Gordon Langford
Encyclopedia
Gordon Langford is an English
composer, arranger and performer. Although well known in the brass band
community as a composer and arranger, he is less well known as a composer of orchestral music, despite winning an Ivor Novello
award for his March from the Colour Suite in 1971.
Born in Edgware
, Middlesex
, in May 1930 he was a precocious child, beginning piano lessons aged five. At nine, one of his compositions received a public performance. He went on to win a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music
where he studied piano and composition with Norman Demuth
. It was Demuth, his professor of composition, who suggested that he should change his surname or use a pseudonym
. Hence, he changed his name to become Gordon Colman Langford.
In 1951, during his army service, he made his first BBC broadcast as a solo pianist with the Royal Artillery Band, which he was also a member of. For many years he worked with seaside orchestras, a touring opera company and as a ship's musician. During the 1960s he was featured as pianist, arranger and composer on BBC programmes such as Music in the Air, Melody around the World and Ronnie Barker
's Lines From My Grandfather's Forehead
. He currently lives in East Devon, mainly composing but occasionally appearing in recordings, concerts and broadcasts.
In 2011 he was nominated for a Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Music (FRAM) by the Governing Body of the Academy
, Jerry Goldsmith
and John Williams.
Langford's career has a notable relationship with the BBC
. Some of his compositions and arrangements were used as Test Card
music in the 1960s and 70s, with such titles as Hebridean Hoedown, The Lark in the Clear Air and Royal Daffodil being remembered by Test Card aficionados. He has also written and arranged music for Friday Night is Music Night
, as well as numerous other BBC programmes. However, it is only recently that a CD of his orchestral works has been produced.
He is also known for his theatre compositions, such as The Crooked Mile and The House of Cards. Langford was often used by Hollywood as a score orchestrator, with Raiders of the Lost Ark
, Superman II
, First Great Train Robbery, Clash of the Titans
and Return to Oz to his name. Langford also produced several arrangements for the King's Singers
in the 1970s.
In 1972 he released a demo album entitled The Amazing Music of the Electronic Arp Synthesiser. This contained several compositions of his own, plus cover versions, played entirely on the then new innovation, the arp synth, of pieces as diverse as "Yellow Submarine
", "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head", "Cocktails for Two
", "Light Cavalry Overture
" and "Mozart's Symphony No. 40
".
Recent compositions include his Berceuse and Burlesque for Bassoon and orchestra, performed Feb 1st 2008 at Axminster
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
composer, arranger and performer. Although well known in the brass band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
community as a composer and arranger, he is less well known as a composer of orchestral music, despite winning an Ivor Novello
Ivor Novello
David Ivor Davies , better known as Ivor Novello, was a Welsh composer, singer and actor who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. Born into a musical family, his first successes were as a songwriter...
award for his March from the Colour Suite in 1971.
Born in Edgware
Edgware
Edgware is an area in London, situated north-northwest of Charing Cross. It forms part of both the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Harrow. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, in May 1930 he was a precocious child, beginning piano lessons aged five. At nine, one of his compositions received a public performance. He went on to win a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
where he studied piano and composition with Norman Demuth
Norman Demuth
Norman Demuth was an English composer and musicologist, remembered largely for his biographies of French composers....
. It was Demuth, his professor of composition, who suggested that he should change his surname or use a pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
. Hence, he changed his name to become Gordon Colman Langford.
In 1951, during his army service, he made his first BBC broadcast as a solo pianist with the Royal Artillery Band, which he was also a member of. For many years he worked with seaside orchestras, a touring opera company and as a ship's musician. During the 1960s he was featured as pianist, arranger and composer on BBC programmes such as Music in the Air, Melody around the World and Ronnie Barker
Ronnie Barker
Ronald William George "Ronnie" Barker, OBE was a British actor, comedian, writer, critic, broadcaster and businessman...
's Lines From My Grandfather's Forehead
Lines From My Grandfather's Forehead
Lines From My Grandfather's Forehead, a comedy sketch show for radio, was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from 15 February 1971. Two series of eight episodes were broadcast, the second was transmitted from 21 July 1972. In addition, there were two "specials"...
. He currently lives in East Devon, mainly composing but occasionally appearing in recordings, concerts and broadcasts.
In 2011 he was nominated for a Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Music (FRAM) by the Governing Body of the Academy
Works
Langford is best known as a brass band composer and arranger, with a string of CDs to his name. In particular, the test pieces Facets of Glass and Rhapsody for trombone are well known. In addition, he has also arranged the works of other composers, such as Henry ManciniHenry Mancini
Henry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards , plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995...
, Jerry Goldsmith
Jerry Goldsmith
Jerrald King Goldsmith was an American composer and conductor most known for his work in film and television scoring....
and John Williams.
Langford's career has a notable relationship with the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. Some of his compositions and arrangements were used as Test Card
Test card
A test card, also known as a test pattern in North America and Australia, is a television test signal, typically broadcast at times when the transmitter is active but no program is being broadcast...
music in the 1960s and 70s, with such titles as Hebridean Hoedown, The Lark in the Clear Air and Royal Daffodil being remembered by Test Card aficionados. He has also written and arranged music for Friday Night is Music Night
Friday Night is Music Night
Friday Night is Music Night is a long running live BBC radio concert programme featuring the BBC Concert Orchestra, broadcast most Fridays on BBC Radio 2 at 8.00pm. It is the world's longest-running live music radio programme....
, as well as numerous other BBC programmes. However, it is only recently that a CD of his orchestral works has been produced.
He is also known for his theatre compositions, such as The Crooked Mile and The House of Cards. Langford was often used by Hollywood as a score orchestrator, with Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by George Lucas, and starring Harrison Ford. It is the first film in the Indiana Jones franchise...
, Superman II
Superman II
Superman II is the 1980 sequel to the 1978 superhero film Superman and stars Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Terence Stamp, Ned Beatty, Sarah Douglas, Margot Kidder, and Jack O'Halloran. It was the only Superman film to be filmed by two directors...
, First Great Train Robbery, Clash of the Titans
Clash of the Titans
Clash of the Titans is an American 1981 fantasy–adventure film involving the Greek hero Perseus. It was released on June 12, 1981 and earned a gross profit of $41 million domestically, on a $15 million budget , by which it was the 11th highest grossing film of the year. A novelization of the film...
and Return to Oz to his name. Langford also produced several arrangements for the King's Singers
King's Singers
The King's Singers is a British a cappella vocal ensemble who celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2008. Their name recalls King's College in Cambridge, England, where the group was formed by six choral scholars in 1968. In the United Kingdom, their popularity peaked in the 1970s and early 1980s...
in the 1970s.
In 1972 he released a demo album entitled The Amazing Music of the Electronic Arp Synthesiser. This contained several compositions of his own, plus cover versions, played entirely on the then new innovation, the arp synth, of pieces as diverse as "Yellow Submarine
Yellow Submarine (song)
"Yellow Submarine" is a 1966 song by The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney , with lead vocals by Ringo Starr. It was included on the Revolver album and issued as a single, coupled with "Eleanor Rigby". The single went to number 1 on every major British chart, remained at number 1 for four weeks...
", "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head", "Cocktails for Two
Cocktails for Two
"Cocktails for Two" is a song from the Big Band era, written by Arthur Johnston and Sam Coslow. The song debuted in the movie Murder at the Vanities , where it was introduced by singer and actor Carl Brisson...
", "Light Cavalry Overture
Light Cavalry Overture
The Light Cavalry Overture is the overture to Franz von Suppé’s operetta Light Cavalry .Although the opera is rarely performed or recorded, the overture is one of Suppé's most popular compositions, and has achieved a quite distinct life of its own, divorced from the opera of which it originally...
" and "Mozart's Symphony No. 40
Symphony No. 40 (Mozart)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote his Symphony No. 40 in G minor, KV. 550, in 1788. It is sometimes referred to as the "Great G minor symphony," to distinguish it from the "Little G minor symphony," No. 25. The two are the only minor key symphonies Mozart wrote....
".
Recent compositions include his Berceuse and Burlesque for Bassoon and orchestra, performed Feb 1st 2008 at Axminster
Axminster
Axminster is a market town and civil parish on the eastern border of Devon in England. The town is built on a hill overlooking the River Axe which heads towards the English Channel at Axmouth, and is in the East Devon local government district. It has a population of 5,626. The market is still...
.