Bennett, (Sir) Richard Rodney

Bennett, (Sir) Richard Rodney (b Broadstairs, 1936). Eng. composer and pianist. A fluent composer, absorbing influences of jazz, atonality, and traditional harmony and structures, he has had success in many spheres incl. films, for which he has comp. over 35 scores (Far From the Madding Crowd a notable example). Prof. of comp., RAM, 1963–5. Settled in NY, 1979. CBE 1977. Knighted 1998. Prin. works incl.:OPERAS: The Ledge (1961); The Mines of Sulphur (1963–5); Penny for a Song (1966); Victory (1968–9).BALLET: Jazz Calendar, for chamber ens. (1963–4); Isadora (1981).ORCH.: Nocturnes (1962); Aubade (1964); syms.: No.1 (1965), No.2 (1967), No.3 (1987); Suite for small orch. (1966); Concerto for Orchestra (1973); Zodiac (1976); Serenade (1976); Commedia III, 10 instr. (1973); Music for Strings (1977); Anniversaries (1982); Sinfonietta (1984); Moving into Aquarius (with T. Musgrave, 1984); Reflections on a Theme of William Walton, 11 solo str. (1985); Dream Dancing (1986); Diversions (1989); Celebration (1991); Variations on a Nursery Tune (1992); Partita for Orch. (1995).CONCERTOS: pf. (1968); ob. and str. (1969–70); guitar (1970); va. (1973); vn. (1975); Actaeon (Metamorphosis I), hn. (1977); db. (1978); Sonnets to Orpheus, vc. (1979); hpd. (1980); Memento, fl., str. (1983); cl. (1987); marimba (1988); sax. (1988); perc. (1990); Concerto for Stan Getz, sax. (1990); tpt., wind band (1993).VOICE(S) AND ORCH.: The Approaches of Sleep (1960); London Pastoral, ten., chamber orch. (1962); Jazz Pastoral, v., jazz orch. (1969); Sonnet Sequence, ten., str. (1974); Spells, sop., ch., orch. (1974); Love Spells (2nd and 5th movements from preceding), sop., orch. (1974); 5 Sonnets of Louise Labé, sop., ens. (1984); Lovesongs, ten., orch. (1984); Ophelia, counterten., ondes martenot, hp., 9 str. (1987).CHAMBER MUSIC: Winter Music, fl., pf. (1960); ob. sonata (1962); solo vn. sonatas: No.1 (1955), No.2 (1964); str. qts.: No.1 (1952), No.2 (1953), No.3 (1960), No.4 (1964); wind quintet (1967–8); 5 Impromptus, gui. (1968); Commedia II, fl., vc., pf. (1972); IV, brass quintet (1973); Scena II, vc. (1973), III, cl. (1977); ob. qt. (1975); Travel Notes, 1, str. qt. (1975); 2, wind qt. (1976); hn. sonata (1978); vn. sonata (1978); Up Bow, Down Bow I, vn., pf. (1979), II, va., pf. (1979); Metamorphoses, str. octet (1980); 6 Tunes for the Instruction of Singing Birds, fl. (1981); Music for String Quartet (1981); sonatina for cl. (1981); After Syrinx I, ob., pf. (1982), II, marimba (1984); Summer Music, fl., pf. (1982); conc., wind quintet (1983); gui. sonata (1983); Serenade No.2, ondes martenot, pf. (1984); Romances, hn., pf. (1985); Duo concertante, cl., pf. (1985); Sonata After Syrinx, fl., va., hp. (1985); Sounds and Sweet Aires, fl., ob., pf. (1985); sonata, wind quintet, pf. (1986); Lamento d'Arianna, str. qt. (1986); sonata, sop. sax., pf. (1986); After Ariadne, va., pf. (1986); Tender is the Night: Suite, ondes martenot, str. qt. (1986); Arethusa, ob., str. trio (1989); Capriccio, vc., pf. (1990); vc. sonata (1991); bn. sonata (1991); Arabesque, ob. (1992); cl. quintet (1992).VOICE AND PF. (or other instr.): The Music that her Echo is, ten., pf. (1967); Crazy Jane, sop., cl., vc., pf. (1968–9); A Garland for Marjory Fleming, sop., pf. (1969); Time's Whiter Series, counterten., lute (1974); The Little Ghost Who Died for Love, sop., pf. (1976); Just Friends in Print, v., pf. (1979); Vocalise, sop., pf. (1981); This is the Garden, high v., pf. (1984); Dream Songs, sop. (or unison high vv.), pf. (1986).PIANO: sonata (1954); Fantasy (1962); 5 Studies (1962–4); Capriccio, 4 hands (1968); Scena I (1973); 4-Piece Suite, 2 pf. (1974); Kandinsky Variations, 2 pf. (1977); Eustace and Hilda (1977); Impromptu on the Name of Haydn (1981); Noctuary (Variations on a Theme of Joplin) (1981); Tango after Syrinx (1985); Tender is the Night, 2 themes (1985); Suite for Skip and Sadie, pf. duet (1986); 3 Romantic Pieces (1988); Partridge Pie (1990); Over the Hills and Far Away, pf. duet (1991).