sundowners music credits · the main theme was popular enough to earn a release as sheet music for...

Music Composed and Conducted byDimitri Tiomkin

Dimitri Tiomkin was a major Ukrainian-born Hollywood composer. His wiki is here. His music for the film was released as a suite on LP in the United States in 1961:

Stereo LP Cinema LP-8014, Suite From Sundowners, side one part one, side two, part two.

(Below: Dimitri Tiomkin)

The main theme was popular enough to earn a release as sheet music for solo piano by Allans c. 1960, B.7938, 3 pages:

There have been many variations on Tiomkin's music for the film, including a recent tribute to his work by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Richard Kaufman, with a playing time of 77'05", featuring 16 tracks, including the theme from The Sundowners, released in 2011, and reviewed here.

Local artists immediately saw an opportunity, with Denis Gibbons releasing an EP, Songs from the Sundowners.

EP W&G E-1357 songs from The Sundowners, arranged and sung by Denis GibbonsSide 1:The Overlanders (1'53") (Traditional, arranged by Denis Gibbons, Woomera)The Wild Colonial Boy (3'07") (Traditional, Davis & Co.)Lime Juice Tub (1'56") (Traditional, arranged Denis Gibbons, Woomera)Side 2:Botany Bay (2'30") (Traditional, arranged Denis Gibbons, Woomera)Moreton Bay (3'35") (Traditional, arranged Denis Gibbons, Woomera)

Bob Thompson and his orchestra were quick out of the blocks on RCA with a 45, favourably noted in the Australian Womens' Weekly on 14th December 1960:

RCA 7795Side 1:

Theme From "The Sundowners"Side 2:Cora's Melody (From "The Dark At The Top Of The Stairs") (Steiner)

But almost every band had a go at the theme:

Felix Slatkin Orchestra and chorusTheme from the Sundowners (Tiomkin, 2'20")45 Liberty F-55282

Jack Pleis and His Orchestra:Side 1Theme From "The Sundowners" (Tiomkin)Side 2Theme From "The Dark At The Top Of The Stairs" (Max Steiner)Festival FK-146, 1961

Tommy Reilly provided a harmonica variation:

Theme from "The Sundowners"Tommy Reilly with Wally Stott and his OrchestraPhilips PB.1094 1960Side A:Theme from "The Sundowners" (Tiomkin)Side B:Down Under. (Tiomkin)

A sure sign of approval was that the theme hit the easy listening market.

Exodus and other great movie themes101 StringsSide two, track two "Theme from the Sundowners" (Tiomkin)W&G BS 1118

And the king of easy listening, Mantovani, included it on his album for London,Decca DFE 6671 (also London UK LL.3231)

This even made it on to CD, via Vocalion:

Frank Chacksfield was another to have a go:

Decca Ace of Clubs ACLM.1073Side two, track four: Theme From the Sundowners

Emanuel Vardi and the Medallion Strings also had a go:

Medallion Strings, conducted by Emanuel VardiLondon SAH R 6130 stereo

Billy Vaughan's original vinyl has even made it to CD:

It had originally been released by him on Dot:

45-16133Billy VaughanSide 1: Theme From The SundownersSide 2: Old Cape Cod

London SAH Z 6185 stereo

It was even converted by Don Barker into music for the Rodgers electronicorgan:

Capitol Records T-1626, 1961, using the organ in the 14,000 seat MemorialColiseum at the The Portland, Oregon (the sound was circulated through 32 speaker enclosures holding 94 speakers)

Australian film composer Bruce Rowland, included it in onAustralian Favourites with Bruce RowlandSide one track four, "Theme from The Sundowners (Slow Fox Trot" (3'46")Recording engineer: L. Lindsay Morehouse.

There are other versions in the marketplace, for example an approximatelyten minute suite conducted by James Fitzpatrick as a bonus to the completefilm score for The Guns of Navarone:

The Guns of Navarone/The Sundowners Tadlow Music TADLOW 001City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Crouch End Festival Chorus

Sundowners - conductor James Fitzpatrick18. Sundowners - Main Title (3'27")19. Mad Dog (2'21") 20. The Fire (2'03")21. Sundowner / End Credits (2'33")

It seems safe to say that this theme was the most covered of any composition for a film made, or part-manufactured in Australia up to that point in time. There were domestic themes like Collins' (A Little Boy Called) Smiley that were well-covered, but none of them had the international reach achieved by Tiomkin.