The first time I heard this extraordinary rendition of Pete Townsend’s Tommy Overture was in 1980. It was featured in a community bulletin board on WJKS(an NBC affiliate) in Jacksonville, Florida. The community bulletin board was simply called The Job Finder. During the run of the song, job listings were posted, including pay. It was shown on Saturdays and Sundays after midnight. I wondered who conducted the orchestra. I thought right away that the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra could have recorded this. They were capable of this performance. This rendition stayed in my memory for decades until I found out that it was conducted by none other than Henry Mancini. My saxophone instructor in junior college knew and worked with him. Henry Mancini was one of those composer/conductors who had an incredible ability to make a song from another artist transform into something grander, melodic, beautiful and epic. He was a true master of his craft. Even his friend Quincy Jones sang his praises.
Hokie smokes. We had the album, A Mancini Concert. Came out late '71 or early '72, we bought it in February of 1972. This and the big band montage were my favorites on it. Thank you for posting.
Grew up listening to this on an old Panasonic turntable/radio/cassette player. Ancient. I think this is a great rendition of the original. Different, but equally as musical and interesting in its energy and arrangement. The string swell at at 2:40 still give me chills even today.
This was used on Sundays for a while because LWT felt it inappropriate to use the highly spirited Well Swung Fanfare before the morning church services. So they replaced it with this, which is no less highly spirited in my opinion.
Firstly, in terms of ITV, YTV was the local to me. But LWT had a beautiful start up theme here - it says: Authority, Fun...and UP YOURS THAMES TELEVISION😊!! (I only recently read the back history of LWT and the troubles it had to begin with...with added schadenfreude from Thames)
LWT found it inappropriate to use a Well Swung Fanfare before morning church services on Sundays so they used this instead. "Overture from Tommy" (The Who) arranged by Henry Mancini.
The forerunner to LWT was ATV London. Does anyone remember the continuity announcer they had named Trevor Lucas? I can never remember him announcing on LWT after ATV London became defunct. Did he move to another region? I wonder what became of him and if he is still with us.
I think this has been faked - if this was genuine a) the image would have not been totally frozen, the sound quality of the music wouldn't have been so superior to the continuity and the colour jingle at the end didnt come in until colour came in. I think this is cwilliams up to his usual rubbish tricks
The first time I heard this extraordinary rendition of Pete Townsend’s Tommy Overture was in 1980. It was featured in a community bulletin board on WJKS(an NBC affiliate) in Jacksonville, Florida. The community bulletin board was simply called The Job Finder. During the run of the song, job listings were posted, including pay. It was shown on Saturdays and Sundays after midnight. I wondered who conducted the orchestra. I thought right away that the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra could have recorded this. They were capable of this performance. This rendition stayed in my memory for decades until I found out that it was conducted by none other than Henry Mancini. My saxophone instructor in junior college knew and worked with him.
Henry Mancini was one of those composer/conductors who had an incredible ability to make a song from another artist transform into something grander, melodic, beautiful and epic.
He was a true master of his craft. Even his friend Quincy Jones sang his praises.
I miss regional I.T.V. and programmes for schools and colleges.
Unlike This Morning and Loose Women it was watchable and you learnt something!
How cool. Its 1970 england and this comes on the tube. Im a brit at heart!
You have the right name to be the first one to comment.
Scott Andrew Hutchins lol. I'm Eva!
Accentuates the great fanfare & themes composed by Townsend so vibrantly... Townsend is a genius
Hokie smokes. We had the album, A Mancini Concert. Came out late '71 or early '72, we bought it in February of 1972. This and the big band montage were my favorites on it. Thank you for posting.
Regular colour services began on LWT in November 1969. This logo then had an orange background.
Grew up listening to this on an old Panasonic turntable/radio/cassette player. Ancient. I think this is a great rendition of the original. Different, but equally as musical and interesting in its energy and arrangement. The string swell at at 2:40 still give me chills even today.
Tommy - the best rock opera ever made.
This is great music by a great composer Mancini I have the complete album from my dad he would always play this for me
Holy Shit! Lawrence Welk meets The Who.
2:11....bliss
This was used on Sundays for a while because LWT felt it inappropriate to use the highly spirited Well Swung Fanfare before the morning church services. So they replaced it with this, which is no less highly spirited in my opinion.
By the mid 70's though, they had switched to using "A Well Swung Fanfare" on both Saturdays and Sundays.
Aidan Lunn lfmmnvx dxfmlrskdlslx
Mjlklppplplmx.
Aidan Lunn wl
This is beautiful
Firstly, in terms of ITV, YTV was the local to me. But LWT had a beautiful start up theme here - it says: Authority, Fun...and UP YOURS THAMES TELEVISION😊!! (I only recently read the back history of LWT and the troubles it had to begin with...with added schadenfreude from Thames)
I like this Start-up....
CLASSIC!
Happy days!
cheers for sharing this :)
brill upload!!!!!!!
LWT found it inappropriate to use a Well Swung Fanfare before morning church services on Sundays so they used this instead. "Overture from Tommy" (The Who) arranged by Henry Mancini.
The forerunner to LWT was ATV London. Does anyone remember the continuity announcer they had named Trevor Lucas? I can never remember him announcing on LWT after ATV London became defunct. Did he move to another region? I wonder what became of him and if he is still with us.
He transferred to ATV Midlands
Trevor tragically died in a road traffic accident in the early 70's.
That is so sad.
Alec Taylor's the annoncer here.
we apologise for this break in transmission normal services will resume shorty LOL
He got his arse banned from here, at least. And if it were him, I note a distinct lack of his voice on this video.
@cwilliams1976 This is correct.
Which of the LWT' announcers started the line up in 69. Alec Taylor or Peter Lewis?
1932.
NO!. IS. 1931.
NOT. 1932.
YES!. IS. 1932.
It's the 60s! 'Tommy' was written in the 60s!
I think this has been faked - if this was genuine a) the image would have not been totally frozen, the sound quality of the music wouldn't have been so superior to the continuity and the colour jingle at the end didnt come in until colour came in. I think this is cwilliams up to his usual rubbish tricks
Mate. It's way too good - and to the point - for cwilliams.
It's not fake .
what !
1931.
YES!. IS.
1931.
TELEVISION. BRISTSH!.