Stock music origins?

[tristar]

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone could enlighten me on where the stock music that Television stations in the 1950s would use as soundtrack for the silent cartoons.

Here are some examples of what I'm asking about:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ysCS1NB0zE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l9AinrOwPM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JufTNsHc18c&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_cFpQ2VaTg&feature=related

Does anyone know who composed them or when they're from?

[J. A. Boschen]

Try KPM Music.

Paste this link into the address bar:
http://www.kpm.co.uk/flashindex.htm?url=www.kpmworldwide.com&noCache=true

1. Enter as a guest
2. Click the Database search button
3. Under the Search type in ARCHIVE RECORDING and below uncheck all of the boxes EXCEPT for Track Description.
4. Hit Search

They have some really great archival recordings. My favorite tracks are
BEACH BOY
VOICE OF INDUSTRY
RIVERIA EXPRESS
STRAIGHT 8
THEY'RE AWAY

Hope this helps :)

[Keith Paynter]

Don't forget TURKEY TROT - a A John K favorite for REN & STIMPY fans! "Hey Stimpy...what's TV tonight?" KPM81 track 21

KPM81 has lots of Q Library needle drops used in 'Ren & Stimpy'.

Track 14, "Folli The Foil" was used on the American WLIIA game "Hey You Down There!"

[Fibber Fox]

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone could enlighten me on where the stock music that Television stations in the 1950s would use as soundtrack for the silent cartoons.

As at least one of the examples that was linked to had been lovingly restored by Ray Pointer's company, I suspect Ray would know.

He'll correct me if I'm wrong, but I have been left with the impression one of the Valentino libraries was used when sound was added to some silents for television.

F. Fox
http://yowpyowp.blogspot.com

[Fibber Fox]

KPM81 has lots of Q Library needle drops used in 'Ren & Stimpy'.

Which "Q" library would this be? Certainly not the EMI 'Q' series, as the majority of the cues were written or co-written by Phil Green, at least on the earliest discs.

If you mean the Capitol Hi-Q library, there was extremely little KPM material leased for it, just some of the cues on reels L-95 and 96.

F. Fox
http://yowpyowp.blogspot.com

[Keith Paynter]

Which "Q" library would this be? Certainly not the EMI 'Q' series, as the majority of the cues were written or co-written by Phil Green, at least on the earliest discs.

If you mean the Capitol Hi-Q library, there was extremely little KPM material leased for it, just some of the cues on reels L-95 and 96.

F. Fox
http://yowpyowp.blogspot.com


Always get enough sleep before posting...yes the Capitol Hi-Q library. Since only the Capitol library was acknowledged at the end of R&S, I assumed KPM had acquired the Hi-Q library. Some of those tracks definitely have scratchy vinyl origins.

[Tom Stathes]

Koko's Earth Control: Those tracks have been overused to death on modern 1970s prints of silent films...and ensuing video releases.
Koko: The Cure- Culled from some other film...
Big Chief Koko- Winston Sharples music tracks used in the Rainbow Parade cartoons from Van Beuren.
Kick for Cinderella- Ask Ray Pointer as it's his restoration and he sourced the music for it.


I personally have not seen or heard any examples of music that TV stations themselves chose for silent cartoons. In most cases, the cartoons already came with music from the distributors. In other cases, some of the prints were still silent and kiddie show hosts would synch their own music and narrate the films...but unfortunately I haven't seen any cartoon examples yet. Though, there are at least a couple Howdy Doody Show episodes circulating where Buffalo Bob shows an "old time movie", usually a comedy, and narrates it.

[Fibber Fox]

Always get enough sleep before posting...yes the Capitol Hi-Q library. Since only the Capitol library was acknowledged at the end of R&S, I assumed KPM had acquired the Hi-Q library.

Not at all, Keith. D. Butler, Jr. has kind of gone into the horror show fate that's hit the Hi-Q library. Rights to the music have reverted to their heirs of the credited composers (though I think Jack Cookerly is still alive) and much of it has never been re-released.

Some Green cues, originally from EMI, and some of the Cadkin-Loose material has been acquired by Carlin, though it may only be for license in certain countries.

F. Fox

[tristar]

Thanks, everyone! This has been a great help.:)
Ray, if you're reading this, why not join the discussion?:daffy:

[Ray Pointer]

When TV stations ran these cartoons, they generally had the music tracks on them. Rarely would they do a live feed off the records, which would involve the mixing of two or three cues. My memory of seeing the old AESOP'S FABLES was with the THOMAS J. VALENTINO music library, some of which I have. Actually, the quality of the recordings on the 78s was better than on the film prints that you are seeing today.

Pre-recorded film music actually dates back to the early sound era. There were recorded pieces available for licensing under the Filmusic Label. The early Hal Roach Comedies used some of these until they started building their own music library with Leroy Shields. I have used some of these old Filmusic cues in KO-KO THE BARBER and again, the quality of the recordings is remarkably better than they are on the soundtrack of the OUR GANG COMEDY, "Bear Shooters," from 80 years ago.