Musicatlas
News for Bedford
- David Bedford (74) dies of lung cancer
[posted 10 October 2011]On 1 October the versatile composer David Bedford died of lung cancer.
After studies with e.g. Luigi Nono he composed avant garde music, but in the late 60s he also moved into pop music. Bedford was involved in the first performance of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells, and orchestrated the work for a further album, The Orchestral Tubular Bells (1975).
His was also fascinated by astronomy. Many of his compositions have titles that are inspired by that science.
His music has always remained somewhat experimental, though it was also lyrical.
[Source: www.guardian.co.uk]
Music
- Music Star Clusters, Nebulae and places in Devon
- Stories from the Dreamtime
- Songs of the White Horse
- Orchestrated the orchestral version of Tubular Bells for Mike Oldfield
- Orchestrated Oldfield’s Killing Field
Life
David Bedford is the brother of Steuart Bedford (the conductor), and grandson of Herbert Bedford (the painter and author) and Liza Lehmann (the composer). His mother was Lesley Duff, who was a member of the English Opera Group just after World War II.
He studied music at The Royal Academy in London, England, and in Venice, Italy.
Bedford is a composer of classical as well as popular music.