I forgot to ask about the music!! Meant to. Got sidetracked by the Demon barber of Fleet Street. lol

How did the music enhance the show? There are many strong memories of the theme song and the other character theme songs. How did the music affect you as the viewer? OR did it?

Dark Shadows theme: http://www.collinwood.net/media/real/close.rm

Amazon has this recording of the music from the series. Here's the link to hear samples of the music. http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B...agSuffix=dp_img

Robert Cobert, who composed all but Jostte's Theme (Robert Farnum, composer) used a full orchestra to achieve those dramatic bits and pieces interwoven throughout each scene. The eerie "OoohWeeeEeeeOooh" sound of the opening theme song was created using an electronic osicillator called a Theramin, after it's creator Leo Theramin back in the 1920's. For the 1991 Revival series, Cobert used synthesizers in addition to his standard orchestra; the synthesizers are heard in the opening theme song and throughout, recognizeable by a "whooshing" or even a "chorus" sound. The traumatic, windy night scene where Joanna Going's Victoria Winters races to the summit of Widow's Hill is epressed through the synthesizer, which was either a Korg WaveStation, or a Phantom S10. How do I know this? My younger brother has eight synthesizers and these two make those sounds when I try to emulate the 1991 score.

Speaking of Josette's Theme: there were two versions in different keys. A little personal trivia: Josette's Theme is heard playing in the background of an episode of "The Prisoner" television series. I recognized it immediately during the show's airing in the summer of 1968. Also, our Foley's department store used Josette's Theme in their commercials every Christmas from 1974 until 1980. My aunt still has her original Josette's music box from the 1960's which she's willed to me; I have the reproduction made in 1996; both are plastic and sound nothing like the one on the show. I bought both the 33 1/3 vinyl Charles Randolph Grean Sounde album featuring Quentin's Theme and The Theme From the Blue Whale with Robin Grean's lovely, haunting vocals, and the LP featuring Frid and Selby's poetic recitations. I still have them The latter is available on CD; the former has not been released on CD.

For me, the music helped make "Dark Shadows" retain its suspenseful, Gothic flavor. If anything, "Dark Shadows" was about atmosphere--its provocative soundtrack engaged us It brought an elegant, timeless quality to the scenes and enhanced the writing and acting. Those dramatic pauses, looks of horror and angst, grandiloquent dialogue, etc., etc., would not be so readily acceptable without the grandeur of those majestic notes swirling around the characters and settings. I was deeply affected by the music of "Dark Shadows".

THanks ShadeO'Pale for that interesting info. on the music. Yes, that opening sequence music does set the tone for the film. I loved the eeriness and as a child it scared me a little. I still like the typical "Du-Du-Duuuu"(trumpet I think) little bit whenever they're getting ready for a commercial and it's a dramatic moment.

-Donna

You're very welcome. I believe that you are right about those being trumpets. I have tried to figure out what made that sound. Sometimes, it was very startling because they would rev up the volume a notch before going to commercial. What is funny is that they put the original commercials in as they taped. It was like this:

Scene over...Commercial...Everybody run and get changed, get on your marks, where's the curling iron, where's the makeup?....throw some more cobwebs over that chair...drip some more candlewax on the mantle...Go get the main camera back from the news department...You...get over here, quick...Now, everybody, be perfectly still...Quiet!...1,2, 3...ACTION1

How they were able to produce a show at all under such conditions in such a cramped little studio (DS had its own studio, a former lumber yard--hurray for Sy Thomashoff, set director) boggles my mind. Much has been made about the "cheesiness" of the show. To me, the music, lighting, and sets were all top notch. If you remember that all this was recorded "live on tape" and think of it as an extended play that you are attending, those little gaffs will seem endearing rather than annoying.

WOW! Many, many thanks ShadeO'Pale for all of that wonderful music and theme song information!!! We really do appreciate it! It was a fantastic read!

You're very welcome. I try to be as correct as possible, having spent years researching most things DS. The music was so moving--without it, I doubt that it would be considered a classic program. I am one of those persons blessed with a good ear for other people's musical efforts, but lack the ability to really play instruments well, myself. I'm fond of orchestras, even behind country and western artists, LOL, where I first noticed the string and percussion sections were more interesting than the songs and singers themselves. Thank you for letting me share what little I do know about the show.

You know a lot and your interest in sharing your knowledge and opinion with us is very appreciated.

All I know is, the music worked to make my skin crawl and my spine tingle!

The theramin is such an unusual "instrument"; it is used extensively in Ed Wood and othe old "Sci-Fi" flicks. It was also experimented with by Led Zeppelin in the 70's. I can't remember the exact track I'm thinking of, but I know it was Jimmy Page who was interested in using it in their music.

When Led Zeppelin came to our city, Page used the Theramin in "Whole Lotta Love" and one other, an old blues number. That was very impressive to me. Thanks so much for refreshing my memory. That was one weird instrument. The inventor of the Moog synthesizer. named after himself, was also interested in the Theramin, going so far as to rebuild many neglected ones. He passed on about ten years ago, but he sure made a difference in how we compact orchestrated music, in particular.
I think Robert Cobert was just brilliant to want to include such electronic wonders in his compositions. I did not know that about Ed Wood, but I believe such a device may have been used in "Forbidden Planet" . It sure sounds like one.

Wait...didn't Cobert write that second version of Josette's music box? The credit always goes to him. I actually like the first version of the theme too and wish there was a music box of it somewhere.

I also prefer the 1991 revival music box. It's SOOO beautiful! For awhile on ebay someone was selling this beautiful silver boxes with the first theme in them...I think. Unfortunately I was unable to get one and that person is no longer selling them.

If anyone knows what I'm talking about and can point me in the right direction to get one of those boxes, it would be much appreciated.

I have the original series reproduction from 1996 and hate that it's so cheaply made. And what in the world is with that ugly brown stripe down the middle? Did it break on its arriving to Collinwood and Barnabas taped it up? *scratches head*