Editing David Bedford

{{Short description|English composer and musician}}
{{other people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name            = David Bedford
| image           = David Vickerman Bedford.jpg
| caption         =
| birth_name      = David Vickerman Bedford
| birth_date      = {{birth date|df=yes|1937|08|04}}
| birth_place     = [[Hendon]], [[Middlesex]], England
| death_date      = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2011|10|01|1937|08|04}}
| occupation      = {{ubl| Composer | Musician | Conductor | Teacher}}
| website         = {{url|https://web.archive.org/web/20081230141300/http://www.impulse-music.co.uk/davidbedford/}}
}}
'''David Vickerman Bedford''' (4 August 1937 – 1 October 2011) was an English composer and musician. He wrote and played both [[Popular music|popular]] and [[European classical music|classical]] music.  He was the brother of the conductor [[Steuart Bedford]], the grandson of the composer, painter and author [[Herbert Bedford]] and the composer [[Liza Lehmann]], and the son of Leslie Bedford, an inventor, and Lesley Duff, a [[soprano]] opera singer.<ref>Teodoro-Dier, Daniella Theresia. [https://artsong-podcast.com/tag/english "A Whole Lotta Lehmann"], The Art Song Podcast, 25 September 2020, accessed 20 July 2021; and Beldon, Jim. [https://medium.com/raf-caps/the-development-of-radar-the-contribution-of-leslie-bedford-to-the-rafs-technological-evolution-b1293dedb190 ''The Development of Radar: The Contribution of Leslie Bedford to the RAF’s Technological Evolution''], RAF Centre for Air and Space Power Studies, Medium.com, 10 May 2018, accessed 20 July 2021</ref>

From 1969 to 1981, Bedford was Composer in Residence at [[Queen's College, London]]. From 1968 to 1980, he taught music in a number of London secondary schools. In 1996 he was appointed Composer in Association with the [[English Sinfonia]]. In 2001 he was appointed Chairman of the [[Performing Right Society]], having previously been Deputy chairman.

==Early life and career==
Bedford was born in [[Hendon| Hendon, London]] to Leslie Bedford, the director of engineering for the guided weapons division of the British Aircraft Corporation, and Lesley Duff, a soprano singer who worked with the English Opera Group.<ref name=guardian_obit>
{{cite web|title=David Bedford obituary|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/oct/04/david-bedford|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=22 September 2022|date=4 Oct 2011|first=Keith|last=Potter}}
</ref>
<ref name=guardian_steuart_obit>
{{cite web|title=Steuart Bedford obituary|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/feb/21/steuart-bedford-obituary|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=22 September 2022|date=21 Feb 2021|first=Barry|last=Millington}}
</ref>
He was educated at [[Lancing College]] in West Sussex.<ref name=guardian_obit />  When he was 19, he acted as a conscientious objector in lieu of performing national service, which was still mandatory in Britain at the time.<ref name=guardian_obit /><ref name=national_service>
{{cite web|title=National Service|url=https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/transformingsociety/private-lives/yourcountry/overview/nationalservice|publisher=UK Parliament|access-date=22 September 2022}}
</ref>
During this time he worked as a porter at [[Guy's Hospital|Guy's Hospital, London]].<ref name=guardian_obit />

Bedford studied music at the [[Royal Academy of Music]] under [[Lennox Berkeley]], and later in [[Venice]] under [[Luigi Nono (composer)|Luigi Nono]].  His studies and early influences included the work of Nono, [[Paul Hindemith]], [[Arnold Schoenberg]] and [[Anton Webern]].<ref name=albion>[[Decca Records|Decca]] (1970) LP notes by Anthony Payne from ''Music for Albion Moonlight'' LP ZRG 638</ref>
In the mid-60s, he was a music teacher at Whitefield school in Hendon, before 
joining [[Queen's College, London|Queen’s College]] in London as composer in residence in 1969.<ref name=music_aficionado>
{{cite web|title=David Bedford part 1, 1969-1972|url=https://musicaficionado.blog/2020/07/29/david-bedford-part-1-1969-1972|publisher=The Music Aficionado|access-date=22 September 2022|date=29 July 2020}}
</ref>

Bedford was a former president of the [[Severnside Composers' Alliance]]<ref name="arnolfini 2012">{{cite web|title=Severnside Composers Alliance Presents: More Strings Times Four, a tribute to David Bedford|url=http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/music/details/1243|work=Arnolfini website|publisher=[[Arnolfini, Bristol|Arnolfini]]access-date=12 October 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502021852/http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/music/details/1243|archive-date=2 May 2012}}</ref> and a founding Trustee of the PRS for Music Foundation, which supports the composition of new pieces.<ref name=prs_obit>
{{cite web|title=David Bedford 1937-2011|url=https://www.prsformusic.com/m-magazine/news/david-bedford-1937-2011|publisher=[[PRS for music]]|date=4 Oct 2011|access-date=22 September 2022|last=Nichols|first=Paul}}
</ref>

==Recording and arranging==
In 1969, Bedford was engaged to [[orchestration|orchestrate]] [[Kevin Ayers]]' album ''[[Joy of a Toy]]'', on which he also played keyboards. This led to his role as keyboard player for Ayers' band, Kevin Ayers and the Whole World, who recorded one album, ''[[Shooting at the Moon (album)|Shooting at the Moon]]'' (1970). On that album, in addition to organ and piano, Bedford plays [[accordion]], [[marimbaphone]] and guitar.  Bedford also contributed to later Kevin Ayers albums as keyboard player and orchestral arranger.

Bedford's work with The Whole World led to collaborations with the group's saxophonist [[Lol Coxhill]], with whom he formed the Coxhill-Bedford Duo. The Duo released several singles of old [[vaudeville]] and British [[music hall]] songs featuring Bedford on piano and lead vocal, and Coxhill on saxophone and second vocal, for [[John Peel]]'s [[Dandelion Records]] label in the early 1970s. One of these singles was released under the pseudonym, Will Dandy and the Dandylettes (covering a medley of [[Al Jolson]] songs), with the B-side credited to the Coxhill-Bedford Duo. More tracks by the Duo appear on Coxhill's solo album, ''Ear of Beholder'' (1971) on which they play three songs, including an early version of "[[Don Alfonso (song)|Don Alfonso]]" which Bedford would record again later. Still more Coxhill-Bedford Duo songs can be found on ''Banana Follies'', a 1972 [[BBC]] concert radio broadcast featuring Kevin Ayers, released on CD in 1998. In that broadcast, Bedford and Coxhill also perform a short radio play titled "Murder in the Air". Coxhill later re-recorded the play without Bedford and released it as a 12-inch single, stating in the liner notes that he would have preferred to record it with Bedford, who was unavailable.

The first album to consist entirely of David Bedford compositions was ''[[Nurses Song with Elephants]]'', recorded at the Marquee Studios, and released in 1972 on John Peel's Dandelion label. On this album, Bedford mixed classical ensemble with poems and voices. ''Some Bright Stars for Queen's College'' uses twenty-seven plastic pipe twirlers, John Peel himself being among the pipe twirler players. There are five tracks on the album: ''It's Easier Than It Looks'', ''Nurses Song With Elephants'', ''Some Bright Stars for Queen's College'', ''Trona'' (1967), and ''Sad and Lonely Faces''. Bass guitar on the title song is played by [[Mike Oldfield]] and the final track features a poem by [[Kenneth Patchen]] that is sung by Kevin Ayers.

Bedford collaborated even more extensively with [[Mike Oldfield]], The Whole World's bass guitarist. He orchestrated and conducted Oldfield's ''[[The Orchestral Tubular Bells]]'' album (1975),<ref name="Potter">{{cite web | author=Keith Potter | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/oct/04/david-bedford | title=David Bedford obituary | work=The Guardian | date=4 October 2011 | access-date=1 February 2015}}</ref> an adaptation of ''[[Tubular Bells]]'', the record that had given the [[Virgin Records|Virgin]] record label its first major success in 1973.  Bedford also orchestrated Oldfield's follow-up album-length composition, ''[[Hergest Ridge (album)|Hergest Ridge]]'' (1974) as ''The Orchestral Hergest Ridge'', which was performed live and recorded for radio broadcast from concert performances twice, once in 1974 by the [[Royal Philharmonic Orchestra]] with [[Steve Hillage]] on guitar, and once in 1976 by the [[Royal Scottish National Orchestra|Scottish National Orchestra]], again with Hillage on guitar, although [[Andy Summers]] had played on other performances that year.  The latter recording was acquired by Virgin, but not released as an album, although portions of it were used in ''The Space Movie'' (1979), which featured Oldfield's music.

Bedford provided vocals and piano for Oldfield's cover versions of more old music hall numbers (in the manner of the now-defunct Coxhill-Bedford Duo), ''Don Alfonso'' (1974) and ''Speak (Tho' You Only Say Farewell)'' (1976), collaborated with Oldfield on a piece titled "First Excursion" for Oldfield's box set compilation ''[[Boxed (Mike Oldfield album)|Boxed]]'', and orchestrated Oldfield's soundtrack for ''[[The Killing Fields (film)|The Killing Fields]]'' (1984).  In 1983, Oldfield created a short-lived record label called Oldfield Music whose sole release was a David Bedford album, ''Star Clusters, Nebulae and Places in Devon / The Song of the White Horse''.

Bedford's association with Oldfield led to a record contract to make a number of albums for Virgin, some using orchestral players, others featuring Bedford's keyboards, and some include Oldfield as a featured performer. Album titles from this period include ''Star's End'' (1974), ''The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'' (1975, a musical setting of [[The Rime of the Ancient Mariner|the poem]] by [[Samuel Taylor Coleridge]]), ''The Odyssey'' (1976, a musical setting of [[Odyssey|the poem]] by [[Homer]]), and ''Instructions for Angels'' (1977), the latter including an appearance by [[Mike Ratledge]].

Bedford contributed to records by the [[Edgar Broughton Band]], including a single titled ''Up Yours!'', a [[polemic]] on the [[1970 United Kingdom general election|1970 UK general election]] declaring their intention to [[Turn on, tune in, drop out|drop out]].  The single features a [[string instrument|string]] arrangement by Bedford.

Bedford worked on several [[Roy Harper (singer)|Roy Harper]] projects, including the 1971 four-song album ''[[Stormcock (album)|Stormcock]]'' which also featured [[Jimmy Page]] on guitar (credited as ''S. Flavius Mercurius'' for contractual reasons), and the 1974 album ''[[Valentine (Roy Harper album)|Valentine]]''. Bedford also conducted an orchestra during Harper's live concerts, including the Valentine's Day launch of the album, the concert later released as [[Flashes from the Archives of Oblivion]] and featuring, among others, [[Keith Moon]]. In 2001 he was reunited with Harper when the latter celebrated his 60th birthday with a concert at London's [[Royal Festival Hall]], joined by numerous guest artists, including [[Jeff Martin (Canadian musician)|Jeff Martin]] and [[John Renbourn]]. A recording of the concert ''[[Royal Festival Hall Live – June 10th 2001]]'' was released as a double CD shortly afterwards.

He also worked with a wide variety of other artists, including [[A-ha]], [[Billy Bragg]], [[Camel (band)|Camel]], [[Elvis Costello]], [[Frankie Goes to Hollywood]], [[Madness (band)|Madness]], Andy Summers, [[Alan White (Yes drummer)|Alan White]] (drummer for [[Yes (band)|Yes]]) and [[Robert Wyatt]].<ref>Rupprecht, Philip. '[https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/british-musical-modernism/39720D6D49CB9A92FD4FDD0850209770 Vernaculars: Bedford and Souster as pop musicians]', Chapter 7 of ''British Musical Modernism'', Cambridge, 2015</ref>

==Avant-garde classical compositions==
Bedford was also known for his [[avant-garde]] classical works.
His 1963 ''Piece for Mo'' was described as "his first work of standing",<ref name=albion/> although it was never recorded for release.  In 1965 he composed a chamber work for soprano and septet called ''Music For Albion Moonlight'',<ref name=music_aficionado /> based on poems by [[Kenneth Patchen]].  He continued to set music to Patchen's poems throughout his career, including ''O Now the Drenched Land Wakes'' and ''The Great Birds'', released by [[Deutsche Grammophon]] on one of their ''Avant Garde'' series of albums in 1968,<ref name=discog_avantgarde>
{{cite web|title=Avantgarde (1968, Vinyl)|date=14 September 1968 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/2741076-Various-Avantgarde-|publisher=[[Discogs]]|access-date=22 September 2022}}</ref> and ''Instructions For Angels'', released by [[Virgin Records|Virgin]] in 1977.<ref name=discog_instructions>
{{cite web|title=David Bedford – Instructions For Angels (1977, Vinyl)|date=14 September 1977 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/2011960-David-Bedford-Instructions-For-Angels|publisher=[[Discogs]]|access-date=22 September 2022}}
</ref>

He also composed a number of works for [[wind orchestra]], beginning with ''Sun Paints Rainbows on the Vast Waves'' in 1982, commissioned by the [[Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chesternovello.com/Default.aspx?TabId=2432&State_3041=2&workId_3041=12720 |title=David Bedford: Sun Paints Rainbows on the Vast Waves |publisher=[[ChesterNovello]] |access-date=25 April 2010}}</ref> Many of these works have recorded by the wind orchestra of the [[Royal Northern College of Music]], conducted by [[Clark Rundell]], released by Doyen Records UK in 1998.<ref name=list_of_works>{{cite web|title=David Bedford – List of Works|url=http://www.davidbedfordmusic.co.uk/listofworks.php|publisher=www.davidbedfordmusic.co.uk|access-date=22 September 2022}}
</ref>

Bedford is noted for the large amount of educational music he wrote for children.<ref name=times_obit>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/sunday-times-rich-list/profile/article/david-bedford-65cd56jt5t0|title=David Bedford|work=[[The Times]]|date=11 October 2011 |access-date=22 September 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922210126/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/david-bedford-65cd56jt5t0|archive-date=22 September 2022}}</ref> The [[musical notation]] he used was often unconventional, frequently making use of [[graphic notation (music)|graphics]], thus letting his works be performed by children and others who cannot read conventional notation.<ref name=guardian_obit /> In the liner notes to the album ''Viola Today'' (1974) by [[Karen Phillips (musician)|Karen Phillips]], it is stated that in the score of Bedford's ''Spillihpnerak'' (1972) there is "(a) page consisting of a drawing of a [[lysozyme]] [[molecule]] which the performer is asked to interpret".<ref name=phillips>[[Atlantic Records|Finnadar Records]] (1974) LP notes by Karen Phillips from ''Viola Today'' LP by Karen Phillips, SR 9007</ref>

Bedford took a similar approach for his 1972 work, ''[[With 100 Kazoos]]'', in which an instrumental [[musical ensemble|ensemble]] is joined by the audience who are invited to play [[kazoo]]s.<ref name=guardian_obit /> The audience members were presented with various space-themed illustrations, and asked to interpret them using their kazoos. The piece was intended to be conducted by [[Pierre Boulez]], but he rejected it, with Bedford stating "He rejected my piece on the grounds that audiences would be stupid and would fool about with their kazoos in the other pieces too".<ref name=music_aficionado />

Bedford composed a 35-minute choral suite, commissioned by the [[BBC]], "Twelve Hours of Sunset", based on [[Roy Harper (singer)|Roy Harper]]'s song of the same name, from his 1974 album ''[[Valentine (Roy Harper album)|Valentine]]'', which Bedford orchestrated. The suite was given its live premiere at the [[Royal Albert Hall]], London on 8 August 1975, by the [[BBC Singers]], [[BBC Choral Society]] and [[BBC Symphony Orchestra]], with [[Simon Lindley]] on organ, conducted by [[John Poole (conductor)|John Poole]], as part of the 75th [[BBC Proms|Proms]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Proms 75: Part 1 |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_radio_three/1975-08-08#at-19.30 |website=[[BBC Genome]] |access-date=16 October 2022}}</ref> Another performance for [[BBC Radio]] was on 29 August 1997, on [[BBC Radio 3]], by the [[Crouch End Festival Chorus]] and BBC Symphony Orchestra, with [[Jacques van Steen]] conducting, as part of a 60th birthday tribute to Bedford, who was also interviewed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hear and Now |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_radio_three/1997-08-29#at-22.00 |website=BBC Genome |access-date=16 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|XikmzpufidI| David Bedford - "Twelve Hours of Sunset" (1974) }}</ref>

He continued to combine skilled and non-skilled musicians in other works such as ''Seascapes'' (1986), combining a full symphony orchestra with school children, and ''Stories from the Dreamtime'' (1991), written for 40 deaf children and orchestra,<ref name=guardian_obit /> as well as unconventional performance techniques such as requiring a singer to scream into a piano.<ref name=music_aficionado />  The score to ''The Song of the White Horse'' (1978)<ref>{{YouTube|UlIAlaiE6Do|Song of the White Horse (David Bedford, 1978)}}, posted by family of David Bedford</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b016vks3 David Bedford's The Song of the White Horse] BBC Radio 3</ref> instructs the choir to inhale [[helium]] gas to be able to reach the highest notes near the end of the piece.<ref name=cluster>Oldfield Music Records (1983) LP notes from ''Star Clusters, Nebulae and Places in Devon / The Song of the White Horse'' LP, OM 1</ref>

Science fiction was a repeated area of interest for Bedford. ''The Tentacles of the Dark Nebula'' has words taken from [[Arthur C. Clarke]]'s short story ''Transcience'',<ref>[[Decca Records|Decca]] Headline (1974) Insert from LP recording of ''Tentacles of the Dark Nebula'' LP Head 3</ref> recorded by tenor [[Peter Pears]] with Bedford conducting the [[London Sinfonietta]].  The title of ''Star's End'' was taken from [[Isaac Asimov]]'s book ''[[Second Foundation]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Nagl |first=Manfred |title=Science Fiction: ein Segment populärer Kultur im Medien- und Produktverbund |year=1981 |page=140 |publisher=Gunter Narr Verlag |isbn=9783878089254 |language=de |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pcSIAuOi5joC&pg=PA140 }}</ref> ''Rigel 9'' is a play based on the book by [[Ursula K. Le Guin]], featuring background music composed and recorded by Bedford.

Bedford's music has been described as [[modernist music|modernist]],<ref name=guardian_obit /> [[avant-garde music|avant-garde]] and [[experimental music|experimental]].<ref name=music_aficionado />  He was known for his use of [[atonality]],<ref name=music_aficionado /> [[harmony|harmonic]] stasis, and rich [[timbre]].<ref name=times_obit />

==Personal life==
Bedford enjoyed sci-fi, was a keen astronomer<ref name=record_collector>
{{cite web|title=Star's End - David Bedford|url=https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/album/stars-end|publisher=[[Record Collector]]|access-date=22 September 2022|first=Oregano|last=Rathbone|date=22 May 2012}}
</ref> and enjoyed cricket,<ref name=music_base>
{{cite web|title=David Bedford|url=http://www.mymusicbase.ru/PPB/ppb28/Bio_2822.htm|publisher=My Music Base|access-date=22 September 2022}}</ref> all of which inspired his work.<ref name=music_aficionado /><ref name=record_collector />  Bedford died of lung cancer in October 2011 and was survived by his third wife, his seven children, and his brother Steuart.<ref name=the_wire>
{{cite web|title=David Bedford RIP|url=https://www.thewire.co.uk/news/18950/david-bedford-rip|publisher=[[The Wire (magazine)|WIRE]]|access-date=22 September 2022|first=Oregano|last=Rathbone|date=11 October 2011}}
</ref><ref name=guardian_obit />  Steuart died in 2021.<ref name=guardian_steuart_obit />

After his death, a number of commemorative performances took place, including one of his later works for children ''The Wreck of the Titanic'' which was performed nine times at venues across England during early 2012. The performance at [[the SAGE Gateshead]] included choirs from four North East primary/junior schools.<ref name=prs_commemorative>
{{cite web|title=David Bedford – Commemorative Performances|url=https://www.prsformusic.com/m-magazine/news/david-bedford-commemorative-performances/|publisher=[[PRS for music]]|access-date=22 September 2022}}
</ref>
In November 2018 [[BBC Radio 3]] broadcast a recording of a concert performed by the [[BBC Concert Orchestra]], conducted by [[Michael Seal]], marking what would have been Bedford's 80th year. The programme included his orchestration of Mike Oldfield's ''Tubular Bells'', with [[Steve Hillage]] on guitar, his 1981 reworking of his ''Alleluia Timpanis'', and his ''Symphony No. 1''.<ref name="BBC-m00013x6">{{cite web |title=Afternoon Concert, BBC Concert Orchestra |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00013x6 |publisher=[[BBC Radio 3]] |access-date=9 February 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.davidbedfordmusic.co.uk/ David Bedford official website]
* [http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~marwak/archive/bedford.htm Transcript of an interview with David Bedford], originally published in the Kevin Ayers [[fanzine]] ''Why Are We Sleeping'' August 1994
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20020623041546/http://www.lsso.co.uk/webmusic/davidbedfordweb.html Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra] The LSSO performed on the album ''Instructions for Angels''
* {{cite web |title= David Bedford Biography |publisher= [[Making Music Magazine|Making Music]] |url= http://www.modernclassical.com/20thcentury/bedford-david.html |access-date= 28 August 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090105180700/http://www.modernclassical.com/20thcentury/bedford-david.html |archive-date= 5 January 2009 |url-status= dead }}
* {{cite web |title= David Bedford Biography & Discography |publisher= ModernClassical.com |url= http://www.makingmusic.org.uk/html/143.shtml |access-date= 28 August 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070928034455/http://www.makingmusic.org.uk/html/143.shtml <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 28 September 2007}}
* {{cite web |title= David Bedford Biography |publisher= Performing Right Society |url= http://www.prsfoundation.co.uk/about/davidbedford.htm |access-date= 28 August 2007 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070817162537/http://www.prsfoundation.co.uk/about/davidbedford.htm |archive-date= 17 August 2007 |df= dmy-all }}
* [http://www.midomi.com/index.php?action=main.album&album_id=b6f40d00e6b88e3206da66c48fd46000&from=artist_bio midomi.com Details of "Rigel 9" album at Midomi.com]
* [http://www.amadian.net/secrets.htm The Bag of Secrets – Mike Oldfield website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200209070340/http://www.amadian.net/secrets.htm |date=9 February 2020 }}
* [http://www.tubular.net/discography/HergestRidge.shtml Mike Oldfield discography: Hergest Ridge, at Tubular.net]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bedford, David}}
[[Category:1937 births]]
[[Category:2011 deaths]]
[[Category:Lehmann family]]
[[Category:20th-century English male musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century English musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century English male musicians]]
[[Category:British music educators]]
[[Category:English conscientious objectors]]
[[Category:English male classical composers]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music]]
[[Category:Charisma Records artists]]
[[Category:Deutsche Grammophon artists]]
[[Category:EMI Classics and Virgin Classics artists]]
[[Category:People educated at Lancing College]]
[[Category:People from Hendon]]
[[Category:20th-century English classical composers]]
[[Category:21st-century English classical composers]]
[[Category:Musicians from the London Borough of Barnet]]