Cedric Thorpe Davie OBE FRSE

FRAM Fram may refer to: Ships * ''Fram'' (ship), an arctic exploration vessel from Norway * MS ''Fram'', expedition cruise ship owned by Hurtigruten Group Places and geography * Fram, Paraguay, a town in Itapúa, Paraguay * Fram Formation, a se ...

RSA LLD (30 May 1913 – 18 January 1983) was a musician and composer, specialising in film scores, most notably '' The Green Man'' in 1956. A high proportion of his film and documentary work and compositional work has a Scottish theme.

Life

He was born in

Lewisham Lewisham () is an area of southeast London, England, south of Charing Cross. It is the principal area of the London Borough of Lewisham, and was within the historic county of Kent until 1889. It is identified in the London Plan as one of ...

in south

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, the son of Thorpe Davie, a music teacher and choir master. The family moved to

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

early in his life and he attended the

High School of Glasgow The High School of Glasgow is an independent, co-educational day school in Glasgow, Scotland. The original High School of Glasgow was founded as the choir school of Glasgow Cathedral in around 1124, and is the oldest school in Scotland, and the ...

. He studied at the Scottish National Academy of Music in

and the Royal Academy of Music in

. In

he was instructed in piano by

Egon Petri Egon Petri (23 March 188127 May 1962) was a Dutch pianist. Life and career Petri's family was Dutch. He was born a Dutch citizen but in Hanover, Germany, and grew up in Dresden, where he attended the Kreuzschule. His father, a professional vio ...

and

Harold Craxton Thomas Harold Hunt Craxton (30 April 188530 March 1971) was an English pianist, teacher and composer. Born in London, and growing up in Devizes, Craxton began studying piano with Tobias Matthay and Cuthbert Whitemore in 1907, and made a name for ...

, and horn by Aubrey Brain. He was instructed in composition by Ralph Vaughan Williams and Dr R. O. Morris. In 1935 he travelled to both

Helsinki Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the capital, primate, and most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of Uusimaa in southern Finland, and has a population of . The city ...

and

Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...

, for further training under Yrjo Kilpinen and

Zoltán Kodály Zoltán Kodály (; hu, Kodály Zoltán, ; 16 December 1882 – 6 March 1967) was a Hungarian composer, ethnomusicologist, pedagogue, linguist, and philosopher. He is well known internationally as the creator of the Kodály method of music edu ...

. He returned to Glasgow in 1936 and began lecturing in music. Early works included creation of operas such as ''Gammer Gurton's Needle''. In the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

he served in the National Fire Service covering the Glasgow docklands (an area of intense bombing). After the war he moved to

St Andrews University (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

as Master of Music, being raised to full Professor of Music in 1973. He was involved in the newly created

Edinburgh Festival __NOTOC__ This is a list of arts and cultural festivals regularly taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The city has become known for its festivals since the establishment in 1947 of the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Fe ...

in the 1950s, and oversaw production of important new Scottish musical works such as

Ane Satyre of the Thrie Estaites ''A Satire of the Three Estates'' (Middle Scots: ''Ane Pleasant Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis''), is a satirical morality play in Middle Scots, written by makar Sir David Lyndsay. The complete play was first performed outside in the playing fiel ...

. He was fond of putting Scottish literary works to music, including: '' Sunset Song'', '' Cloud Howe'', '' The Beggar's Benison'', ''

A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle ''A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle'' is a long poem by Hugh MacDiarmid written in Scots and published in 1926. It is composed as a form of monologue with influences from stream of consciousness genres of writing. A poem of extremes, it ranges be ...

'', and Ramsay's ''

The Gentle Shepherd ''The Gentle Shepherd'' is a pastoral Comedy#Etymology, comedy by Allan Ramsay (poet), Allan Ramsay. It was first published in 1725 and dedicated to Susanna Montgomery, Lady Eglinton, to whom Ramsay gifted the original manuscript. The play has ...

''. He also wrote the music for the Edinburgh Gateway Company's production of Robert Kemp's musical ''Marigold'' in 1955. In 1955 he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). In 1978, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Sir

Thomas Malcolm Knox Sir Thomas Malcolm Knox (28 November 1900 – 6 April 1980) was a British philosopher who served as Principal of St Andrews University from 1953–1966 and Vice-president of the Royal Society of Edinburgh from 1975–1978. Biography Knox w ...

, J. Steven Watson, Sir Norman Graham,

Norman Gash Norman Gash (16 January 1912 in Meerut, British Raj – 1 May 2009 in Somerset) was a British historian, best remembered for a two-volume biography of British prime minister Sir Robert Peel. He was professor of modern history at the University ...

, GWS Barrow and Anthony Elliot Ritchie. He lived in

St John's Town of Dalry St John's Town of Dalry ( gd, Clachan Eòin), usually referred to simply as Dalry ( / 'dal-RYE'), is a village in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, in the historic county of Kirkcudbrightshire. Location St Johns Town is located close to the ...

, Kirkcudbrightshire and died there on 18 January 1983. A substantial collection of his manuscripts and scores is held by the

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

Family

In 1937, he married Margaret Russell Brown. She died on 1 October 1974. They had two sons. * Anthony John Thorpe Davie (17 November 1939 – 8 January 2003) * Stephen William Thorpe Davie (born 8 April 1945)

Recognition

In 2013,

St Andrews University (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

held a special event to mark the centenary of Davie's birth.

Film scores by Davie

*''Scotland Speaks'' (1940) documentary *''This Modern Age'' (1946) *''The Brothers'' (1947) * '' Snowbound'' (1948) *''The Future of Scotland'' (1948) documentary *''

The Bad Lord Byron ''The Bad Lord Byron'' is a 1949 British historical drama film about the life of Lord Byron. It was directed by David MacDonald and starred Dennis Price as Byron with Mai Zetterling, Linden Travers and Joan Greenwood. Plot The film sees life ...

'' (1949) *'' The Adventurers'' (1951) *''

You're Only Young Twice ''You're Only Young Twice'' was a British TV sitcom made and broadcast on the ITV network by Yorkshire Television from 6 September 1977 to 4 August 1981. Plot Set in Paradise Lodge retirement home, ''You're Only Young Twice'' was created an ...

'' (1952) *''Highland Laddie'' (1952) documentary *''

Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue ''Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue'' is a 1953 adventure film produced by RKO-Walt Disney British Productions which is about Rob Roy MacGregor. It was the last Disney film released through RKO Radio Pictures. Plot The film begins in the early 18th ...

'' (1953) a Disney film usually now simply called ''Rob Roy'' *''The Miner's Widow'' (1954) documentary *''

The Dark Avenger ''The Dark Avenger'' is a 1955 British historical action adventure film directed by Henry Levin. The screenplay was written by Daniel B. Ullman (and an uncredited Phil Park). The film stars Errol Flynn, Joanne Dru and Peter Finch. The music ...

'' (1955) *''

Jacqueline Jacqueline may refer to: People * Jacqueline (given name), including a list of people with the name * Jacqueline Moore (born 1964), ring name "Jacqueline", American professional wrestler Arts and entertainment * ''Jacqueline'' (1923 film), ...

'' (1956) *''The Land of

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...

'' (1956) documentary *'' The Green Man'' (1956) *''The Kid from Canada'' (1957) *'' The Enchanted Island'' (1957) *''Wales'' (1957) documentary *''Scotland'' (1957) documentary *''

Rockets Galore! ''Rockets Galore!'' is a 1957 British comedy film directed by Michael Relph and starring Jeannie Carson, Donald Sinden and Roland Culver. The sequel to '' Whisky Galore!'', it was much less successful than its predecessor. It was based on the n ...

'' (1958) *'' The Bridal Path'' (1959) *'' A Terrible Beauty'' (1960) *''

Kidnapped Kidnapped may refer to: * subject to the crime of kidnapping Literature * ''Kidnapped'' (novel), an 1886 novel by Robert Louis Stevenson * ''Kidnapped'' (comics), a 2007 graphic novel adaptation of R. L. Stevenson's novel by Alan Grant and Ca ...

'' (1960) *''

Disneyland Disneyland is a theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Disney initially envision ...

'' (1963)

Publications

* ''Music Structure and Design'' (1966) * ''The Oxford Scottish Song Book'' (1969) joint editor * ''Scotland's Music'' (1980)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Davie, Cedric Thorpe 1913 births 1983 deaths 20th-century classical composers British film score composers Academics of the University of St Andrews Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 20th-century conductors (music) 20th-century English composers 20th-century classical pianists Composers for piano English classical composers English classical pianists Male classical pianists English opera composers Male opera composers English male classical composers People from Lewisham Officers of the Order of the British Empire People educated at the High School of Glasgow British male pianists British male film score composers 20th-century British male musicians