A Lark Ascending

Perhaps, but I first heard him when my Pandora Soft Machine station played a track from Songs for My Father. Might have been a musician thing. Karl Jenkins is on those early Colliers and was later in Soft Machine. It's also worth noting that the Soft Machine of Third to Fifth rarely locked into the steady groove of most jazz-rock/fusion. I can hear a similarity of overall sound between Collier and that SM era - but neither stiffen up with the more unrelenting rock beat. Gibbs and Ardley in particular seem to connect more to Nucleus who were much more groove driven (and also shared the revolving door of musicians).

Bring on Richard Strauss!

This one looks to have gone OOP already. That's a pity. Unlike most of these boutique boxes this one strikes me as one that deserves a permanent availability.

Think of the lyrics!

Always find it interesting that, despite sharing many extremely distinctive soloists, the music of Collier, Westbrook et al always sounds individually unique - a mark of their compositional skills. Collier seems to lean more towards 60s mainstream modality than the others (not a criticism) - Westbrook's theatre/folk/contemporary classical influences go somewhere very different whilst after the first couple of albums Tippett goes much further out on a limb. The 'rock' influence doesn't seem as strong in Collier as in early Westbrook/Tippett and much Gibbs and Ardley. Possibly a bit closer to Garrick though Collier always sounds more searching to my ears.

Take cover!

All of what I've heard is very impressive - Charles River Fragments and the Jackson Pollock discs really hit home.

Amazing bloke. The iPod alone was a stunning achievement. But there was so much more.

Tip of the iceberg. Part of a wonderful generation of British or British resident composers for larger groups in many styles - Westbrook, Gibbs, Tippett, Ardley etc.

You'll have to explain that, Lon. No idea who Barbara Walters is!

Because he expresses 'strong opinions'. Nothing matters more than expressing 'strong opinions'. I really enjoy Sonny Stitt. Agree entirely with Jim's point earlier about 'arena' (I call it context). If that doesn't fit the view from Olympus, well...

Sorry!

Two links, if you look closely.

Nice Telegraph obituary: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/music-obituaries/8807037/David-Bedford.html Just noticed Bedford was the arranger on the spine-tingling Grimethorpe Coliery Band backed Roy Harper track 'When an Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease' - could hardly choose a more perfect song to see him off. Another nice comment on the NMC website, quoted from 1998: Just listening to this: Fabulous disc. 4 completely contrasting pieces, all tonal and accessible. The final 34 minute 'Twelve Hours of Sunset' (references the Roy Harper song in places) is a gorgeous bit of choral space music. Would fit into 2001; though it also brings to mind the end of 'The Planets' and some of Britten's more ethereal choral music. I've had the disc for a while - it took this sad event for me to get it out and really listen to it. How can you not warm to a record that includes 'The Crouch End Festival Chorus'

Not unexpected; he'd been ill for some time. Very sad. As a solo artist he was never one of my favourites but his influence within and beyond folk was astounding. RIP

Seemed like an inclusive sort of chap. Despite working in the rarefied world of contemporary classical he did his Kevin and Lol things, played and arranged for Mike Oldfield a fair bit and did lots of work with amateurs and kids.

Might be known to modern classical buffs. Will certainly be fondly remembered as a distinctive orchestrator on 70s rock records and as a member of Kevin Ayers' Whole World. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/oct/04/david-bedford?newsfeed=true Never twigged he was Steuart Bedford's brother (the latter orchestrated some of Britten's works). As the obituary makes clear, there was a strong Aldeburgh connection. RIP.