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| Liner Notes from Volume Three by Karen Langley |
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WELL COME, as the illuminated, underground door sign in the final Prisoner episode "Fall Out" bids us, to Volume 3 of Prisoner music. This collection of tracks is no less enigmatic than those which adorned the first pair of Silva Screen albums of music from the 1967 Prisoner television series. This third compilation features instrumental gems from Chappell's library, used in various episodes to provide that distinctive Prisoner 'atmosphere'. The series has now reached its 25th anniversary and has enjoyed another national U.K. rescreening, courtesy of Channel 4. Everybody has a different favourite piece of music, a passage which lingers in the memory, recalling an image from a particular episode or scene. Much of the music epitomises those carefree far-off days of the sixties. And yet, this album, along with its two predecessors, offers musical delights which have stood the test of time. Snappy tunes and clever orchestral arrangements remind us of a bygone era. How effective was the use of much of the music in providing a counterpoint to the striking images created by The Prisoner -- sombre passages, brisk marches, and memorable melodies. Of course, the series also utilised good effect pop music by The Beatles, Carmen Miranda, and the Four Lads, as well as classical music, featuring composers like Vivaldi, Bizet, and Strauss. |
Original scores were also developed for the main titles and during other key scenes. Ron Grainer, Wilfred Josephs, Albert Elms are the names most associated with the music specially composed for The Prisoner. Examples of their work have already appeared on volumes 1 and 2. Another well-known composer whose work is to be found dotted about the episodes is Robert Farnon. The many other composers whose themes appear on this album were not to know that their work was destined for inclusion in The Prisoner. The choice of compositions was the work of the series' main music editor, Eric Mival, along with Robert Dearberg who worked on a trio of episodes. All of the composers and musicians can take a bow for their contributions to the series, helping to sustain such a high profile for a quarter of a century. If you have bought the first two Silva Screen volumes of Prisoner music, you have already savoured the starter and main course. Here, now, is the dessert, complete with decorative topping. The third serving of Prisoner music has at last arrived. So, bon appetit, happy listening and be seeing you! |
| Victor Volkman's comments on Volume Three |
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Volume Three (hereafter "V3") continues the eclectic tradition of the soundtrack releases. It opens with yet another piece of rousing marching band music ("Freedom of the City" by A. Steck) from "Arrival" as No. 6 and his accomplice discuss escape by helicopter with the "electropass". The disc closes with the weirdly sinister organ piece ("Tocatta" by R. Roger), highly reminiscent of Bach's famous Tocatta Fugue in D Minor, as No. 6 hurriedly rushes to prepare the rocket for launch in "Fallout". The disc in many ways represents a microcosm of the series itself. In my mind, there are a few tracks that make this disc a "must have". In addition to the opening and closing tracks, which I have a mild appreciation for. First, track 13 entitled "Inferno" by C. Sauvage is featured from "A Change of Mind", "The Girl Who Was Death", and "Fallout": all episodes where No. 6 was on the brink of insanity. Some may say past the brink. You may probably remember it from the scene where all hell breaks loose in the underground cave in Fallout, where No. 2, No. 6, and No. 48 finally let loose with machine guns. Sauvage's "Inferno" was surely inspired by Dante's famous allegorical work from the middle ages. In "Inferno", the main character went to the inner circle of hell and back. |
Equally notable is track 12 entitled "Osaka" by N. Nardin. This track is featured in both "Hammer into Anvil" and "It's Your Funeral". I am of course referring to the background music for that wacky and wonderful game called Kosho. This is the game played dressed in robes while they jump between trampolines with a pool of water in the middle, presumably where the loser is dunked. The combatants have long poles with which to strike at eachother. Although its a mere 92 seconds long, it just made me want to get a pair of trampolines and set them up next to my pool! Other less notable numbers include track 20 entitled "Psychedlia" by J. Hawkesworth. Well, this crazy slow strumming sitar was just about enough to give me a flashback. Track 5 entitled "Zero Minus Sixty" by R. Farnon effectively captures the suspense and drama of the series in a nutshell. Farnon, you may remember, composed the original opening theme which was rejected by McGoohan and eventually found its way into the "alternate" take of "Chimes of Big Ben". Track 11 is a cute little ditty called "Harpsichord in Drama No. 1" by Ron Grainer and J. Hawkesworth. The piece is almost certainly performed by Grainer himself, whose other harpsichord piece appears on Volume Two. |
| Obtaining the soundtrack recordings |
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Both the original soundtrack LP and the "bootleg" CD have been unavailable for a long time. It's possible you might find a second hand copy at a record fair or from specialist collector sources but expect to pay a VERY high price for the LP, particularly the original release with gate-fold sleeve. Similarly, the first 3-CD release by Silvascreen is long gone, but the latest re-release has made all the music available again. |
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Silvascreen, an independent UK distributor of film, TV and specialist music has remastered the original three-volume set of prisoner soundtrack music. The music tracks have been re-ordered to play in line with the original episode screening order and are interspersed with lines of dialogue. All three volumes are available for online purchase. Click any cover for more information or to place an order. |
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