Midsomer Murders Music

'The Ballad of Midsomer County', performed by Lucie Jones and Seth Lakeman in the episode of the same title, is currently available on a new Midsomer Murders CD, released by Silva Screen - details below.

TRACKS

Midsomer Murders Folk Theme - Seth Lakeman

The Ballad of Midsomer County - Lucie Jones accompanied by Seth Lakeman

Pagan Ceremony - Jim Parker - 'Murder by Magic'

Blood Red Roses - The Nettlebed Collective

The Sloe / Bonny Kate - The Nettlebed Collective

Homecoming - Jim Parker - 'A Vintage Murder'

Johnny Has Gone For A Soldier - Lucie Jones with The Nettlebed Collective

The Ballad of Midsomer County - Lucie Jones & Seth Lakeman

The Lake - Jim Parker - 'A Vintage Murder'

The Golden Vanity - The Nettlebed Collective

Echoes - Jim Parker - 'Murder by Magic'

Merrily Kissed the Quakerâs Wife - The Nettlebed Collective

The Bold Grenadier - Clarke Peters with The Nettlebed Collective

Roulette - Jim Parker - 'The Dagger Club'

The Ballad of Midsomer County - Seth Lakeman
Midsomer Murders Theme - Jim Parker

Available from http://www.amazon.co.uk

A soundtrack of some of the music heard in the series has recently been released in Germany

TRACKS

Midsomer Murders
Angus Dei
The Villagers Serenade (instrumental version)
Isobel
Cambridge
Libera Me
Driving Home
Discovery of a Dead Body
Hunting
The Commune
The Alcoholic Fox Trot
Sarah's Lament
The Madonna's Statue
Milking Time
A Roving
Ancient Rome
The Postman
Looking for Clues
Rosa
The Village Band
An Irish Boy
Cully's Tune
Haunted Rooms
Bunny Cakes
Magic Pipes
Meeting in the Dark
The Fairground

Available from http://www.amazon.de

A limited edition of the German DVD set Volume 10 also includes a special bonus CD

TRACKS

1. Funeral Dance

2. Midsomer Rhapsody

3. High Jinks

4. Death on Stage

5. Scarborough Fair

6. Hunt and Kill

7. The Cowboy

8. Miss Compton's Regret

9. Scratching the Paintwork

10. Spark Plug

Available from http://www.amazon.de

A CD was also given away as a bonus item to subscribers of the U.K. GE Fabbric DVD/Magazine part-work.

This is no longer available

TRACKS

Midsomer Murders
Ponies
Isobel
Seduction
Hunting
Discovery of a Dead Body
Driving Home
The Alcoholic Foxtrot
An Irish Boy
Cambridge
Rosa
Milking Time
Cully's Tune
The Postman
A Roving
Magic Pipes
The Village Band
Haunted Rooms
The Fairground

Soundtrack album released in the U.K.in September 2002
No longer available

The track listing is the same as the
2011 German release

TRACKS

1. Midsomer Murders
2. Agnus Dei
3. The Village
4. Isobel
5. Cambridge
6. Libera Me
7. Driving Home
8. Discovery Of A Dead Body
9. Hunting
10. The Commune
11. The Alcoholic Fox-trot
12. Sarah's Lament
13. The Madonna's Statue
14. Milking Time
15. A Roving
16. Ancient Rome
17. The Postman
18. Looking For Clues
19. Rosa
20. The Village Band
21. An Irish Boy
22. Cully's Tune
23. Haunted Rooms
24. Bunny Cakes
25. Magic Pipes
26. Meeting In The Dark
27. The Fairground

U.K. CD Release from 1998 by Oceandeep
No longer available

TRACKS

1. Midsomer Murders (Theme Tune)
2. Agnus Dei (used in Death of a Hollow Man)
3. The Village (the bubbly tune used in many episodes)
4. An Irish Boy
5. Cambridge
6. Funeral Dance
7. Driving Home
8. Haunted Rooms
9. Discovery of a Dead Boy
10. The Commune (used in Death in Disguise)
11. The Alcoholic Fox-Trot
12. Sarah's Lament
13. The Madonna's Statue (Death of a Hollow Man)
14. Milking Time
15. Scratching the Paintwork
16. Ancient Rome
17. Looking for Clues
18. Death on Stage
19. Rosa
20. The Village Band
21. Cully's Tune
22. Bunny Cakes (used in Faithful unto Death)
23. Magic Pipes
24. Hunt and Kill
25. Meeting in the Dark
26. The Fairground

The music for Midsomer Murders was written by Jim Parker, one of the most established composers of British Television music. Among his credits are 'Soldier Soldier', 'The House of Elliot', 'House of Cards', the T.V. adaptation of 'Tom Jones', 'To Play the King' and Moll Flanders, the latter three for which he received BAFTA awards.

In addition to his television achievements Jim Parker is a classically trained oboe player and has an honorary degree from the Guildhall School of Music. He is also a classical composer, his works include music for wind and brass ensembles and a clarinet concerto.

1998 - My Summer with Des - TV
1998 - Lost for Words -TV
1998 - A Rather English Marriage - TV
1997 - The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling -mini TV Series
1997 - Deadly Summer - TV
1996 - The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders - TV
1995 - The Final Cut -mini TV Series
1995 - An Independent Man
1994 - Body and Soul - mini TV Series
1994 - To Play the King - TV
1993 - Pirate Prince - TV
1990 - The Finding - TV
1987 - The Moneymen - TV
1986 - Season's Greetings - TV
1985 - Mapp & Lucia - TV Series
1985 - Absurd Person Singular - TV
1985 - Time After Time
- Changing Rooms - TV - current
- Ground Force - TV - current - popular gardening programme

For the Midsomer Murders theme tune he introduced the use of a novel instrument called 'The Theremin'. It was invented by Russian Scientist, Professor Leon Theremin and was first demonstrated in 1920. It pre-dates the modern synthesizer by about fifty years but it's uniqueness stems from the fact that it it is played without actually being touched! It's electrical circuits are controlled by two antennas, left and right of the instrument, towards which the player moves his or her hands. The closer the right hand to the antenna the higher the ptich, with a similar arrangement pertaining to the volume controlled by the left hand.

The Theremin has a range well in excess of eight octaves, going right down to zero, and is capable of all kinds of strange effects. These sounds have been put to use in science fiction and other films including Hitchcock's spellbound. This unique instrument has also been used on The Beach Boys 'Good Virbrations'. Nowadays it's use in modern compositions is extremely rare.

Information on The Theremin is taken from the C.D. cover of the Midsomer Murders album.

The music heard before each death in Dark Autumn is called 'The Creep', composed by Ken Mackintosh/Brian Fahey/Gordon Langhorn. It is currently available on the following CD:

Troy and WPC Jay Nash dance to a song called 'Tangerine', written by Johnny Mercer and Victor Schertzinger in 1941. The version used in 'Dark Autumn' is by Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra and sung by Bob Eberly who was a regular vocalist with the orchestra. Bob Eberly is joined by Helen O'Connell on the second part of the recording, however, it is only the first part of the song that is heard in 'Dark Autumn'. The song is available on several CDs including:

Also heard in 'Dark Autumn':
Ted Heath - Hot Toddy
The piece at the end of the episode, in the ballroom, is 'Bernie's Tune' which is a multi-recorded jazz item written by Gerry Mulligan.
With thanks to J.B. Robinson for this extra information

The opening music heard in 'Ring Out Your Dead' is called 'Libera me'. The haunting choral music heard in 'Death of a Hollow Man' is called 'Agnus Dei'. Both tracks can be found on the CD 'The Best of Midsomer Murders'.

The band used in this episode was 'The City of Oxford Band'. The pieces played by the band were arrangements by Jim Parker of 'Mozarts Rondo Ala Turk' and of Jim Parker's 'Benidorm'.

With thanks to Ed Clark of 'The City of Oxford Band' for this information. You can find out more information about the band at http://www.cosb.co.uk.

The City of Oxford Band dressed for Midsomer Murders!
with thanks to the Band for letting me use this picture