Test Card Nostalgia

BBC Test Card music from the middle years of the 1960s. Some of the most famous and memorable Test Card miniatures are here, including Roger Roger’s dramatic ‘Asia Minor’ and ‘Alaska’, Cliff Hammer’s madly ‘Swinging Spinet’ and the lovely ‘Jaunting Car’, the opening movement of Peter Hope’s ‘Ring Of Kerry’ suite. There's also a trio of short pieces by guitar virtuoso Freddie Phillips, remembered now for his music for BBC children's programmes 'Trumpton' and Camberwick Green', but who was renowned at the time for his plectrum-plus-fingers technique playing a unique guitar with two additional bass strings. Elsewhere, pop grooves, twangy electric guitars and other exotica gradually emerge, reflecting the times as the decade moved on.
0:00:02 - El Pizzicatango · Armand Bernard And His Orchestra
0:03:31 - Souvenir In 3/4 Time · Alfredo Antonini And His Orchestra
0:06:38 - Evening In The Country · Alfredo Antonini And His Orchestra
0:09:19 - The Whistler’s Mambo · Bill Snyder And The Sonic Seven
0:11:52 - Canzonetta · The Symphonic ‘Pops’ Orchestra
0:13:58 - Easy Walker · Mat Mathews And His Orchestra
0:16:54 - Canto De Cuna | Gallegan Dance | Inca Legend · Freddie Phillips
0:22:33 - On Two Chords · Armand Bernard And His Orchestra
0:24:54 - Reveil · Roger Roger And His Orchestra
0:27:41 - Going Up · L’Orchestre Moderne
0:30:21 - Asia Minor · Roger Roger And His Orchestra
0:33:01 - Alaska (Greenland Sleigh Dogs) · Roger Roger And His Orchestra
0:36:06 - New York (Coach Tour) · Roger Roger And His Orchestra
0:38:20 - High Stepper · George Hermann And His Orchestra
0:41:08 - Swinging Spinet · Cliff Hammer And His Golden Spinet
0:43:23 - African Dawn · Orchestra Tropicana
0:45:41 - Off The Cuff · Walt Peters And His Orchestra
0:48:17 - Serenade For Lovers · Detlef Rath And His Orchestra
0:50:32 - Fake Three · Walt Peters And His Orchestra
0:52:35 - Soho Swing · Walt Peters And His Orchestra
0:55:15 - Highland Holiday · Antony Wood And His Orchestra
0:57:48 - Jaunting Car · Orchestra Raphaele
1:00:24 - Chelsea Chick · Mr Popcorn’s Band
1:03:09 - College Girl · The Westway Novelty Ensemble
1:05:03 - Firecracker · Fernand Terby And His Orchestra
1:07:42 - Sweet Dolly · Paul Bonneau And His Grand Orchestra
1:09:58 - Long Hot Summer · The Roger Roger Ensemble
1:12:09 - Stac Flat · Paul Bonneau And Orchestre Symphonique Léger De Paris
1:15:48 - Town Terminal · Fernand Terby And His Orchestra
78 minutes
The music was used in the following BBC TV Trade Test tapes:
El Pizzicatango (broadcast on BBC1 1964-1966) ~ track 1
Souvenir In 3/4 Time (BBC1 1964-1965) ~ 2
La Gran Via - Mazurka (BBC2 1964-1965) ~ 3
Come With Me (BBC2 1964-1965) ~ 4
Canzonetta (BBC2 1965-1967) ~ 5
Yankee Doodle Rag (BBC2 1965-1968) ~ 6
Going Up (BBC2 1965-1968) ~ 7, 8, 9, 10
Asia Minor (BBC1 1966-1969; 1971-1972) ~ 11, 12, 13
High Stepper (BBC1 1966-1968) ~ 14, 15, 16, 18
Nostalgia (BBC2 1966-1970) ~ 17, 18, 19 20
Highland Holiday (BBC2 1966-1969) ~ 21, 22
Chelsea Chick (BBC2 1967-1972) ~ 23, 24, 25, 27, 29
Nightride (BBC2 1973-1976) ~ 24, 25, 29
Golondrina (BBC1 1967-1969) ~ 26, 28
[ 1/5 ]

[@jr59]

The test card and music is more entertaining than most of the programmes these days.

[@johnpinner6687]

I like the music and the test card remind of television years ago

[@ianmclaughlan]

Not heard this tune since since late 1965 thanks to the web forgotten memories of music not heard for decades

[@davidstone921]

My early days in the TV industry were spent viewing this test card in a mirror at the the back of my bench. Great to see it again & with the music.

[@catsmad48]

Love all of these. As a child in the 60s this was actually a form of entertainment.

[@terencechapman1890]

They all remind me of days repairing televisions. Smells of soldering, hot dust on the tops of valves, ozone from EHT arcs, line time-base whistle, etc. My favourites were 'Holiday Highway' 'The Lark in the Clear Air' and 'Capability Brown' playing from sets on test.

[@78thandSynth]

Completely new to me. Great share thank you.

[@G4KDXlive]

Pizzicatango wow!

[@kh23797]

Thanks a million, ricardus. Lots of these tunes came back to me fresh as a daisy 50+ years on, laid down in my grey matter by dint of repeated hearings at the time. I've encountered some on TCM CD's or on YT but a few were first hearings since those far-off schooldays. Strange how melodies, like tastes and smells, can stay intact in the mind for decades. Please keep 'em coming if you have more...

[@NorikoHaruko]

Music like these helped me sleep well and dispel the fatigue of stressful working days, thank you very much Ricadus, I hope one day not far your KZbin channel will grow more and more again!

[@amandawhiteley6737]

I'd quite agree on CD test cards, only late 70s I remember though!

[@nicolaiqbal6823]

When will someone bring out a parental (or even self!) control programme where every so often, all family devices are locked, and this comes up for a few hours? It would do us good!

[@keithwarboys8891]

PROBABLY SITTING IN FROUNT OF THE BLACK 🖤 AND WHITE TELLY WAITING FOR BILL & BEN TO see WHAT THEY WERE DOING LOL 😂 😂 CHUCKLE GIGGLE SNORT 😂 😂

[@spmoran4703]

Bill and Ben great educational television for children.

[@outaspaceman]

This makes ironing so much easier..🤔

[@johncallan4788]

Hearing this stuff again is (almost) better than sex.

[@davids8449]

Almost...of course it is no horrible offspring to contend too what could be better...Good old 405 lines I remember the switch to 625 very clearly

[@kimmajkosaveukraineroadto1127]

Mihály Varga should’ve sat criss cross Applesauce in 1967-69 During his childhood. While listening to (0:06:38-0:09:19-0:16:54)

[@pamelanicholson9769]

My brother loved test card my legs was is drum

[@brackleyguy]

Love this music. One particular piece of music I remember as a child is at 58.00 on video. First time i have heard it since then. Could you please tell me the title and who its by please. would like to see if I can get it on cd.

[@ricadus]

It’s the opening movement from the Ring of Kerry Suite, composed by Peter Hope. This version is an early/mid 1960s recording by Orchestra Raphaele, but there are are also other, more recent ones available.

[@brackleyguy]

@@ricadus Thank you, have purchased CD on Amazon

[@dvidclapperton]

Were they all from half hour tapes? Even as late as 1971/2?

[@ricadus]

71/72 was the switchover period, so a mixture of shorter and longer sequences were broadcast, I think.

[@sheilahands6202]

not the music i remember

[@ianmcclavin]

Over 50 years...they had a lot to choose from!!

[@deltay5044]

they used to play a tune that was identical to Killing Me Softly years before it was written