A somewhat random collection of BBC TV and radio themes from over the years compiled for the broadcasting institution's 75th anniversary, BBC World of Sound seems to be aimed at an extremely diffuse audience, if anyone. The collection of theme songs that the BBC has in its archives is amazing by any standards, and many Brits can pick them out in about two notes thanks to years of exposure; the theme song for Wimbledon coverage alone is some decades old now. But this particular collection, rather than trying for a particular ...
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A somewhat random collection of BBC TV and radio themes from over the years compiled for the broadcasting institution's 75th anniversary, BBC World of Sound seems to be aimed at an extremely diffuse audience, if anyone. The collection of theme songs that the BBC has in its archives is amazing by any standards, and many Brits can pick them out in about two notes thanks to years of exposure; the theme song for Wimbledon coverage alone is some decades old now. But this particular collection, rather than trying for a particular theme or aiming at a collector market, like a collection of Radiophonic Workshop efforts might, is a mix of classics and not-classic-by-any-means efforts. There's a slew of definite winners, to be sure: the 1980 version of the Doctor Who theme, the full version of the Fawlty Towers theme, the instrumental version of Eastenders? memorable music and so forth. There's even the shipping forecast interlude Sailing By and such peppy (and now astonishingly clichéd) efforts as Calling All the Workers (from Music While You Work) and In Party Mood (from Housewives Choice). But the inclusion of more modern and extremely less distinctive efforts such as the themes for Casualty and 999 emphasize how dull and obvious the field can get; one longs for the inspired vitality of The Simpsons' theme after too many of these kind of dramatic series' efforts. There's also no rhyme or reason to the collection, chronologically or thematically, and while longtime DJ Alan Freeman's liner notes are appreciative and share some trivia, there's little more to it than that. Anyone who grew up on these many programs probably will love all the memories they'll call back, but a casual listener would be better off elsewhere. ~ Ned Raggett, Rovi
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