David Bedford

Short bio David Bedford

Birthday: 1937

Died: 2011

Full biography David Bedford

David Bedford was an English composer and musician born on August 4, 1937, to a family of musicians. His grandmother was composer Liza Lehmann, and his mother, Lesley Duff, was a member of the violin section of the London Symphony Orchestra. Bedford was notable for his diverse repertoire, which encompassed both popular and classical music. He began working in pop music in the late 1960s, writing pieces for Kevin Ayers , Mike Oldfield, and Roy Harper, among others.

In the classical music world, Bedford was known for his innovative compositions that combined influences from various musical genres. He studied composition with Luigi Nono in Venice and performed with the jazz saxophonist Lol Coxhill. Bedford also worked as an arranger and conductor, producing famous works such as Mike Oldfield’s "Tubular Bells," which became the best-selling instrumental album of all time.

Bedford continued to compose and perform throughout his life until his passing on October 1, 2011, at the age of 74 due to lung cancer. His legacy as a musician and composer continues to inspire many artists and performers.

Albums featuring David Bedford

#	Name album	Year	Music label
1	Michael Bonaventure, Glyn Perrin, Yumi Hara-Cawkwell, Nicholas O'Neill, Timothy Salter, Huw Morgan (3), David Bedford, Ian McQueen – Contemporary British Organ Music Volume 3(CD, Album)	2011	SFZ Music
2	The Odyssey Live(CD, Album)	2011	Gonzo Multimedia
3	Elisabeth Lutyens / David Bedford – Quincunx / And Suddenly It's Evening / Music For Albion Moonlight(CDr, Compilation, Remastered)	2008	Lyrita Recorded Edition
4	Cornelius Cardew / David Bedford – The Great Learning / Two Poems(CD, Album, Stereo)	2002	Deutsche Grammophon
5	My Mother, My Sister And I(CD, Album)	1999	Classicprint
6	Royal Northern College Of Music Wind Orchestra, David Bedford – Wind Music	1998	Doyen
7	David Bedford / Piers Adams, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Crouch End Festival Chorus, Jac van Steen, Martyn Brabbins – Alleluia Timpanis • Symphony No 1 • Recorder Concerto • Twelve Hours Of Sunset(CD, )	1998	NMC (3)
8	David Bedford, Piers Adams – Recorder Concerto(CD, )	1997	NMC (3)
9	Kevin Ayers, Mike Oldfield, Robert Wyatt, David Bedford, Lol Coxhill, Six Beautiful Girls – The Garden Of Love	1997	Voiceprint
10	Thalia Myers - Bedford · Jackson · Lutyens · Roxburgh · Salter – Perspectives - Contemporary British Music For Solo Piano(CD, Album)	1996	Usk Recordings
11	David Bedford, Tom Newman (2) & Mike Oldfield – Variations On A Rhythm Of Mike Oldfield	1995	Voiceprint
12	Great Equatorial	1994	Voiceprint
13	Kevin Ayers Featuring Mike Oldfield & David Bedford – Shooting At The Moon(Cassette, Album, Reissue)	1985	Harvest
14	David Bedford, Ursula Le Guin – Rigel 9	1985	Charisma
15	Star Clusters, Nebulae & Places In Devon / The Song Of The White Horse	1983	Oldfield Music
16	Tippett / Hoddinott / Bedford / Salter, Thalia Myers – Modern British Piano Music(LP)	1982	Phoenix Records (20)
17	Instructions For Angels	1977	Virgin
18	The Odyssey	1976	Virgin
19	Kevin Ayers Featuring Mike Oldfield & David Bedford – The Joy Of A Toy / Shooting At The Moon	1975	Harvest
20	The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner	1975	Virgin
21	The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra With Mike Oldfield Conducted By David Bedford – The Orchestral Tubular Bells	1975	Virgin
22	An Extract from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner(7", 45 RPM, Single, Promo, Stereo)	1975	Virgin
23	Lutoslawski / Berkeley / Bedford - Peter Pears, The London Sinfonietta – Paroles Tissees / Four Ronsard Sonnets / Tentacles Of The Dark Nebula(LP, Stereo)	1974	Decca
24	Gong / Robert Wyatt / David Bedford – 3 Virgins(7", 33 ⅓ RPM, EP, Promo, Sampler)	1974	Virgin
25	Star's End	1974	Virgin
26	Karen Phillips - John Cage / Luciano Berio / Bruno Maderna / David Bedford – Viola Today (Dream / Sequenza VI / Viola [Open & Closed-Form Versions] / Spillihpnerak)(LP, Album)	1974	Finnadar Records
27	Nurses Song With Elephants	1972	Dandelion Records
28	Elisabeth Lutyens / David Bedford – Suddenly It's Evening / Music For Albion Moonlight	1970	Argo (2)
29	Peter Maxwell Davies, Harrison Birtwistle, David Bedford, Richard Orton (2) – New Music From London	1970	Mainstream Records
30	David Bedford - György Ligeti - Arne Mellnäs - Marek Kopelent – Two Poems For Chorus / Lux Aeterna / Succsim / Matka	1968	Deutsche Grammophon

Videos featuring David Bedford

Overture: Scene 1: The Forest/Anders And The Red One/Anders' Capture

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

Overture: Scene 1: The Forest/Anders And The Red One/Anders' Capture · David Bedford

Rigel 9

℗ 1985 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by Virgin Records Ltd

Ensemble: The County of Avon Schoo

Star's End (Part One)

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

Star's End (Part One) · David Bedford

Star's End

℗ 1974 Virgin Records Limited

Released on: 1974-01-01

Producer: David Bedford

Associated Performer, Bass Guitar, Guitar, Producer: Mike Oldfield

Associate

Nurses Song With Elephants

Provided to YouTube by Esoteric

Nurses Song With Elephants · David Bedford

Nurses Song With Elephants

℗ 2011 Esoteric Recordings

Auto-generated by YouTube.

The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner Part One

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner Part One · David Bedford

The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner

℗ 1975 Virgin Records Ltd

Released on: 1975-01-01

Narrator: Robert Powell

Producer, Associated Performer, Violin, F

David Bedford and Mike Oldfield - The Odyssey - Full Album - 1976 Vinyl LP

David Bedford - The Odyssey - with Mike Oldfield and Andy Summers - Full Album - 1976 - Vinyl LP. (with used record sounds) Great instrumental prog/progressive rock / New Age synth inspired by Greek mythology.

The Oyster And The Flying Fish, Kevin Ayers And The Whole World ‎– Shooting At The Moon, 1970

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT: This video is not being used to make money in any way and is for entertainment and leisure purposes only. This is an act of fair usage as described by the Copyright Offices, therefore, a dispute should not occur over this video. No co

The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner Part Two

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner Part Two · David Bedford

The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner

℗ 1975 Virgin Records Ltd

Released on: 1975-01-01

Narrator: Robert Powell

Producer, Associated Performer, Violin, F

David Bedford featuring Strawberry Switchblade - Funeral Procession

In 1985 David Bedford released Rigel 9, an album setting to music an Ursula Le Guin short story about some astronauts encounters with aliens. Strawberry Switchblade did the lead voices of the alien funeral procession, backed by the Barnet School's Choir.