Response from Radio 4

I agree feetlebaum, Trevor Duncan (aka Lenoard Trebilco) was a friend of my parents when he lived at Bonchurch on the Isle of Wight. He wrote the theme tune to Dr. Finlay's Casebook (Little Suite March) but my favourite was The Girl From Corsica.

We were lucky to have such lovely music as a background to growing up although I wouldn't have said that when I first heard The Beatles

British Light Music - ignored by so many people... which is a shame, I think.
Sydney Torch, Robert Farnon, Eric Coates, Ernest Tomlinson, Benjamin Frankel... all masters of their craft. When I compare it with the mind-rot fed to our yoof... pshaw!

I'm off... (cue Carriage and Pair (Frankel)...) (exits, stage left)

The watermill is definitely good old Ronald Binge - what a name! And what a lovely piece of music - my children loved it!

My parents have this on a wonderful CD with lots of simlar light music on it. I was about to say Vanity Fair but someone beat me to it! My daughter had this as her ice skating music and everyone commented on how pretty it is.
If you want the name of the CD I'll find it for you.

Someone should tell Radio 4 about this. Fame for Grasnet!

You are amazing Merlot!!!

I really thought this was unsolvable!

Respect.

And if they have any more problems identifying their playlists, Daisy, they can always ask us

Ronald Binge also wrote 'Elizabethan Serenade' - another lovely tune.

I've sent Radio 4 an email to tell them the name of the tune - so that's the end of that!

I'm very impressed!! Well done

Sorry Granny23 just realised I mixed you up with Grannyactivist

Well done merlot!

Gosh! I am sooooo impressed. I am so inadequate when it comes to anything musical..except listening and enjoying! What a very clever lot you are!

Well done MerlotGran - what a clever lot we are when we put our minds together.

Ah! A result from the combined minds of " Gransnet"

Ah that answers my query over The Watermill as well, Daisy. Ronald Binge obviously did write it.

It wasn't too difficult, gracesmum. I recognised the tune when I played it on the piano but couldn't remember the name or composer. I then trawled through some compilation CDs, on Amazon, clicking on my favourite light music composers until I got to Ernest Tomlinson and there it was!

Here's another little teaser. The Watermill was the theme tune to The Secret Garden and I always thought it was written by Ronald Binge. I have it on a download. I notice it's credited to Ernest Tomlinson as well.

I've been doing some more research; it looks as if Vanity Fair was written by Anthony Collins; Ernest Tomlinson conducted the orchestra for the version merlotgran found.

A red-letter day for me, thanks to merlotgran and Gransnet!

Wow!!!

HOW ON EARTH did you do that, Merlot??? I am so impressed!!

The tune's been in my head all afternoon. As soon as I saw Vanity Fair I remembered it was the theme tune to the lovely TV series in the fifties. I watched it on my gran's black and white TV as we didn't have one.

I've had a great time trawling through radio light music on Amazon looking for it this afternoon so thanks Daisy for giving us the teaser.

Tears of joy! As soon as I read 'Vanity Fair' I knew you'd got it right, because I'd been wondering about Vaughan Williams' Pilgrims Progress, but that wasn't it. I didn't have it quite right, did I?

Thank you SO MUCH merlotgran - I've been looking for this for years and years!

Going to listen to it again - and look up Ernest Tomlinson because I've never heard of him.

I think this is it

Click on number 9 Vanity Fair written by Ernest Tomlinson

My son's smart phone doesn't recognise it. I heard another tune on Radio 4 last year that intrigued me, and his phone recognised it as Max Richter's Lullaby from the West Coast Sleepers. These tunes get into my head!

I am heartened by merlotgran's response and I think she's right about it being a Light Programme tune.

I tried the Musical Directory Galen, couldn't find it. I will try Nelliemoser's link.

Thank you all again, I'm really chuffed at all the responses.

I've tried the website recommended by Grannyactivist but for some unknown reason it can't hear anything I'm singing!