Editing Richard Addinsell

{{Short description|English composer (1904–1977)}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox person 
| name = Richard Addinsell
| image = Richard Addinsell.jpg
| caption = Addinsell in 1949.
| birth_name =
| birth_date = 13 January 1904
| birth_place = [[Woburn Square]] London, England
| death_date = 14 November 1977 (aged 73)
| death_place = [[Brighton]], England
| death_cause = 
| resting_place = 
| resting_place_coordinates = 
| known_for = 
| education = Hertford College, Oxford. Royal College of Music, Kensington, London.
| employer = 
| occupation =Composer
| title = 
| term = 
| predecessor = 
| successor = 
| party = 
| boards = 
| spouse =
| children =
| relatives =
}}
'''Richard Stewart Addinsell''' (13 January 1904{{spaced ndash}}14 November 1977)<ref name="Harvard Bio">{{cite book|editor-last=Randel|editor-first=Don Michael|title=The Harvard biographical dictionary of music|year=1996|publisher=Belknap Press of Harvard Univ. Press|location=Cambridge, Massachusetts|isbn=0-674-37299-9|pages=[https://archive.org/details/harvardbiographi00rand/page/5 5]|chapter=Addinsell, Richard (Stewart)|chapter-url-access=registration|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/harvardbiographi00rand/page/5}}</ref> was an English composer, best known for film music, primarily his ''[[Warsaw Concerto]]'', composed for the 1941 film ''[[Dangerous Moonlight]]'' (also known under the later title ''Suicide Squadron'').

==Biography==

===Early life===
Richard Addinsell was born in [[Woburn Square]], London, to William Arthur Addinsell, who was a chartered accountant, and his wife, Annie Beatrice Richards.<ref name=odnb>Lamb, Andrew (2004). [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/62775 'Addinsell, Richard Stewart (1904–1977)']. ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press. Retrieved 13 September 2011.{{subscription required}}</ref> The younger of two brothers, Addinsell was educated at home before attending [[Hertford College, Oxford]], to study Law but went down after just 18 months.  He then became interested in music.<ref name=chandos />

===Early career===
In 1925, he enrolled at the [[Royal College of Music]] but lasted only two terms before leaving, again without obtaining any formal qualification.<ref name=odnb /> By this time Addinsell was already collaborating with [[Noel Gay]], among others, in an ''[[André Charlot]] Revue''.<ref name=chandos /> More work for Charlot in 1927 was followed in 1928 by a collaboration with [[Clemence Dane]] on ''Adam's Opera'' at [[The Old Vic]].<ref name=odnb /> In 1929, he completed his informal education by touring Europe to visit major theatrical and musical centres such as Berlin and Vienna.<ref name=chandos />

In 1932, with Clemence Dane, he wrote the [[incidental music]] for the Broadway adaptation of the combined ''[[Alice in Wonderland]]'' and ''[[Through the Looking Glass]]'' by [[Eva Le Gallienne]], starring [[Josephine Hutchinson]] (produced 1933).<ref name=grove>Ades, David. 'Addinsell, Richard (Stewart)' in ''Grove Music Online'' (2001)</ref>  In 1947 it was revived, starring Bambi Linn.

===Career in film composition===
The ''[[Warsaw Concerto]]'' was written for the 1941 film ''[[Dangerous Moonlight]]'', and continues to be a popular concert and recording piece. The film-makers wanted something in the style of [[Sergei Rachmaninoff]], but were unable to persuade Rachmaninoff himself to write a piece. [[Roy Douglas]] orchestrated the concerto. It has been recorded over one hundred times and has sold in excess of three million copies. Addinsell also scored Hitchcock's ''[[Under Capricorn]]'' (1949), referencing Irish folk melody in the score to support the Irish characters and their history.

Addinsell also wrote the short orchestral piece ''Southern Rhapsody'', which was played every morning at the start of TV broadcasts by the former [[Southern Television]] company in the south of England from 1958 to 1981.

As was common with film music until the 1950s, many of Addinsell's scores were destroyed by the studios as it was assumed there would be no further interest in them. However, recordings of his film music have been issued since his death, often reconstructed by musicologist and composer [[Philip Lane (composer)|Philip Lane]] from the soundtracks of the films themselves and conducted by [[Kenneth Alwyn]]<ref>Lane, Philip (1999). 'Richard Addinsell: film music'. ASV Records [sleevenotes to CD [http://www.musicweb-international.com/film/july99/addinsell.htm reviewed by Lace, Ian (1999) on MusicWeb International]. Retrieved 12 September 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.naxos.com/mainsite/blurbs_reviews.asp?item_code=8.223732&catNum=223732&filetype=About%20this%20Recording&language=English# 'Richard Addinsell: Goodbye Mr Chips / A Tale of Two Cities'], [http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.223732 recording released on Marco Polo Records] (1994). Retrieved 12 September 2011.</ref><ref>'Music of Richard Addinsell including Warsaw Concerto'. ASV Records [CD [https://archive.today/20120804180102/http://www.gramophone.net/Issue/Page/September%201997/121/816406/%C2%A9Addinsell+Film+Music.+Robert+Gibbs+(vn)+bMartin+Jones,cPeter+Lawson+(pfs)+Royal+Ballet+Sinfonia+I+Kenneth+Alwyn reviewed by Seeley, Robert (1997) in ''Gramophone'', September 1997, pp 121–122]. Retrieved 13 September 2011.</ref> or [[Rumon Gamba]].<ref name=chandos>Lane, Philip (2003). [https://web.archive.org/web/20110111154924/http://www.chandos.net/pdf/CHAN%2010046.pdf 'The film music of Richard Addinsell'] (pdf). Chandos Records. Retrieved 12 September 2011.</ref>

===Later career===
He collaborated from 1942 with [[Joyce Grenfell]] for her West End revues (including ''[[Tuppence Coloured]]'' and ''[[Penny Plain]]'') and her one-woman shows. He also wrote for West End musical revues directed by [[Laurier Lister]], including ''[[Airs on a Shoestring]]''  Addinsell's music is in the "English [[light music]]" style.<ref>Lamb, Andrew (2002). [http://www.gramophone.net/Issue/Page/November%202002/34 'British light music: sound good, feel good'], ''Gramophone'' November 2002, pp.34–38. Retrieved 13 September 2011.</ref> He regularly composed at the piano, providing other creative musicians such as Roy Douglas, Leonard Isaacs or [[Douglas Gamley]] with broad indications for their full orchestrations.<ref name=chandos /> Orchestral works composed (or adapted) for the concert hall include ''The Invitation Waltz'' (1950), the ''Smokey Mountains Concerto'' (1950) and ''The Isle of Apples'' (1965).<ref name=grove/>

==Personal life==
Addinsell retired from public life in the 1960s, gradually becoming estranged from his close friends. He was, for many years, the companion of the fashion designer [[Victor Stiebel]], who died in 1976.

Addinsell died in [[Brighton]] in 1977 aged 73. His cremation took place at [[Golders Green Crematorium]] on 18 November 1977.<ref name=wilson>>Wilson, Scott. ''Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons'', 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 508-509). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.</ref>
His ashes are buried there in a communal section of the crocus lawn.<ref name=wilson/>

==Film credits==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
*''[[His Lordship (1932 film)|His Lordship]]'' (1932)
*''[[The Amateur Gentleman (1936 film)|The Amateur Gentleman]]'' (1936)
*''[[Fire Over England]]'' (1937)
*''[[Dark Journey (film)|Dark Journey]]'' (1937)
*''[[Farewell Again]]'' (1937) 
*''[[South Riding (film)|South Riding]]'' (1938)
*''[[Vessel of Wrath (1938 film)|Vessel of Wrath]]'' (1938)
*''[[Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939 film)|Goodbye Mr. Chips]]'' (1939)
*''[[The Lion Has Wings]]'' (1940)
*''[[Men of the Lightship]]'' (1940; documentary)
*''Britain at Bay'' (1940; documentary)
*''[[Contraband (1940 film)|Contraband]]'' (1940)
*''[[Gaslight (1940 film)|Gaslight]]'' (1940)
*''W.R.N.S.'' (1941)
*''[[Old Bill and Son]]'' (1941)
*''[[Dangerous Moonlight]]'' (1941; containing the ''[[Warsaw Concerto]]'')
*''[[This England (film)|This England]]'' (1941)
*''[[Love on the Dole (film)|Love on the Dole]]'' (1941)
*''This Is Colour'' (1942; documentary)
*''[[The Big Blockade]]'' (1942)
*''[[The Day Will Dawn]]'' (1942)
*''The Siege of Tobruk'' (1942; documentary)
*''Troop Ship'' (1942; documentary—music for song ''Hold your hats on'')
*''[[The New Lot]]'' (1943)
{{col-break}}
*''We Sail at Midnight'' (1943; documentary)
*''[[A Diary for Timothy]]'' (1945; documentary)
*''[[Blithe Spirit (1945 film)|Blithe Spirit]]'' (1945)
*''Soldier Sailor'' (1945; documentary—music for song ''I'm going to see you today'')
*''[[The Passionate Friends (1949 film)|The Passionate Friends]]'' (1949)
*''[[Under Capricorn]]'' (1949)
*''[[The Black Rose]]'' (1950) 
*''[[Highly Dangerous]]'' (1950)   
*''[[Scrooge (1951 film)|Scrooge]]'' (1951)
*''[[Tom Brown's Schooldays (1951 film)|Tom Brown's Schooldays]]'' (1951)
*''[[Encore (1951 film)|Encore]]'' (1951)
*''The Secret Cave'' (1953) 
*''[[Sea Devils (1953 film)|Sea Devils]]'' (1953) 
*''[[Beau Brummell (1954 film)|Beau Brummell]]'' (1954)
*''[[Out of the Clouds]]'' (1955) 
*''[[The Prince and the Showgirl]]'' (1957)
*''[[The Admirable Crichton (1957 film)|The Admirable Crichton]]'' (1957; uncredited)
*''[[A Tale of Two Cities (1958 film)|A Tale of Two Cities]]'' (1958)
*''[[The Greengage Summer]]'' (1961) 
*''[[The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone]]'' (1961) 
*''[[Waltz of the Toreadors (film)|Waltz of the Toreadors]]'' (1962)
*''[[The War Lover]]'' (1962) 
*''[[Life at the Top (film)|Life at the Top]]'' (1965)
{{col-end}}
:Note<nowiki>:</nowiki> The source for the television and film appearances is the [[British Film Institute]].<ref name=BFI>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090114112843/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/66746?view=credit "Addinsell, Richard"], British Film Institute, accessed 11 February 2012</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0005941}} 
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090114112843/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/66746?view=credit Richard Addinsell] at the [[British Film Institute]] website
*{{NPG name}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Addinsell, Richard}}
[[Category:1904 births]]
[[Category:1977 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century English classical musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century English composers]]
[[Category:20th-century English LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:20th-century English male musicians]]
[[Category:Alumni of Hertford College, Oxford]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal College of Music]]
[[Category:Composers from London]]
[[Category:English film score composers]]
[[Category:English LGBTQ composers]]
[[Category:English light music composers]]
[[Category:English male film score composers]]
[[Category:LGBTQ classical composers]]
[[Category:LGBTQ film score composers]]
[[Category:LGBTQ people from London]]
[[Category:Musicians from Brighton and Hove]]