Posted by Simon Morris on
URL: https://www.shado-forum.com/UFO-Theme-tp1498171p1498207.html

--- In SHADO@y..., Marc Martin <marc@u...> wrote:
> >Are these the originals as recorded *and* transmitted or are they
> >cover versions?
>
> On the Cult Royale CD, it sounds like the UFO theme track was
> recorded straight off of a videotape of the show! Therefore,
> if you already have the DVDs, then you already own a higher
> quality version of the theme!


This is true: the Cult Royale version *is* as transmitted,but with
all the sound effects (ie teleprinter etc). So its not a release of
the actual session tape - with just the music - but a copy of a music
track from a transmitted episode -admittedly fairly good quality when
it was released(pre UFO DVD days).

As for the other 4-CD album Grant mentions, I *think* this is a re-
release of tracks from various Silva Screen albums and I suspect that
the UFO Theme (and others such as Space 1999)is from the CULT FILES
REOPENED album,where it was arranged by Derek Wadsworth (Space 1999
Y2)and played by the City of Prague Philharmonic. I was very very
disappointed by the arrangement and the recording,especially as I
love Wadsworths Space 1999 music. I don't think its a good idea to
transcribe a tv score that was originally recorded by a fairly small
studio orchestra into something that is played by a symphony
orchestra. It might work with Thunderbirds or Space 1999 Year 1 where
the style was symphonic to start (with as intended by Barry Gray).

But scores like UFO (and for that matter Year 2 of Space 1999)tended
to be arranged for smaller rock or jazz orchestras and would have
been better arranged and recorded that way. In particular much of the
UFO score always had a jazzy sort of feel which doesn't really
translate well to a symphony orchestra - at least not to my way of
thinking - and there was something about Wadsworths arrangement which
just didn't sound 'right'. I'm not musical so I can't describe it but
I'm sure there are others who know what I mean....

Simon Morris