The Prisoner

Silva Screen Records

Music Composed by Ron Grainer, Wilfred Josephs, and Albert Elms

Produced by David Stoner and James Fitzpatrick

Release Date: 1989

     The Prisoner is another British produced television show from the 1960s which followed on the heels of the successful Secret Agent. Patrick McGoohan was back playing a former British secret agent who is kidnapped after he resigns from the service. It was essentially television's first "mini-series" which spanned seventeen episodes as McGoohan's character (only known in the show as Number Six) attempts to break out of "The Village" and/or discover who is responsible for his imprisonment.

As with Secret Agent, the experience of this score depends on your taste in music and whether or not you are a fan of the show. The opening theme to The Prisoner is an excellent bit originally entitled The Age of Elegance. It was felt that, being a solo harpsichord piece, it was too dry to be used for a television series, so composer Ron Grainer rewrote the music and introduced more instruments. The CD starts off with the main theme, but whoever produced this album just took it from the first episode ("Arrival") as you can still hear the background sounds. This is remedied later in track 15 with the FULL version of the main theme (and no background noise!). If you like the main theme to The Prisoner you will be in seventh heaven here. As for the rest album, if you have a taste for classical music this is right up your alley. In fact, many tracks consist of remixed classical favorites. Fans of the show will be happy to know that most of the best incidental music from the series is on the CD.

     The bottom line is this: If you are a fan of The Prisoner or you like classical music and find this album interesting, go ahead and give it a spin. It is one of my personal favorites. Just be warned that this album is not easily obtained. ****

Track Listing

1 - Main Title Theme (2:20)

2 - No. 6 Attempts Helicopter Escape (1:57)

3 - Band Marches Into Main Village Square (1:45)

4 - Chimes (Original unused Main Title Theme) (2:17)

5 - Engadine's Dreamy Party (1:22)

6 - Mini Moke and Speedboat Escape (2:53)

7 - Cat and Mouse Nightclub Mechanical Band (1:35)

8 - No. 6 Wins Village Election (1:27)

9 - Violent Capture of No. 6 in Rover Cave (1:45)

10 - Professor's Wife's Outdoor Art Class (0:38)

11 - Security Clearance For Board Members (0:49)

12 - Villager's Examination Results Celebration (2:02)

13 - No. 6 Encounters the General (0:37)

14 - Destruction and Final Report (2:35)

15 - Full Version: Main Title Theme (3:33)

16 - No. 6 Aboard Gunrunners' Boat (1:58)

17 - Village Square Carnival Procession (2:20)

18 - No. 6 Steals a Lifebelt (1:44)

19 - Escapers Attack Searchlight Tower (1:56)

20 - No. 2 has No. 6 Followed to the Stone Boat (2:28)

21 - Farandelle Played by Village Band (0:47)

22 - Fight Between No. 6 and No. 14 (3:59)

23 - Village Green Cricket Match (2:00)

24 - No. 6's Regression to Childhood (2:10)

25 - No. 6's Schooldays Revisited (0:42)

26 - Main Title Theme Reprise (1:09)

Total Running Time: 48:48