Verse by William Plomer, from the book The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper’s Feast, with illustrations by Alan Aldridge. Copyright Alan Aldridge
Music and additional lyrics* composed, written and arranged by
Rod Edwards and Roger Hand; published by Music, Music, Music.
Narration by Judi Dench and Michael Hordern
Keyboards and vocals: Rod Edwards
Guitar and vocals: Roger Hand
Drums: Gerry Conway; Bass: Bruce Lynch;
Percussion: Tony Carr and Morris Pert;
Solo violin: David Cross and Graham Preskett;
Harmonica: Mox; Piano on Cheers my Dears: Tony Hymas;
String bass on Happy-Go-Lucky Grasshopper: Alan Whalley;
The Butterfly Ball arranged by Chris Gunning;
Orchestra Leader: Pat Halling; Orchestral Contractor: George Hamer.
Recorded at Decca Studios, London, October 1974 to August 1975.
Sound Engineer: John Burns assisted by Mark Lusardi.
Additional engineering thanks to Derek Varnals and Adrian Martins.
Narration recorded at AIR London, engineer, Geoffrey Emerick.
Digital re-mastering engineer: Richard Spence.
Mastered for cd at Sound Performance, engineer, Andrew Thompson.
Special thanks to Robert Angles and Hugh Mendl
Produced by Jon Miller, Rod Edwards and Roger Hand.
A Triumvirate Production
Biographies
JUDI DENCH needs no introduction; she is our foremost stage actress with a record six Laurence Olivier Awards and a Tony Award for her 1999 Broadway performance in David Hare’s play, Amy’s View. She also has garnered six Academy Award nominations, winning the Award for Best Supporting Actress in Shakespeare in Love, and is known the world over for her role as M in the James Bond films. Her many television appearances include the long running series A Fine Romance and As Time Goes By. She was awarded the OBE in 1970, became a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 1988 and a Companion of Honour in 2005.
MICHAEL HORDERN was one of the finest actors of his generation. He was knighted in 1983 for his services to the theatre and died in1995. Probably his greatest performances were as King Lear, directed by Jonathan Miller, as Prospero in The Tempest for the RSC and in Tom Stoppards, Jumpers, at the National Theatre .He made over 160 film appearances, usually in character roles. He was in constant demand for voice over work, from the ironic narrator in Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon, to the narrator of Paddington Bear and the voice of Badger in Wind in the Willows.
ROD EDWARDS and ROGER HAND made the ‘Pop Psyche’ classic album, The Huge World of Emily Small in 1969 under the name The Picadilly Line, before recording three albums produced by George Martin; his first signing after completing The Beatles’ White Album. Although English, their early success was to be in the USA where they toured under the collective name, Edwards Hand, drawing many plaudits: Billboard said of their appearance at New York’s Bitter End: ‘They were fine: deeply, seriously, shatteringly fine. They should have played for hours or years.’
Links
Alan Aldridge: www.alanaldridge.org
Templar Publishing: www.templarco.co.uk
Thames and Hudson: www.thameshudson.co.uk
Wizard Presents: www.wizardpresents.co.uk
