William Patrick Gowers (5 May 1936 – 30 December 2014)

[Guest]

A fine composer, notable for his film scores (especially Sherlock Holmes) and one of the finest church anthems of the 20th c., Viri Galilaei. His death seems to have passed unnoticed; a colleague mentioned it to me today. Understandable? Perhaps. He was long since out of the public eye and perhaps never really courted general popularity, but to some, me included, a notable light in British music.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Gowers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwhEkaIrA_c

That beautiful theme transformed into neo-Tudor splendour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv6Yjfru37U

[MrGongGong]

Sad news indeed to those of us fortunate to have been taught by him.

One of the most intelligent and musically knowledgeable people I met when I was a student.


A sad loss

[french frank]

Thanks for posting those links, Simon. I was looking for some appropriate tribute but didn't find either of those. But since you also mentioned Viri Galilaei ...

[mercia]

his atmospheric music for Smiley's People currently getting a rerun on TV

[MrGongGong]

This is Norms blog

http://slippedisc.com/2015/01/a-fine-english-film-composer-has-died/

I was a student of his in the 1980's when he was writing the guitar concerto, he showed us a computer program he had written that mapped all the possible playable chords that John Williams could play with (I seem to remember?) an indication of how easy/quick it was to move from one to the other.

[Simon Biazeck]

One of the most intelligent and musically knowledgeable people I met when I was a student.

What a privilege! Thank you.

[Simon Biazeck]

his atmospheric music for Smiley's People currently getting a rerun on TV

Thanks. I'll look out for it!

[Simon Biazeck]

was a student of his in the 1980's when he was writing the guitar concerto, he showed us a computer program he had written that mapped all the possible playable chords that John Williams could play with (I seem to remember?) an indication of how easy/quick it was to move from one to the other.

How remarkable! I would find that very useful myself!

[Simon Biazeck]

Thanks for posting those links, Simon. I was looking for some appropriate tribute but didn't find either of those. But since you also mentioned Viri Galilaei ...

Thank you! I was hoping to find the St Paul's, London recording, but it seems to have disappeared. I'm fairly sure John Scott commissioned it.