Christopher Gunning (born 5 August 1944) is an English

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

of concert works and music for films and television. Gunning was born in

Cheltenham Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral s ...

, Gloucestershire. He studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where his tutors included Edmund Rubbra and Richard Rodney Bennett. Gunning's film and TV compositions have received many awards, including the 2007 BAFTA Award for Best Film Music for ''

La Vie en Rose "La Vie en rose" (; ) is the signature song of popular French singer Édith Piaf, written in 1945, popularized in 1946, and released as a single in 1947. The song became very popular in the US in 1950, when seven versions reached the ''Billboard ...

'', as well as three additional awards for '' Agatha Christie's Poirot'', '' Middlemarch'', and '' Porterhouse Blue''. He has also won three '' Ivor Novello Awards'', for the TV miniseries ''

Rebecca Rebecca, ; Syriac: , ) from the Hebrew (lit., 'connection'), from Semitic root , 'to tie, couple or join', 'to secure', or 'to snare') () appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. According to biblical ...

'', and the film scores for '' Under Suspicion'' (1991), and '' Firelight'' (1997). His other film scores include '' Goodbye Gemini'' (1970), '' Hands of the Ripper'' (1971), '' Ooh... You Are Awful'' (1972), the film version of '' Man About the House'' (1974), ''

In Celebration ''In Celebration'' is a 1975 British drama film directed by Lindsay Anderson. It is based in the 1969 stage production of the same name by David Storey which was also directed by Anderson. The movie was produced and released as part of the Amer ...

'' (1975), '' Rogue Male'' (1976), '' Charlie Muffin'' (1979), '' Rise and Fall of Idi Amin'' (1981), '' Knights of God'' (1987), '' When the Whales Came'' (1989), '' Lighthouse Hill'' (2004) and ''

Grace of Monaco Grace Patricia Kelly (November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982) was an American actress who, after starring in several significant films in the early to mid-1950s, became Princess of Monaco by marrying Prince Rainier III in April 1956. Kelly ...

'' (2014). In the 1970s and 1980s, Gunning collaborated with rock musician Colin Blunstone and was responsible for the distinctive string arrangement on Blunstone's 1972 hit " Say You Don't Mind". He also provided the haunting string arrangements on " Won't Somebody Dance With Me", the Ivor Novello award-winning song written and performed by Lynsey De Paul as well as another of de Paul's hit singles " My Man and Me" and her 1974 album " Taste Me... Don't Waste Me". Gunning's scores for ''The Big Battalions'', '' Wild Africa'', '' Cold Lazarus'' and ''When the Whales Came'' also received nominations for BAFTA and Ivor Novello Awards, and his music for the Martini advertising campaign, heard around the world for thirty years, won three Clio Awards. Gunning composed the music for nearly all of the ''Poirot'' TV films starring

David Suchet Sir David Courtney Suchet''England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916–2007'' ( ; born 2 May 1946) is an English actor known for his work on British stage and television. He portrayed Edward Teller in the television serial '' Oppenh ...

, and worked on all three series of ''

Rosemary and Thyme ''Rosemary & Thyme'' is a British television cosy mystery thriller series starring Felicity Kendal and Pam Ferris as gardening detectives Rosemary Boxer and Laura Thyme. The show began on ITV in 2003. The third series ended in August 2007. ...

'' featuring Felicity Kendal and Pam Ferris. In addition to performances of his television and film scores, Gunning's ''Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra'' and ''The Lobster'' have been performed at various venues including London's

Southbank Centre Southbank Centre is a complex of artistic venues in London, England, on the South Bank of the River Thames (between Hungerford Bridge and Waterloo Bridge). It comprises three main performance venues (the Royal Festival Hall including the Nat ...

. ''The Saxophone Concerto'', played by John Harle with the

Academy of St. Martin in the Fields The Academy of St Martin in the Fields (ASMF) is an English chamber orchestra, based in London. John Churchill, then Master of Music at the London church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, and Neville Marriner founded the orchestra as "The Academy of ...

, has been released by Sanctuary Classics, ''The Lobster'' is available on the Meridian label, and the ''Piano Concerto, Symphony No. 1'' and ''Storm'' have been released by Albany Records. Recent works include concertos for the oboe and

clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches ...

and the CD ''Skylines''. The

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London, that performs and produces primarily classic works. The RPO was established by Thomas Beecham in 1946. In its early days, the orchestra secured profitable ...

performed the premiere of Symphonies No.3 and No.4, coupled with Concerto for Oboe and String Orchestra. This has been released by

Chandos Records Chandos Records is a British independent classical music recording company based in Colchester. It was founded in 1979 by Brian Couzens.Royal Philharmonic Orchestra The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London, that performs and produces primarily classic works. The RPO was established by Thomas Beecham in 1946. In its early days, the orchestra secured profitable ...

conducted by the composer and released on Signum Classics. In recognition of Gunning's contribution to music, he received a BASCA Gold Badge Award on 19 October 2011. Gunning has four daughters and lives in Hertfordshire. One of his daughters is a professional oboist. Another runs the travel blog wanderlustchloe.com.

References

External links

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Chandos Records
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gunning, Christopher 1944 births Living people 20th-century classical composers 20th-century English composers 20th-century British male musicians 21st-century classical composers 21st-century British male musicians British classical composers British male classical composers British television composers English film score composers English male film score composers Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Best Original Music BAFTA Award winners People from Cheltenham