Marcus Dods (19 April 1918 in Edinburgh – 30 April 1984 in

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), was a Scottish musician and composer. He was educated at Rugby School, King's College, Cambridge, where he won a choral scholarship, and later graduated from the

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. He played rugby union at school and university and represented Cambridge University R.U.F.C. in The Varsity Match in December 1938. Dods was assistant music director in the Rank Organisation 1947–1951, where he assisted Muir Mathieson. He worked with Mathieson on the soundtrack recording of William Walton's score for

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's '' Hamlet'' in 1948. Although a composer in his own right, he was better known as an arranger and conductor. Dods was the conductor and chorus master for Sadler's Wells Opera Company (now the English National Opera) from 1952 to 1956. In 1966, he became chief conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra, a post he held until 1970. In 1972 he became the musical director of the London Concert Orchestra, a post he held until his death in 1984. As a musical director, he worked on such films as ''

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'' (1967), '' Nicholas and Alexandra'' (1971), '' Lady Caroline Lamb'' (1972), '' Murder on the Orient Express'' (1974) and '' Watership Down'' (1978). His television work included ''

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'', ''

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'' and '' The Forsyte Saga''. Recordings with Dods as conductor include Malcolm Williamson's ''The Happy Prince'' on Argo (with the

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), Lionel Bart's ''

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'' original cast recording for

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, and "British Music for Film & Television" with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra for EMI. Dods' short composition ''Highland Fancy'' has been recorded for

ASV Records ASV Records was a London-based record label set up by Harley Usill, founder of Argo Records, Decca producer and former Argo general manager, Kevin Daly, and producer Jack Boyce, after Argo's parent company Decca was bought by PolyGram in 1980. ...

References

* Holmes, John L., ''Conductors on Record''. Greenwood Press () (1982). {{DEFAULTSORT:Dods, Marcus 1918 births 1984 deaths Scottish composers Alumni of King's College, Cambridge People educated at Rugby School Musicians from Edinburgh Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music 20th-century classical musicians 20th-century British composers 20th-century Scottish musicians Cambridge University R.U.F.C. players