Television & Radio Memorabilia
Lot 153
Coronation Street: A 'Super Olds' Cornet, as played by Ronnie Hunt for the theme tune,
3 July 2013, 13:00 BST
London, Knightsbridge£3,000 - £4,000
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Coronation Street: A 'Super Olds' Cornet, as played by Ronnie Hunt for the theme tune,
bell indistinctly engraved Super Olds made by F.E. Olds & Son, Fullerton, California U.S.A., serial no. 400937, in original fitted leather case, initialled R H, with three mouthpieces and paperwork including a Musicians' Union Remittance Advice, dated 05-Feb-92, made out to Mr. R. Hunt detailing two payments for 'Coronation Street', with Client given as 'Granada Television Ltd, Manchester', and various manufacturers' brochures
Footnotes
'Coronation Street' became the world's longest-running TV soap opera in September 2010, having been first broadcast in December 1960, by Granada Television, and the theme tune, featuring the somewhat mournful lead cornet, is unarguably one of the most recognisable of all television theme tunes.
It was not until 1994 that trumpeter Ronnie Hunt, who died in November 2011, was publicly acknowledged as the musician responsible for the theme's lead instrument, when journalist and jazz musician Ron Simmonds revealed his identity. Some debate ensued as to whether Ronnie, or some other player, was responsible for the solo, but the Musicians Union in London verified that Ronnie Hunt had been receiving the standard union royalties for more than 40 years for the piece. Ronnie has stated that he originally received £6 for the
session and that Eric Spear, the composer, insisted on numerous takes before the musicians produced the sound he wanted. Ronnie, after taking a break in a pub, achieved the desired effect by playing very close to the microphone.
A second version was recorded in the 1970s but only used for a short time before the 1960 original was reinstated, and was used until May 2010 when it was completely re-recorded for the series being broadcast in HD.