Watch with Teacher CD

Watch with Teacher (Catalogue number WHRCD801)

“Back To School” to enjoy a selection of themes and interludes used on the television from the late 1960s to the early 1980s.

This CD release actually marks the 40th anniversary year for me, it was in the Autumn Term of 1968, whilst at primary school, that I first saw schools television during a history lesson. The programme in question was Yorkshire TV’s How we used to Live which soon established itself as one of ITV's longest-running schools programmes. However it was the music heard before and after the show that intrigued me. Just what were those rather distinctive little instrumental gems that were played, I had no idea and why were they played at all?

The reason for the gap between the schools programmes was simple. At the time, it was rare for schools to have the luxury of an expensive video recording device, still in their infancy on the domestic market. So the TV companies would schedule a music break of at least two minutes between programmes, so that one class of pupils had time to leave the TV room if another teacher with their class were waiting “in the wings” to watch the next programme that followed. Schools would rarely have more than one television set on the premises.

In most cases, the music played during these intervals was not commercially available, even if the TV company replied to an enquiry sent to them giving details, it soon became apparent that the tunes originated from LPs recorded especially for Film, TV and radio usage only. Not available to the general public. At last though, the vaults have now been unlocked!

I hope now, in some cases - 40 years later, that this CD compilation will bring back many memories of the classic TV era. CD1 - “Break Time” features a varied selection of interlude tunes and a few programme themes as well. The last part of the CD features a complete, and very popular, music sequence used between the schools programmes on Independent Television in 1974.

On CD 2 - “Playtime” there's a selection of music sequences played on the Independent Television network between 1968 and 1985. Generally, a 10 minute compilation would be recorded on a reel-to-reel tape recorder. The last track would be edited, if ncessary, to between 55 and 59 seconds - because a countdown clock would appear in vision counting down the last 60 seconds before the commencement of the next programme for schools.

It was very rare, to ever hear the complete 10 minute music sequence as the gaps between the programmes were generally only 2 to 3 minutes long. So on CD 2 you’ll hear only the latter part of each sequence, the tunes heard and remembered the most. In batches of two, each sequence will play.

There are two bonus tracks at the end of CD2. Firstly, “Dragster” which was the opening theme to “Watch It”. I've included it because if you were watching the final schools programme of the morning and the TV set was not switched off immediately, quite often you would hear this tune as the announcer promoted the afternoon children's programmes. Finally a track used as incidental music during a Music Scene programme from 1976. It features after the opening credits and before the main feature of the show, an adaptation of the MR James story “Mr Humphreys and his Inheritance”.

Hopefully, this CD will bring back many childhood memories of the music heard during schools programming. I have also inserted within the track listing, in which school term those music sequences were first played. This has been researched and hopefully is completely accurate!! (There does not appear to be any official archive of information kept)

STEVEN WILLS
March 2008

CD 1: Break Time		CD 2: Playtime
Bart Ruby Ardente Elisabeth Jazz Baroque Qunitet Rustic Rigaudon Leslie Pearson Move Over Mozart The Glen Somers Orchestra Rouge Escarlate Raymond Guiot Ensemble Close-Up Jean-Pierre Martin Group Children of the Forest Johnny Pearson and his Orchestra Perception Superstrings Plus Flute + Flute Raymond Guiot Ensemble Lorito Luis Conti Orchestra Emma The Regency Players 9-10-Out Ten Plus Pop Strings Luis Conti Orchestra Scarlatti Sound Raymond Guiot Ensemble Flight and Form Superstrings Plus Water Girl Mad Dog	Sonate a Trois Jazz Baroque Quintet Alley Cat The Regency Players Puppy Dogs' Tails The Brussels Concert Orchestra Scarbalancelle Raymond Guiot Ensemble Blues Cynetique Kaufmann and Jerome Inc. The Little Trumpeter Bunny J. Browne and his New Group Hamlet on Toast L'Orchestre Moderne Indian Tea The Eiffel Tower Prima Ballerina The Swing Bach Ensemble Moving On Through Paradox Eine Kleine Swipe The Regency Orchestra Beadle-Um-Bo The Regency Orchestra Les Trois Chats The Regency Orchestra Eldorado The Regency Orchestra Avez-vous le Tempo The Regency Orchestra Middle of the Day The Regency Orchestra High Life The New Regency Players	Time to Spare The Regency Players Campus Capers The Regency Players Tambourn en Forme de Musette Paul Bonneau at son Grande Orchestre Paysage Ecossais Paul Bonneau at son Grande Orchestre This is England The Westway Studio Orchestra Commercial Link 4 - Comedy The European Soundstage Orchestra Puntillas Raymond Guiot Ensemble Running with the Wind Roger Roger Ensemble Balalaika Melody The Janos Lehar Studio Group Russian Dance The Janos Lehar Studio Group Pirol The Swing Bach Esemble Mail Carriage The Swing Bach Esemble The Cuckoo Calls Leslie Pearson Sister Monique Leslie Pearson Flower Sequence 2 Johnny Pearson and his Orchestra	Sunny Woodlands Johnny Pearson and his Orchestra Sonata in A Major Brian Whiteouse Study in A Major Brian Whiteouse Hey Presto The Brian Bennett Group Bacarrat The Brian Bennett Group Frivolity The Bruton Chambe Enseble Chateaux The Bruton Chambe Enseble Passing Time David Snell Handelian Harp David Snell Sunny Standby The Sonny Patrick Sound Clockwise The Sonny Patrick Sound Tennessee Railroad Martin Kershaw's Guitars Spring to Life 2 The Steve Gray Group Sweet Lovely Jean The David Snell Ensemble Gwlad Y Gan The David Snell Ensemble Gleeful Gigue The John Coleman Studio Players Crisp Courante The John Coleman Studio Players	Lincoln Green Leslie Pearson Wessex Village Dance Leslie Pearson Turkey The Bruton Light Orchestra The Fledgling The Bruton Light Orchestra Like Clockwork The Bruton Music Machine Round the Clock The Bruton Music Machine Lavender 2 Martin Kershaw's Guitars Buttercup Martin Kershaw's Guitars Night Groove The Bruton Rock Group Freedom Rock The Bruton Rock Group Courtesan The Bruton Symphony Orchestra Maypole Dance The Bruton Chamber Ensemble Dragster The Bruton Beat Walking on "Saint-Louis-en-l'Isle" Jack Arel et son Grande Orchestre

How do I buy a copy?

This double CD compilation costs £12.99 (including p&p) and anyone wishing to purchase a copy of Watch with Teacher should make cheques payable to "Winchester Hospital Radio" for £12.99 (includes postage and packing) and write their name and mailing address on the back of the cheque. These should be then sent to: Steven Wills at the WHR Studios. All proceeds from the sale of the CDs helps to ensure Winchester Hospital Radio continues to provide our service to patients at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester. WHR has no paid staff, being entirely run by volunteers, so although we make every effort to despatch orders within a week or so, please allow up to 28 days for delivery. Thank you.