Herbert Chappell
Herbert Reginald Chappell (18 March 1934 – 20 October 2019)[1] was a British conductor, composer and film-maker, best known for his television scores.
Education and early career
Born in
Children's cantatas
Herbert Chappell's children's
Music for television
As a television director and producer, Chappell first made his mark with a BBC Two Workshop series of eleven documentaries on classical music, which ran from 1964 until 1969. A highlight included Leonard Bernstein conducting the London Symphony Orchestra in a rehearsal of Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony.[7]
For the
His work on music documentaries for the BBC continued into the 1980s, leading to commissions by
Chappell's many television scores include In Loving Memory (1969–1986), Clouds of Witness (1972), The Shadow of the Tower (1972), Murder Must Advertise (1973), and The Pallisers (1974).[13][14] He wrote "Size Ten Shuffle" for the BBC's dramatisation of Lord Peter Wimsey (1972), which was later featured as the theme for FilmFair's adaptation of Paddington Bear (1976–1980).[15][16] Chappell also wrote the theme for the BBC television series Songs of Praise (1980–1986).[17]
His song, "The Gonk", appeared in the 1978 film Dawn of the Dead[18] and again, remixed by Kid Koala, in the film Shaun of the Dead (2004).[19] A variation (performed in chicken clucks) is also used as the end theme to Seth Green and Matthew Senreich's animated cartoon Robot Chicken.
Concert works
He also wrote classical pieces, such as the Guitar Concerto, recorded in 1991 by
Chappell died from complications of Alzheimer's disease on 20 October 2019, aged 85.[3]
References
- ^ a b c "Herbert Chappell: TV composer and producer who brought the Three Tenors to the world stage". independent.co.uk. 20 November 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
- ^ a b Obituary. Herbert Chappell, in The Times, 7 November, 2019
- ^ a b c Herbert Chappell obituary by Humphrey Burton in The Guardian, 18 December, 2019
- ^ Profile Records, GMOR 101
- ^ "Southend Choirs Discography". Southend Choirs. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ Three Pop Cantatas: The Daniel Jazz - Original 1974 recording
- ^ Workshop: Bernstein in Rehearsal, 6 January, 1967
- ^ Omnibus: Oscar Peterson and Andre Previn, 1 December, 1974
- ^ Oscar Peterson and Andre Previn, YouTube
- ^ Omnibus: African Sanctus, 30 March, 1975
- ^ The 'African Sanctus' website
- ^ "African Sanctus Revisited (1995)". BFI. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ "Herbert Chappell's iMDb page". imdb.com. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- ^ "British Light Music Premieres, Vol. 1 – The Pallisers, television series score". Allmusic. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ "Boyfriends – Lord Peter Wimsey Theme". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ "RESL 7". 45cat.com. 45cat. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ "Songs of Praise (Theme Music)". Banks Music Publications. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ "The Film League » Blog Archive » The Gonk and Zombies: The Stock Music Score of Dawn of the Dead". 7 December 2013. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
- ^ Shaun of the Dead (2004), retrieved 14 December 2017
- ^ John Duarte. "Works for Guitar and Orchestra". Gramophone magazine. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ^ British Music Collection