Eric Spear

Eric Spear (18 April 1908 - 3 November 1966) was an English composer of film music. He was born in Croydon and died Southampton.

Spear is best known for composing the original theme tune for the UK's longest-running television soap opera, Coronation Street, for which he was paid £6. The theme, originally entitled "Lancashire Blues" was commissioned by Peter Taylor, at De Wolfe Music, for a new television soap opera called "Florizel Street". The name of the serial was changed to "Coronation Street" because, it was felt, it sounded like some kind of disinfectant. The cornet player Ronnie Hunt (playing trumpet on the recording) found the recording session frustrating, as Spear insisted on many takes before obtaining the sound that he wanted. For most of the programme's 50 year run since 1960, the theme tune has only been modified by converting it to stereo. Since May 31, 2010, a new version has replaced the original arrangement coinciding with the programme's shift to HDTV with new opening titles. The new version has been criticized by many viewers as lacking the atmospheric quality of the original. The commercial break 'motif' to the 'End of Part 1' card was also replaced by a newer, less substantial version. The new version of the theme also differs by being less strident than the original with less of an orchestral sound, and having a shorter closing section which is often 'squashed' by the voice-over announcing the upcoming programme menu across ITV's channels.

Until ITV celebrated fifty years of broadcasting (in 2005), the original recording of the theme had never been issued commercially. However, a mediocre cover version by James Wright and his Orchestra was released as a single on the Embassy label in April 1962, which was also included on an EP of television themes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCJBfXqTCyA

EMI's release of the original recording in 2005 includes the theme's solo trumpet introductory bar, which has never been heard on the serial.

Spear participated in the 1953 film Streets of Shadow, which featured the German World War I spy Elsbeth Schragmüller.

His theme for the 1954 movie Meet Mister Callaghan was rendered as a best-selling record by Les Paul.

For a short time in the 1960s, Spear lived in Guernsey.

Selected filmography

• No Way Back (1949)

See also

• de:Elsbeth Schragmüller Template:De icon

External links

• Eric Spear at IMDb