Alexander Faris
Encyclopedia
Alexander "Sandy" Faris is an Irish
composer
, conductor
and writer, known for his television theme tunes. He has composed and recorded many operas and musicals
, and has composed film scores and orchestral works.
, Northern Ireland. He attended Oxford University and served in World War II
with the Irish Guards
. After the war, still stationed in Europe, he was involved with the restoration of damaged German opera house
s. He then attended the Royal College of Music
. Faris first conducted in London for a 1949 revival of Song of Norway
at the Palace Theatre
.
Faris was first associated with the works of Gilbert and Sullivan
when he conducted excerpts from The Mikado
, The Gondoliers
and The Pirates of Penzance
with the Linden Singers and the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra
for World Record Club in Hamburg in February-March 1961. Then in 1962 for Sadler's Wells Opera he conducted both Iolanthe
and The Mikado
. He was engaged by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
to conduct its last season in 1981–82, and he was one of the conductors for the company's last night at the Adelphi Theatre
on 27 February 1982. He was the conductor for twelve of the Savoy opera
s in the 1982 series of videos by Brent Walker productions. Four years later, with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in Glasgow, he conducted ten Sullivan overtures (Nimbus CD, NI 5066).
Besides his work at Sadler's Wells in the 1960s, Faris has served as the musical director for the Carl Rosa Opera Company
in the 1950s and the Royal Ballet. His original London cast recording
s include Summer Song (1956), Irma La Douce
(1958), Robert and Elizabeth
(1964), The Great Waltz
(1970), Bordello (1974), Bar Mitzvah Boy
(1978), and Charlie and Algernon
(1979).
As a composer he wrote film scores for The Quare Fellow
(1962), He Who Rides a Tiger
(1965), Rowlandson's England, and Georgy Girl
(1966).
For television he wrote the music for the series Upstairs, Downstairs
, Wings and The Duchess of Duke Street
. His title theme tune for Upstairs, Downstairs achieved great popularity and was used again in the new version of the drama aired in January 2011 on BBC1. Pauline Collins
recorded two vocal versions of the theme music in 1973: He also wrote "What Are We Going to Do With Uncle Arthur?", with lyrics by Alfred Shaughnessy
, and "With Every Passing Day", with lyrics by Benny Green. Faris's theme tune for Upstairs, Downstairs was also used as the title music for the "Upshares, Downshares" finance slot on BBC Radio 4's PM
news programme. Cover versions of the theme, in a variety of styles from bossa nova
to heavy metal
, were submitted by a number of listeners and eventually compiled into a CD, released on November 2010 in aid of the Children in Need
charity appeal, for which it raised over £70,000.
Among his other compositions is the song "A Century of Micks" for the choir of the Irish Guards
. He also wrote the orchestral Sketches of Regency England and the operetta R Loves J (Chichester Festival, 1973).
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
and writer, known for his television theme tunes. He has composed and recorded many operas and musicals
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
, and has composed film scores and orchestral works.
Life and career
Faris was born in Caledon, County TyroneCaledon, County Tyrone
Caledon , historically known as Kinnaird , is a small village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is in the Clogher Valley on the banks of the River Blackwater, 7 miles from Armagh. It lies in the southeast of Tyrone and near the borders of County Armagh and County Monaghan. In the...
, Northern Ireland. He attended Oxford University and served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with the Irish Guards
Irish Guards
The Irish Guards , part of the Guards Division, is a Foot Guards regiment of the British Army.Along with the Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of the two Irish regiments remaining in the British Army. The Irish Guards recruit in Northern Ireland and the Irish neighbourhoods of major British cities...
. After the war, still stationed in Europe, he was involved with the restoration of damaged German opera house
Opera house
An opera house is a theatre building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building...
s. He then attended the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
. Faris first conducted in London for a 1949 revival of Song of Norway
Song of Norway
Song of Norway is an operetta written in 1944 by Robert Wright and George Forrest, adapted from the music of Edvard Grieg and the book by Milton Lazarus and Homer Curran...
at the Palace Theatre
Palace Theatre, London
The Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster in London. It is an imposing red-brick building that dominates the west side of Cambridge Circus and is located near the intersection of Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road...
.
Faris was first associated with the works of Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan . The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S...
when he conducted excerpts from The Mikado
The Mikado
The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations...
, The Gondoliers
The Gondoliers
The Gondoliers; or, The King of Barataria is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 7 December 1889 and ran for a very successful 554 performances , closing on 30 June 1891...
and The Pirates of Penzance
The Pirates of Penzance
The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. The opera's official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 December 1879, where the show was well received by both audiences...
with the Linden Singers and the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra
North German Radio Symphony Orchestra
The North German Radio Symphony Orchestra is a German orchestra, the symphony orchestra of the Norddeutscher Rundfunk in Hamburg....
for World Record Club in Hamburg in February-March 1961. Then in 1962 for Sadler's Wells Opera he conducted both Iolanthe
Iolanthe
Iolanthe; or, The Peer and the Peri is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It is one of the Savoy operas and is the seventh collaboration of the fourteen between Gilbert and Sullivan....
and The Mikado
The Mikado
The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations...
. He was engaged by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company was a professional light opera company that staged Gilbert and Sullivan's Savoy operas. The company performed nearly year-round in the UK and sometimes toured in Europe, North America and elsewhere, from the 1870s until it closed in 1982. It was revived in 1988 and...
to conduct its last season in 1981–82, and he was one of the conductors for the company's last night at the Adelphi Theatre
Adelphi Theatre
The Adelphi Theatre is a 1500-seat West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiving house for a variety of productions, including many musicals...
on 27 February 1982. He was the conductor for twelve of the Savoy opera
Savoy opera
The Savoy Operas denote a style of comic opera that developed in Victorian England in the late 19th century, with W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan as the original and most successful practitioners. The name is derived from the Savoy Theatre, which impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte built to house...
s in the 1982 series of videos by Brent Walker productions. Four years later, with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in Glasgow, he conducted ten Sullivan overtures (Nimbus CD, NI 5066).
Besides his work at Sadler's Wells in the 1960s, Faris has served as the musical director for the Carl Rosa Opera Company
Carl Rosa Opera Company
The Carl Rosa Opera Company was founded in 1873 by Carl August Nicholas Rosa, a German-born musical impresario, to present opera in English in London and the British provinces. The company survived Rosa's death in 1889, and continued to present opera in English on tour until 1960, when it was...
in the 1950s and the Royal Ballet. His original London cast recording
Cast recording
A cast recording is a recording of a musical that is intended to document the songs as they were performed in the show and experienced by the audience. An original cast recording, as the name implies, features the voices of the show's original cast...
s include Summer Song (1956), Irma La Douce
Irma La Douce (musical)
Irma La Douce is a musical with music by Marguerite Monnot and French lyrics and book by Alexandre Breffort. The English lyrics and book are by Julian More, David Heneker and Monty Norman. It was first produced in Paris in 1956.-Productions:...
(1958), Robert and Elizabeth
Robert and Elizabeth
Robert and Elizabeth is a musical with music by Ron Grainer and book and lyrics by Ronald Millar. The story is based on an unproduced musical titled The Third Kiss by Judge Fred G. Moritt, which in turn was adapted from the play The Barretts of Wimpole Street by Rudolph Besier...
(1964), The Great Waltz
The Great Waltz
The Great Waltz is a musical conceived by Hassard Short with a book by Moss Hart and lyrics by Desmond Carter, using themes by Johann Strauss I and Johann Strauss II. It is based on a pasticcio by Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Julius Bittner called Walzer aus Wien, first performed in Vienna in 1930...
(1970), Bordello (1974), Bar Mitzvah Boy
Bar Mitzvah Boy (musical)
Bar Mitzvah Boy is a musical with a book by Jack Rosenthal, lyrics by Don Black, and music by Jule Styne.Based on Rosenthal's award-winning 1976 BBC1 teleplay of the same name, it focuses on young Eliot Green who, filled with apprehension, escapes from the synagogue where he is about to make his...
(1978), and Charlie and Algernon
Charlie and Algernon
Charlie and Algernon is a musical with a book and lyrics by David Rogers and music by Charles Strouse. It is based on the novel Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. It received its premiere on 21 December 1978 at The Citadel Theater, in Edmonton, Canada.The title characters are a mentally retarded...
(1979).
As a composer he wrote film scores for The Quare Fellow
The Quare Fellow
The Quare Fellow is Brendan Behan's first play, first produced in 1954.The title is taken from a Hiberno-English pronunciation of queer, meaning 'strange' or 'unusual'. In context, the word lacks the denotation of homosexuality which it holds today...
(1962), He Who Rides a Tiger
He Who Rides a Tiger
He Who Rides a Tiger is a 1965 British crime drama directed by Charles Crichton, and starring Tom Bell and Judi Dench.-Cast:* Tom Bell as Peter Rayston* Judi Dench as Joanne* Paul Rogers as Superintendent Taylor* Kay Walsh as Mrs...
(1965), Rowlandson's England, and Georgy Girl
Georgy Girl
Georgy Girl is a 1966 British film based on a novel by Margaret Forster. The film was directed by Silvio Narizzano and starred Lynn Redgrave as Georgy, Alan Bates, James Mason, Charlotte Rampling and Bill Owen....
(1966).
For television he wrote the music for the series Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs is a British drama television series originally produced by London Weekend Television and revived by the BBC. It ran on ITV in 68 episodes divided into five series from 1971 to 1975, and a sixth series shown on the BBC on three consecutive nights, 26–28 December 2010.Set in a...
, Wings and The Duchess of Duke Street
The Duchess of Duke Street
The Duchess Of Duke Street is a BBC television drama series set in London between 1900 and 1935. It was created by John Hawkesworth, the former producer of the highly successful ITV period drama Upstairs, Downstairs...
. His title theme tune for Upstairs, Downstairs achieved great popularity and was used again in the new version of the drama aired in January 2011 on BBC1. Pauline Collins
Pauline Collins
Pauline Collins, OBE is an English actress of the stage, television, and film. She first came to prominence portraying Sarah Moffat in Upstairs, Downstairs and its spin-off Thomas & Sarah during the 1970s. She later drew acclaim for playing the title role in the play Shirley Valentine for which...
recorded two vocal versions of the theme music in 1973: He also wrote "What Are We Going to Do With Uncle Arthur?", with lyrics by Alfred Shaughnessy
Alfred Shaughnessy
Alfred James Shaughnessy , sometimes known as Freddy Shaughnessy, was an English scriptwriter and producer best known for being the script editor of Upstairs, Downstairs.-Early life:...
, and "With Every Passing Day", with lyrics by Benny Green. Faris's theme tune for Upstairs, Downstairs was also used as the title music for the "Upshares, Downshares" finance slot on BBC Radio 4's PM
PM (Radio 4)
PM, sometimes referred to as the PM programme to avoid ambiguity, is BBC Radio 4's long-running early evening news and current affairs programme.-Broadcast times:...
news programme. Cover versions of the theme, in a variety of styles from bossa nova
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
to heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, were submitted by a number of listeners and eventually compiled into a CD, released on November 2010 in aid of the Children in Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
charity appeal, for which it raised over £70,000.
Among his other compositions is the song "A Century of Micks" for the choir of the Irish Guards
Irish Guards
The Irish Guards , part of the Guards Division, is a Foot Guards regiment of the British Army.Along with the Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of the two Irish regiments remaining in the British Army. The Irish Guards recruit in Northern Ireland and the Irish neighbourhoods of major British cities...
. He also wrote the orchestral Sketches of Regency England and the operetta R Loves J (Chichester Festival, 1973).
Publications
- 1980. Jacques Offenbach (London: Faber & Faber, ISBN 978-0-571-11147-3)
- 2009. Da Capo Al Fine: A Life in Music (Matador, ISBN 978-1-84876-113-1)