David Bedford 1937-2011

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I was very sorry to hear of the death of this composer recently.  He was as much associated with rock music as classical (he orchestrated the orchestral 'Tubular Bells' by Mike Oldfield). I especally like an NMC disc of his music, which features his very enjoyable 'Symphony No 1' (I'm not sure that there was ever a Symphony 2). I was very fortunate to hear this work live at the Festival Hall in London decades ago. It is a very memorable, tonal/modern, work which has a very enjoyable last movement containing an incredibly catchy theme which, once heard, stays in the mind. I had a pleasant email exchange with him. There is a funny story he told of one of his adolescent children storming off to his room, following a family argument and playing very loud music on his hi-fi, as a gesture of anger.  David Bedford then went up and told him that he had orchestrated the string section of the music - which rather wrecked his son's argument! The choral 'Twelve Hours of Sunset' on the same CD is quite beautiful - a very atmospheric score - Ligeti with a warm heart. RIP.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/music-obituaries/8807037/David-Bedford.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/oct/04/david-bedford

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