SAILING BY (score & parts)

Sailing By, by Ronald Binge (1910-79), was written in 1963 for the BBC’s collection of ‘library music’. It was first used as background music for a documentary about a balloon race. In 1973 it was selected to precede Radio 4’s shipping forecast which is broadcast daily at 00:48hrs. With its lilting, repetitive theme and distinctive accompanying rising and falling arpeggios the slow waltz serves as a signal for sailors tuning in to be able to easily identify the radio station.

Sailing By is also thought of affectionately as a soothing accompaniment to bedtime. Indeed, the lead singer of the Pulp, Jarvis Cocker, chose Sailing By as one of his Desert Island Discs, saying for many years he had used it “as an aid to restful sleep.”

In 1993 the BBC decided to remove Sailing By as part of a cost cutting exercise. This provoked uproar amongst listeners but, happily Sailing By was restored in 1995 and has been aired every night since.

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