BBC Radio 4 must bring back the “UK Theme” before the morning shipping forecast
Sunday 17 May saw the Wincanton Choral Society (featuring several Horsington residents) in excellent form for their 25th anniversary concert. The choir seems to have recovered its former spirit, and gave us a wonderful performance. They would be truly brilliant if we could hear the words a bit better.
The choir was augmented by a larger than usual orchestra, which added a certain majesty, making a reasonant sound which filled the packed sports hall at the Leisure Centre. Their opening number was the “UK Theme”, which used to herald the start of the day before Radio 4’s early morning shipping forecast. Until they killed it.
This is a glorious piece of music, much loved by fishermen, yachtsman and seafarers, (and, we suspect, landlubbers.) Hearing it brought back many happy memories of steadying oneself on the oggin, nursing a mug of tea, pencil stub in hand, trying to jot down the details before going on deck to tell the crew what was about to befall them in Lundy, Fastnet and Fitzroy.
Loyal readers will recall that your editor offered to rescue the crisis-ridden BBC when they “lost” their director-general in 2012. The offer still stands, with the additional proviso that the “UK Theme” is re-instated before the shipping forecast.
Readers may wish to write to their new MP, that nice Mr Warburton, demanding that reinstatement must be a condition of renewing the BBCs Charter, which comes up next year. Let’s go viral with this one!
Listen to the UK Theme, arranged by Fritz Speigl, performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
Winterborne Longjohns is also in possession of a long and surprisingly accurate memory . The musical prelude to the shipping forecast was and is always PROPERLY known as Lilibulero !
I fear dear old Winterborne has really lost it this time. “LILIBULERO” is of course the theme tune to the BBC World Service. They have even tinkered around with that. Is nothing sacred? -ED