An Adventure In Space And Time: Original Soundtrack Recording by Edmund Butt (CD review).
Last year, to celebrate 50 years of ‘Doctor Who’, the BBC did a dramatisation of how it actually happened called ‘An Adventure In Space And Time’, co-produced and written by Mark Gattis, of how the show got off the ground. When I reviewed the play last year, I thought it really was a cut above Gattis’ other work. For the Whovians out there, familiar with how Sidney Newman got Verity Lambert to produce the show and cast everyone this is a familiar piece of history. As Gattis explains in the booklet, he didn’t want the music ‘too Doctor Who-y’ because it would give the wrong message. He wanted a more light touch which composer Edmund Butt does here.
Gattis’ pointed out he wanted an element of lightness and waltz to the music. Listening solely to the music on this CD, you can’t miss the tone that Edmund Butt achieves. I should point out that there isn’t even a hint of Ron Grainer’s music used, even with a tiny track like ‘TARDIS’. It is about the show, not the show if you see what I mean.
I suspect many Whovians will be buying this CD purely because it’s ‘Doctor Who’ related. Those of us who also like to listen to the CDs we buy will find this a delight to listen to. Although only 38 minutes long, this is a large proportion of the TV production that I suspect will stand up for repeat performances for a long time to come.
GF Willmetts
September 2014
(pub: Silva Screen Records SILCD1442. 38 minute CD 25 tracks with a 12 page booklet. Price: £ 8.99 (UK) – check their website for the best price)
check out websites: www.silvascreenmusic.com, http://silvascreenmusic.greedbag.com/buy/an-adventure-in-space-and-time-0/ and www.doctorwho.tv
