The Vernon Elliot Ensemble,"Ivor the Engine/Pogles Wood"
The Trunk label rescues from extinction Vernon Elliot's composition for two 1960s children's TV shows: the charming Ivor The Engine and the decidedly surreal Pogles Wood.
Vernon Elliot took up the bassoon as a toddler, became a founder of the Philharmonic Orchestra, player at the Royal Opera House, conductor of the RPH, a music teacher, writer, and jazz enthusiast. The exquisitely contemplative music for Ivor The Engine was his first work for television and he went on to compose for almost all of Oliver Postgate's Smallfilms productions. Postgate was an animator, puppeteer and writer who made some marvelous TV series including The Clangers, Ivor The Engine, The Pogles, Pogles Wood, and my particular favorites Noggin the Nog and Bagpuss. He was assisted by illustrator and model maker Peter Firmin. Given that, perhaps we can forgive Firmin for co-creating Basil Brush, mouthy fox hand-puppet and one of the biggest nuisances in British television history!
Trunk has already released music from The Clangers but this new release captures a little slice of music-making history. Jon Brooks at Newyattsounds has sifted through a huge cardboard box of tape reels that were getting close to disintegration. The remastering job is done with the loving care that these recordings deserve, since it mirrors that which went into them in the first place. Along with the musical themes and episodes are studio exchanges and sound-effects and the package includes handwritten labels and notes. All this gives a real glimpse into the working processes of Postgate and Firmin. The Ivor music aches with melancholy charm and sound effects (such as donkey departing, coal being tipped, and the engine chuffing or resisting starting) are sweet and ordinary. The endeavor evokes cardigans and cups of tea.
Ivor is totally off the breakneck digital pace of today, but The Pogles is worlds apart. It could never be made now. The joy is too simple, the element of fear too primal and naturalistic, the whole concept too languid and effortlessly politically incorrect. The original 1965 version was cut from the BBC's Watch With Mother series after complaints from parents that the character of The Witch was too scary for pre-schoolers. With all due respect to her pre-Thatcherite visual weirdness, much of the anxiety stems from Vernon Elliot's slashing music that accompanied her appearance. Pogles Wood (1966-68) is still wonderful and crazy. Some of its magic and innocence is conveyed by Elliot's playful compositions. Adventures consist of Mr Pogle supping bilberry wine and feeding it to his plant (called Plant) The cast walk, run and play games as a ritual strangeness envelopes everyday life. Once seen, the characters of Mrs. Pogle, Pippin, Hedgepig, and Tog (a stuffed toy brought to life to fight The Witch) are unforgettable. As with (the unrelated) The Singing Ringing Tree, from East Germany's DEFA studio, they really don't make them like this anymore.
Trunk has plans to release many of the other recordings from the Smallfilms series in the near future.
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