大象传媒

Friday Night is Music Night - Happy Birthday Maestro Carl!

Friday Night is Music Night celebrates the 80th birthday of conductor and composer Carl Davis.

New Yorker Carl Davis made the UK his home in 1961. One of his first jobs in the music business was as MD on the 60s satirical TV show That Was the Week That Was. He also wrote the theme to the 大象传媒 weekly drama - Play for Today. Since then he has been one of our foremost composers in television and films . His tv themes include Pride and Prejudice, Cranford, Goodnight Mister Tom, The Snow Goose and the World at War. His film scores include Champions and The French Lieutenant's Woman - for which he won a BAFTA in 1981 and he worked with director Mike Leigh on his retelling of the lives of Gilbert and Sullivan in Topsy Turvy. Carl is also known for his tireless work creating scores for silent movies including Abel Gance's epic Napoleon.

In this special Friday Night is Music Night the 大象传媒 Concert Orchestra pays tribute to 80 years of musical life and the programme includes the first broadcast of Carl's latest work - the soundtrack to a new Raymond Briggs film - Ethel and Ernest.

Ken Bruce is on hand to light the birthday candles along with singing guests Heather Shipp and Richard Suart, as we say Happy Birthday Maestro Carl!

During the interval Ken Bruce talks to Carl Davis about his music and his career.

Concert recorded on 15th September at the Hackney Empire, London.