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"The Foley Family" Theme Music

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  • 11-08-2010 4:40pm
    #1
    Ernest
    Registered Users Posts: 444 ✭✭


    Anyone know where could be found the theme tune from the 1950s Radio Eireann programme "The Foley Family"? This light comedy drama series was written by David Hayes, if I recall correctly. The main actors I remember were George Green as Tom Foley and Peg Monahan as Alice his wife. There was a son called Brendan and a daughter whose name I don't remember. Tom Foley worked in the office of an unspecified organisation in Dublin where he had the title "deputy assistant chief clerk" or something like that. He had a boss called "Mr Gillesbie".
    My query relates specifically to the very attractive theme tune for the series which was a piano piece. What was it called or was it called anything? Who wrote it? Is it possible to get a recording of it? Or even the sheet music for the piece?


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    #2
    Donkey Oaty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,533 ✭✭✭Donkey Oaty


    I believe it was called Le Jet d'Eau. Is it this one?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HR-p5CqFc8


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    #3
    Ernest
    Registered Users Posts: 444 ✭✭Ernest


    Thanks Donkey Oaty but that was not it. ( nice piece though!)


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    #4
    Donkey Oaty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,533 ✭✭✭Donkey Oaty


    The Foley Family theme is on the RTE album that the blogger below has - called "Le Jet d'Eau", although he misspells it as "Let Jet d'Eau" - it doesn't give the composer though. He appears to have uploaded the whole album, but I haven't tried accessing any of the tracks.

    http://nlgbbbblth.blogspot.com/2009/12/lp-050-rte-concert-orchestra-greatest.html

    Also, here's a comment from a visitor the pianist J.J. Sheridan's website: "I particularly like Le Jet d'Eau - I remember it was a Radio Eireann signature tune for "The Foley Family" in 1950/60 period..."

    So it's definitely "Le Jet d'Eau" by somebody, but obviously not Mr Egghard. Hope that's of some help!


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    #5
    Donkey Oaty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,533 ✭✭✭Donkey Oaty


    Okay, I think it's this one: Le Jet d'Eau by Sydney Smith.

    http://indigo.ie/~edolan/Demo16.mp3

    Wonderful piece - I hope it's the right one, but worth a listen even if it isn't!


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    #6
    mathepac
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,991 ✭✭✭mathepac


    Donkey Oaty wrote: »
    ... So it's definitely "Le Jet d'Eau" by somebody, but obviously not Mr Egghard. Hope that's of some help!
    I think it is. Let M. Egghard get into his stride at about 1 min 50 secs into the piece and it's recognizable.

    "Ah, Tom .... "
    "Yes Alice?"


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    #7
    Ernest
    Registered Users Posts: 444 ✭✭Ernest


    http://indigo.ie/~edolan/Demo16.mp3
    Yes this is as I remember the piece!.

    I do not know if it is in fact Le Jet d'Eau by Sydney Smith but assuming it is then there is a lot of information on the composer at Wikipedia. He was English, born 1839 and died 1889.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Smith_(composer)

    The following site has audio files on some of his work though not Le Jet D'Eau
    http://www.sydneysmithusa.com/

    See also this link:
    http://www.sydneysmitharchive.org.uk/smithbio.html

    and a full list of his works including links to pdfs of scores including Le Jet d'Eau at
    http://www.sydneysmitharchive.org.uk/smithscores.html

    Finally, the US Amazon site has for sale a recording of performances by JJ Sheridan ( presumably the one Donkey Oaty referred to ) of some of Smith's works including Le Jet D'Eau.

    Many thanks to you Donkey Oaty ( and also Mathepac ) for your very helpful response to my original query.

    And isn't the internet wonderful!


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    #8
    Ernest
    Registered Users Posts: 444 ✭✭Ernest


    The album by JJ Sheridan I referred to is available (to buy and sample a free 30 seconds per track) through ITunes and I can confirm that Le Jet d'Eau is indeed the piano piece used as theme music from the Foley Family. You can download the track for 99cents.

    Sorry to doubt you, Senor Quixote.


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    #9
    Donkey Oaty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,533 ✭✭✭Donkey Oaty


    Ernest wrote: »
    And isn't the internet wonderful!

    For stuff like this it's great. I'm glad that we have a result.


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    #10
    micon08
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1 ✭micon08


    Le Jet d'Eau by Sydney Smith.

    This is definitely the correct theme tune .. I remember it well from so long ago ..


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    #11
    Busted Flat.
    Registered Users Posts: 4,003 ✭✭✭Busted Flat.


    Donkey Oaty wrote: »
    Okay, I think it's this one: Le Jet d'Eau by Sydney Smith.

    http://indigo.ie/~edolan/Demo16.mp3

    Wonderful piece - I hope it's the right one, but worth a listen even if it isn't!

    I have being searching for this for years, Thanks


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    #12
    jimceart
    Registered Users Posts: 32 ✭jimceart


    In the the 50's I recorded a number of the Foley Family series on reel to reel but alas I don't have a working machine now. It was truly a great series and perhaps RTE might re run them on one of their digital services.


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    #13
    jimceart
    Registered Users Posts: 32 ✭jimceart


    Hi the theme music from the Foley Family comedy series run on Radio Eireann in the sixties is Le Jet D'eno by Sydney Smith played by J J Sheridan. Here is the link.


    https://youtu.be/szvfYG9-_L8


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    #14
    boardise
    Registered Users Posts: 3,402 ✭✭✭boardise


    jimceart wrote: »
    In the the 50's I recorded a number of the Foley Family series on reel to reel but alas I don't have a working machine now. It was truly a great series and perhaps RTE might re run them on one of their digital services.

    The Foley Family was superb radio comedy -well written and well acted.
    I would be ( pleasantly) surprised if it survives in the archives.
    You may remember that Seán O Riada recorded two series of programmes for Radio Eireann in the 1960s. Alas the philistine thinking of the time allowed them to be recorded over to save a few quid...a massive inexcusable loss.

    Incidentally it only hit me today -why 'Foley' ....obviously to echoThe Holy family !! :)


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