The Music Of ITC (CD review).
‘The Music Of ITC’ has original recordings of the music from 16 ITC TV series from the 1960s-1970s. 18 actually if you recognise there was a different theme music for the hour long ‘Danger Man’ and the colour version of ‘The Saint’ series. Some of them, like ‘The Champions’ already reviewed his month, have their own albums. I’ve put an asterisk against those who have in the track list below. That’s 9 who don’t. With each one you get the opening and closing music and a few snippets from within the series where available. With those with their own CD albums, these are taken from them. Alas, no communication music from ‘The Champions’. With ‘The Persuaders’, you do get the premiere episode’s ‘Gotta Get Away’ song along with an instrumental version.
Interestingly, ‘Man In A Suitcase’ has the longest set on incidental cues with ‘The Prisoner’ and ‘Department S’ close seconds, all by Albert Elms, who oddly was never let loose on the theme tunes.
The incidental music for ‘Department S’ is least like its theme tune and one of the rare ones not to need the end credits because there is no difference. Oddly, ‘Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)’ could be considered under a similar light but it would have been a lot harder to adjust the main theme.
A 28 page booklet points out that with several of the shows, this is all the remaining music left so this is probably the only way you’re going to get them. There is a lot of info about all the composers and the shows and a wealth of photos.
As a sampler and limited edition, if you want all these original themes in one CD case then this is the one to pick up and wallow in some nostalgia.
Disk # 1:-
Tracks 1-6: Danger Man (half hour series) *
Tracks 7-13: Danger Man (hour series)*
Tracks 14-15: Gideon’s Way
Tracks 16-22: The Baron
Tracks 23-31: The Saint
Tracks 32-37: Man In A Suitcase*
Tracks 38-44: The Prisoner*
Tracks 45-53: The Champions*
Tracks 54-61: Department S*
Disk # 2:-
Tracks 1-6 Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)*
Tracks 7-13: The Strange Report*
Tracks 14-17: The Persuaders
Tracks 18-25: Jason King*
Tracks 16-33: The Protectors*
Tracks 34-36: The Adventurer
Tracks 37-44: The Zoo Gang
Tracks 45-52: Return Of The Saint
GF Willmetts
November 2017
(pub: Network. 2 CDs 158 minutes 113 tracks. Disk # 1: 61 tracks 79 minutes. Disk # 2: 52 tracks 79 minutes. Price: £11.00 (UK) if you can find a copy. ASIN: 7959016)
check out website: www.networkonair.com and www.networkdvd.co.uk