Saturday, August 22, 2015

 

Music from the Railway Children - BBC 1968

I had always remembered the closing music from the 1968 BBC production of the Railway Children as being the piece that inspired me to take up the oboe. It can't have been, because the timing was wrong: I started in 1967. But I still remember the piece with great affection and want it as the curtain-track for my funeral.

The Piece is by Grieg - Symphonic Dances, Op. 64: II. Allegretto grazioso. The full piece runs to something over 6 minutes, depending on version, but it is the opening sequence (about 1 min 30 - repeated at the end) that was used for the TV series, and which I find so hauntingly beautiful.

Comments:
I will always remember the first and original TV version of the Railway children as being the best. Later versions lacked the sincerity and with Jean Alexander as the mother , and other cast members who were relatively unknown actors who bought a freshness to this wonderful story.
 
Thanks, for the info. Yes, I found that music so moving too, but couldn't find the composers name, I guess it was left off the end credits because it had been around a while. I'm gonna have a go at transcribing for cello, though I haven't had the cello long. Many thanks from Mark.
 
Antonin Dvorák
 
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