Robert Docker
Encyclopedia
Robert Docker was an English composer, arranger and pianist, especially noted for his orchestral arrangements and original light music
compositions. The son of a Paddington
gas worker, he was educated at North Paddington Central School, and with the aid of a London County Council Scholarship was able to study viola, piano and composition at the Royal Academy of Music
. During WWII, he was a sergeant in the King's Royal Rifle Corps
stationed in Northumberland. He was later married to the viola player Meryl Unsworth and in later life resided in Suffolk.
He was particularly noted for his orchestral arrangements. His first was broadcast in 1936 and his arrangements of popular tunes were regularly heard on BBC radio programmes such as Friday Night is Music Night
(where for many years he orchestrated music for Sidney Torch
) and Melodies For You. He was widely associated with the BBC Concert Orchestra
and in 1990, the BBC broadcast two one-hour programmes entitled The Musical World of Robert Docker.
His lighter original compositions include the "Air and Jig" for violin, cello and piano, "Cornet Cascade" and "Jolly Roger" for brass band
and "Fairy Dance Reel", "Penny Whistle Tune", "Pizzicato Minuet", "West Indian Dance", "Tabarinage" and "Scène du Bal". He also composed a number of more serious works for orchestra including Legend and Pastiche Variations for piano and orchestra, the London Rhapsody for piano and orchestra and completed another larger work, Opus 40, for the 40th Anniversary tour of the BBC Concert Orchestra
just before his death in May 1992. This was premiered (posthumously) in Ipswich in August 1992.
Light music
Light music is a generic term applied to a mainly British musical style of "light" orchestral music, which originated in the 19th century and had its heyday during the early to mid part of the 20th century, although arguably it lasts to the present day....
compositions. The son of a Paddington
Paddington
Paddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
gas worker, he was educated at North Paddington Central School, and with the aid of a London County Council Scholarship was able to study viola, piano and composition at 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...
. During WWII, he was a sergeant in the King's Royal Rifle Corps
King's Royal Rifle Corps
The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
stationed in Northumberland. He was later married to the viola player Meryl Unsworth and in later life resided in Suffolk.
He was particularly noted for his orchestral arrangements. His first was broadcast in 1936 and his arrangements of popular tunes were regularly heard on BBC radio programmes such as 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....
(where for many years he orchestrated music for Sidney Torch
Sidney Torch
Sidney Torch MBE was a British pianist, cinema organist, conductor, orchestral arranger and a composer of light music.Born Sidney Torchinsky of a Ukrainian Father and an Estonian Mother in London, Torch learned the rudiments of music very quickly from his father, an orchestral trombonist...
) and Melodies For You. He was widely associated with the BBC Concert Orchestra
BBC Concert Orchestra
The BBC Concert Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London, one of the British Broadcasting Corporation's five radio orchestras. With around fifty players, it is the only one of the five which is not a full-scale symphony orchestra....
and in 1990, the BBC broadcast two one-hour programmes entitled The Musical World of Robert Docker.
His lighter original compositions include the "Air and Jig" for violin, cello and piano, "Cornet Cascade" and "Jolly Roger" for 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...
and "Fairy Dance Reel", "Penny Whistle Tune", "Pizzicato Minuet", "West Indian Dance", "Tabarinage" and "Scène du Bal". He also composed a number of more serious works for orchestra including Legend and Pastiche Variations for piano and orchestra, the London Rhapsody for piano and orchestra and completed another larger work, Opus 40, for the 40th Anniversary tour of the BBC Concert Orchestra
BBC Concert Orchestra
The BBC Concert Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London, one of the British Broadcasting Corporation's five radio orchestras. With around fifty players, it is the only one of the five which is not a full-scale symphony orchestra....
just before his death in May 1992. This was premiered (posthumously) in Ipswich in August 1992.