each songbook contains music selected by a well known film or television personality. For a complete list you may visit http://www.songbook-series.co.uk

The CD album "Evocation" is the one with Gerry Anderson's choice. The CD comes in a pouch at the back of a square booklet that has 30 pages of text and colour photos of various series that Gerry produced. The cover of the book is of very thick unbendable carton. It has a cover photograph resembling the "Thunderbirds are Go" logo showing some of the major stars (the machines) from the various series, finished by a semi-matt plastic finish.

The CD contains 18 pieces of music plus enhanced CD Animation, according to the credit titles. So on your PC there is even more to enjoy. This addition should contain some colour footage that Barry Gray has shot during the filming of an episode of Four Feather Falls on his private 16mm Beaulieu camera.

However, whatever I try on my PC I cannot access that track so I cannot say whether it actually exists. Apart from the credit titles no reference is made to the fact that this CD should contain anything else than audio tracks. Since the total playing time of the audio tracks is already 72:44, there is hardly any room for it - a maximum of 8 minutes.

The audio tracks are mostly "easy listening" tracks with a little bit of jazz and classical stuff as well as a few Gerry Anderson series music that most of us will recognize. Fortunately not all of these tracks are found on many other discs, so there may yet be a reason to buy this CD. Gerry provides some comments on each of the tracks in the booklet. There is little revealing in this, except in his comments on Adadio in G Minor by Albinoni. This track was initially supposed to be used in the feature film Doppelganger when the astronauts are sleeping their way to the other planet. The American producers insisted in this. But Barry Gray had written his "Sleeping Astronauts" score for this and refused to let it be removed. Gerry still thinks that the Adagio was a better piece for the scene. I happen to disagree. If only because the Adagio has had too much exposure already. Half the crematoria use this music while the coffin disappears on its way to the furnace. Give me Barry Gray any day!

The parts from Gerry Anderson series are "Thunderbirds March" (endtitle of Thunderbirds are Go), the stereo version of Four Feather Falls (as also appeared on the "A-to-Z of British TV Themes"), Shooting Star (from the feature film), Calling Elvis (from the video clip) and Lavender Castle title Music.

 

EMI ISBN: 1 85848 560 6

CD label: 7243 4 96612 2 6

1. The Eve of War - Jeff Wayne 3:48
2. Adagio in G Minor - Albinoni 5:50
3. Cossac Patrol - Red Army Choir 3:08
4. Rhapsody in Blue - Gershwin 4:39
5. Ben Hur Prelude - Miklas Rozsa 2:12
6. Bolero (conclusion) - Ravel 5:07
7. Thunderbirds March - Royal Marines 2:38
8. Four Feather Falls - Barry Gray (Michael Holiday) 2:09
9. Singin' in the Rain - Gene Kelly 2:57
10. Puppet on a String - Sandie Shaw 2:23
11. Shooting Star - Cliff & Shadows 2:40
12. Take Five - Dave Brubeck 5:24
13. Ritual Fire Dance - Khatchaturian 3:20
14. The Galley (Ben Hur) - Miklas Rozsa 3:17
15. Calling Elvis - Dire Straits 4:39
16. Who Done it? - Harry Nilsson 5:26
17. Fingal's Cave - Mendelssohn Bartholdy 9:30
18. Lavender Castle Title Theme - Crispin Merrell 3:27

 

£15.00 (can be ordered via iMVS - Internet Music & Video Store - http://www.iMVS.com,
or go direct to the page for the CD on their site.)