Track List

Epic Encounters Overture Stirling

Duel Of The Fates from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace # Williams

West Side Story Symphonic Dances (Mambo, Cha-Cha & Fugue) Bernstein trans. Polster

Don't Cry For Me Argentina Lloyd Webber/Rice arr. Laidler

The Professionals Johnson

The Avengers Johnson

Who Needs To Dream Manilow/Butler arr. Richards

My Name Is Bond Barry arr. Stirling

Opus One * Oliver/Garus

April In Paris * Duke/Harburg arr. Forgie

The Longest Day Jarre arr. Jones

Up Where We Belong Jennings/Sainte-Marie/Nitzce arr. Richards

Thunderbirds Gray

War Of The Worlds Wayne arr. Jones

Hymn To The Fallen Williams

Superman Williams arr. Martindale

# featuring the Ad Astra Singers
* performed by The Royal Air Force Squadronaires

Programme Notes

Throughout time and space there have been many Epic Encounters. Man's various struggles are represented here musically and we start in majestic fashion with Wing Commander Stuart Stirling's Epic Encounters Overture.

One of the longest running encounters in history was the Cold War, aspects of which became the premise for the famous James Bond films. In the UK 'CI 5' became well known through the exploits of criminal intelligence operatives Bodie and Doyle in The Professionals, title music by Laurie Johnson who also wrote the theme tune for The Avengers.

Although espionage was a key element of the Cold War the most visible element of the 'war' was the Space Race — competing to put man on the moon was of national importance. It has often been thought we may not be alone in the universe and this was the basis for War of the Worlds, a radio broadcast based on the story by H G Wells, which caused mass hysteria when it announced an alien invasion. Space could become the future battlefield, an idea promulgated by the Star Wars films. In Duel of the Fates, from The Phantom Menace, we have the battle of good versus evil; the light side against the dark side of the force. The contest of good versus evil also appeared in the film Superman, which prompted the thought that visitors from another planet may actually be friendly rather than aggres­sive.

As a 'force for good', International Rescue became famous through the Thunderbirds series. Run by Jeff Tracey and his five sons (named after the Mercury astronauts) they would always come to the rescue when disaster loomed or technology failed.

The most epic of encounters are found in love and the decisions life forces upon us. Matthew Little and Emer McParland reflect these triumphs and tragedies in the three vocal tracks; Don't Cry for Me Argentina, Who Needs to Dream, and Up Where we Belong.

West Side Story also captures the anguish of love - two lovers separated by their allegiance to rival juvenile gangs, and alludes to the repression felt by Puerto Rican immigrants. A modern version of Romeo and Juliet the Montagues and Capulets are replaced by the Jets and the Sharks.

Warfare has been a constant factor throughout history. Here we refer to WWII and Operation Overlord with The Longest Day, reflecting the start of the D-Day Invasion and the attempt to break the Third Reich's Atlantic Wall defences. The loss of human life in war is catastrophic and this is reflected by the moving Hymn to the Fallen, from the film Saving Private Ryan.

Big band music flourished during the war and The Royal Air Force Squadronaires play two tracks that were originally recorded in the early 1940's — Opus One and April in Paris.