Peter Knight (composer)
Encyclopedia
Peter Knight was an English musical arranger, conductor and composer.
, Devon
, England
. He worked with Independent Television
light entertainment stars from 'Spot The Tune' (1956) with Jackie Rae
and Marion Ryan
to the comedy series 'Home to Roost' (1985). He also worked on feature films from 'Curse of the Crimson Altar' (1968, Boris Karloff) to 'Hambone and Hille' (1984, Lilian Gish). In between, the highlights of his career were perhaps:
His entree to acceptance by his peers was his 5 piece vocal group: a soprano [Pat Clark of the Royal College of Music], 2 altos (one his wife Babs, the other his sister-in-law Daph), a tenor [Charles Young "Pinky" of "Pinky & Perky"] and baritone Charles Granville all of whose singular quality was the ability to pick up the "dots" and read them, just like any other session musician!
After producing countless vocal scores, Peter Knight began to be commissioned to produce full orchestrations for all kinds of artists and soon had his own orchestra 'The Peter Knight Orchestra '.
Following his death, Yorkshire television launched the annual Peter Knight award to honour excellence in musical arranging.
His involvement with pop music was varied. Peter Knight became famous for his rich lush orchestration, best illustrated by the slightly spaced-out sections of The Moody Blues
' Days of Future Passed
. Later on he continued his work with members of The Moody Blues, Justin Hayward and John Lodge, on 3 songs on the record "Blue Jays" released in 1975.
Richard Carpenter invited him to fly to Los Angeles in 1977 in order to generate a similar sound for The Carpenters
"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft
" (1977). There is some kind of private joke here, since the album credits him with conducting the humorously-named "Overbudget Philharmonic", which was actually the L.A. Philharmonic. He gave a similar treatment to The Carpenters version of "Don't Cry For Me Argentina".
He is also famous for his arrangements for the King's Singers
, particularly the Airwave song "You are the New Day", now a best-selling title in the USA. He also arranged several works intended for amateur choirs.
He spotted that his sound might have resonance with a hippy audience, and recorded a single 'Within You, Without You' , the George Harrison
song from the 'Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' album., released under the name 'Peter Knight and His Orchestra' . This was part of a project to release the entire album in an orchestral version. It was released in 1967 on the Mercury label. His son, also called Peter Knight, co-produced the original cast recording of 'Hair
' (1968).
Career
Knight was born in ExmouthExmouth
Exmouth is a town in Devon. It may also refer to:Places*Exmouth Peninsula in Southern Chile*Exmouth, Western AustraliaPeople*Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth , a British naval officerShips...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England
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...
. He worked with Independent Television
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
light entertainment stars from 'Spot The Tune' (1956) with Jackie Rae
Jackie Rae
Jackie Rae, CM DFC was a Canadian singer, songwriter and television performer.He was born John Arthur Rae in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1922. Rae began performing at the age of three with his brother and sister on the vaudeville circuit in Canada...
and Marion Ryan
Marion Ryan
Marion Ryan was a popular British singer in the 1950s.-Career:Born Marian Ryan in Middlesbrough, England, and once called "the Marilyn Monroe of popular song", Marion Ryan was a pop singer of the 1950s in the early years of British Independent Television...
to the comedy series 'Home to Roost' (1985). He also worked on feature films from 'Curse of the Crimson Altar' (1968, Boris Karloff) to 'Hambone and Hille' (1984, Lilian Gish). In between, the highlights of his career were perhaps:
- Conductor and orchestrator for the film Ghost StoryGhost Story-Literature:* Ghost story, a story or tale involving ghosts* Ghost Story , a 1979 horror novel by Peter Straub* Ghost Story , a novel in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher...
(1981) - Orchestrator of the music for the film The Dark CrystalThe Dark CrystalThe Dark Crystal is a 1982 British-American fantasy film directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz. Although marketed as a family film, it was notably darker than previous material created by them. The animatronics used in the film were considered groundbreaking. The primary concept artist was the...
(1982) - Orchestra director for many episodes of The Morecambe and Wise showMorecambe and WiseEric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, usually referred to as Morecambe and Wise, or Eric and Ernie, were a British comic double act, working in variety, radio, film and most successfully in television. Their partnership lasted from 1941 until Morecambe's death in 1984...
(1969–77) - Conductor for The Last Goon Show of AllThe Last Goon Show of AllThe Last Goon Show of All, broadcast on 5 October 1972, was a special edition of the famous BBC Radio show, The Goon Show, commissioned as part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the BBC. It was simulcast on radio and television, and later released as an audio recording on long-playing...
1972 - Orchestrator of the music for the Roman Polanski film TessTess (film)Tess is a 1980 romance film directed by Roman Polanski, an adaptation of Thomas Hardy's 1891 novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles. It tells the story of a strong-willed, young peasant girl who finds out she has title connections by way of her old aristocratic surname and who is raped by her wealthy...
(1979) - Orchestrator and conductor of the music for the Jean-Jacques Annaud film Quest for fireQuest for FireQuest for Fire is a 1911 Belgian novel by "J.-H. Rosny", the pseudonym of two brothers; the author was likely the elder of the two, Joseph Henri Honoré Boex . It was first published in English in 1967....
(1981)
His entree to acceptance by his peers was his 5 piece vocal group: a soprano [Pat Clark of the Royal College of Music], 2 altos (one his wife Babs, the other his sister-in-law Daph), a tenor [Charles Young "Pinky" of "Pinky & Perky"] and baritone Charles Granville all of whose singular quality was the ability to pick up the "dots" and read them, just like any other session musician!
After producing countless vocal scores, Peter Knight began to be commissioned to produce full orchestrations for all kinds of artists and soon had his own orchestra 'The Peter Knight Orchestra '.
Following his death, Yorkshire television launched the annual Peter Knight award to honour excellence in musical arranging.
His involvement with pop music was varied. Peter Knight became famous for his rich lush orchestration, best illustrated by the slightly spaced-out sections of The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues are an English rock band. Among their innovations was a fusion with classical music, most notably in their 1967 album Days of Future Passed....
' Days of Future Passed
Days of Future Passed
Days of Future Passed is the second album and first concept album by The Moody Blues, released in 1967. It was also their first album to feature Justin Hayward and John Lodge, who would play a very strong role in directing the band's sound in the decades to come...
. Later on he continued his work with members of The Moody Blues, Justin Hayward and John Lodge, on 3 songs on the record "Blue Jays" released in 1975.
Richard Carpenter invited him to fly to Los Angeles in 1977 in order to generate a similar sound for The Carpenters
The Carpenters
Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of sister Karen and brother Richard Carpenter. The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and...
"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft
Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft
"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft " is a song by Klaatu, originally released in 1976 on their first album 3:47 EST. The following year, The Carpenters covered the song, using a crew of 160 musicians...
" (1977). There is some kind of private joke here, since the album credits him with conducting the humorously-named "Overbudget Philharmonic", which was actually the L.A. Philharmonic. He gave a similar treatment to The Carpenters version of "Don't Cry For Me Argentina".
He is also famous for his 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...
, particularly the Airwave song "You are the New Day", now a best-selling title in the USA. He also arranged several works intended for amateur choirs.
He spotted that his sound might have resonance with a hippy audience, and recorded a single 'Within You, Without You' , the George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
song from the 'Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' album., released under the name 'Peter Knight and His Orchestra' . This was part of a project to release the entire album in an orchestral version. It was released in 1967 on the Mercury label. His son, also called Peter Knight, co-produced the original cast recording of 'Hair
Hair (musical)
Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement...
' (1968).
Compositions
Incidental music for- Theme tune for 'Thank Your Lucky StarsThank Your Lucky Stars (TV series)Thank Your Lucky Stars was a British television pop music show made by ABC Television, and broadcast on ITV from 1961 to 1966. Many of the top bands performed on it, and for millions of British teenagers it was essential viewing...
' (1961) - 'The Flight of the Heron' (drama series) (1968)
- 'Duty Free' (TV comedy series 1984-86)
- 'Home to Roost' (TV comedy series 1986-89)