The Archers' theme is called Barwick Green, a maypole dance from the 1924 suite 'My Native Heath' by the Yorkshire composer, Sir Arthur Wood - it refers to a village east of Leeds called Barwick-in-Elmet.
A library music recording, of an orchestra conducted by Sidney Torch, was used in the five pilots broadcast in 1950, before official launch in 1951. By 1954, a new recording was ordered, made by the BBC Midlands Light Orchestra. In 1992 the theme was re-recorded in stereo, with Ron Goodwin conducting from the original arrangements.
The omnibus edition of the show started in 1952, on the Light Programme on Saturday evenings. In 1972, Dorset folk quartet The Yetties had been backing actor and singer Bob Arnold, who played gamekeeper Tom Forrester. They recorded Barwick Green, and it was used by Archers supremo at the time, Jock Gallagher to open and close the omnibus edition.
In 2020, the Omnibus switched to the Bellowhead version of Barwick Green, recorded for the spin-off Ambridge Extra back in 2011.
Why am I telling you all this ? Readers who say they are Archers' fans have only just noticed that The Yetties (from Yetminster) have been dropped.
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