Test Card Special - Off-Air Orchestral Delights

And now for some music and pictures ......
Remember the test card?
Perhaps if so, you might have been just a little beguiled by the accompanying music.
There are some fine examples of these virtually unknown compositions, often by talented and underrated unsung composers. These musical gems were reproduced by some of the very best musicians available and recorded onto master tapes to play along with the BBC test Card.

Television Trade Test Transmissions especially during the early days of regular UK 'PAL system' of colour transmission with 'nicam stereo sound', have cast a lasting spell on many of us.
On this channel you can explore beyond the regular programming with the fabulous and iconic BBC colour Test Card F, and many other delights.

On this video:-
Here's a mix of some regular orchestral Test Card audio tracks to stir your musical taste buds and perhaps awaken certain memories .....

Enjoy!

Tapes from BBC 1, 1980's 'Television Trade Test Transmissions'.

Apologies for any copyright issues, this video is not made or uploaded for profit or personal gain

[mariaud]

I'm just starting to listen to this now! Thanks for uploading such wonderful music, Jayne x

[DennesThompson]

Takes me back to when I learned to appreciate orchestral music and learned to play the recorder. More years then I care to remember. Thank you for posting.

[pauluk]

Great selection there Jayne. Those pieces really bring back some memories. I used to record a lot of test card music directly on a reel to reel tape recorder when I was in my mid teens. I worked at the queen's hotel in Southsea for all of my summer holiday one year to raise the £58 for a Philips reel to reel just for this! I still have some of those original recordings but as and when I could get them on a download or cd, I replaced the original. That first piece, voy voy voy by Guy Lapaerts was always one of my favourites. The second piece, Bouree by Ernest Tomlinson is such a great piece along with his folk dance suite and other great compositions here from those superb chandos recordings. He was a really great traditional composer of typically English light music that always takes me back in time and think of the English countryside of a bygone era. I recognise the last piece but don't know what it is.