Robert Farnon (1917-2005) - film and TV composer

Robert Farnon was born in Toronto in Canada and his initial musical experience included playing trumpet in the Orchestra of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation before moving to work in the US. There he refined his skills as a conductor and arranger and started composing, his serious works including 2 Symphonies which were performed in the States. Conducting a military band during World War II brought him to Britain where he met Glen Miller and was introduced to the UK music scene. His contacts with Eric Coates and others in the "Light Music" scene were a powerful influence and he became one of its foremost practicioners, though the breadth of his experience was such that he brought new ideas into the genre. From his work in broadcasting he was no stranger to many types of popular music including jazz and the prevalent song styles, and he integrated such ideas into his own works. He settled in the Channel Island of Guernsey where he lived for several decades before his death in 2005.

In the UK he formed the Robert Farnon Orchestra which was to record regularly for BBC Radio and Television, and wrote a number of works for these media. He also arranged and recorded songs for many leading artists including Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan and Tony Bennett with whom he was to form a long association through concert and television appearances. He composed the scores for several films, though his most instantly recognised compositions (at least to those of a certain age) are without doubt his themes for television series of the 60s and 70s particularly "Panorama" and the War Dramas "Colditz" and "Secret Army". His brightly comic "Jumping Bean" and many other works became part of the media's "stock music" which was used on a variety of different programmes.

His latest symphony was performed in Edinburgh on May 14th, three weeks after his death on April 25th.

Films by Robert Farnon:

• William at the Circus
• Just William's Luck
• Captain Horatio Hornblower
• Springtime in Park Lane
• Maytime in Mayfair
• Gentlemen Prefer Brunettes - musical starring Jane Russell
• The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw - the one with Kenneth Moore as the Englishman appointed as sheriff in a Wild West town
• The Road to Hong Kong - musical director for the last film in Bob Hope and Bing Crosby's "Road" series

TV music by Robert Farnon:

• Panorama - the bold and serious theme music which has been used on the current affairs show for 52 years
• Quatermass II - the song "Zero Minus Sixty"
• The Prisoner - incidental music for some episodes, with the theme by Ron Grainer
• The Champions - again incidental music for some episodes, with the theme this time by Tony Hatch
• Colditz - a march theme with a touch of dark struggle
• Secret Army - theme

Recommendations:

Farnon's associations with Canada, the US and the UK helped to make his music popular on both sides of the Atlantic, and there are a variety of CDs available to showcase the type of music in which he was involved, both as composer and as conductor/arranger with his Orchestra. Here are some suggestions where Amazon provide audio examples to try online:

• The Wide World of Robert Farnon - at www.amazon.com and www.amazon.co.uk
• Music of Robert Farnon - at www.amazon.com and www.amazon.co.uk
• A Portrait of Farnon - at www.amazon.com and www.amazon.co.uk

Among related websites is the comprehensive one provided by the Robert Farnon Society.