Richard Harvey
Encyclopedia
Richard Harvey is a BAFTA Award–winning British
musician
and composer
. He is best known for his film and television soundtracks. He is also known for his Guitar concerto "Concerto Antico", which was composed for the guitarist John Williams
and the London Symphony Orchestra.
, Harvey soon became involved in music, learning the recorder
when he was four years old, switching first to percussion and later playing clarinet
in the British Youth Symphony Orchestra. By the time he graduated from London's Royal College of Music
in 1972, he was accomplished in the recorder flute
, krumhorn, and other mediaeval and Renaissance
-era instruments, as well as the mandolin
and various keyboards. He could have joined the London Philharmonic Orchestra
, but instead chose to work with Musica Reservata, an early music
ensemble. He subsequently met another RCM graduate, Brian Gulland, and went on to form the progressive rock
and folk
band Gryphon
. During that period, he also worked with other folk rock
musicians such as Richard and Linda Thompson and Ashley Hutchings
. When Gryphon wound down in the late 1970s, he became a session musician, playing on Kate Bush
's Lionheart, Gerry Rafferty
's Night Owl
, Sweet
's Level Headed and Gordon Giltrap
's Fear of the Dark
and The Peacock Party, among others. He also had a brief spell in New Wave outfit The Banned
.
in the mid 1970s he became involved in composing for film and television. His first work was to provide music for the television series Tales of the Unexpected
in 1979. In the subsequent 31 years he has supplied scores to over 80 television and film projects.
Notable works include 1979's Martian Chronicles ending titles, 1984's wistful Shroud for a Nightingale
theme for the PD James detective series, 1985's Defence of the Realm
, Alan Bleasdale
's G.B.H in 1991 which he co-wrote with Elvis Costello
(and which won them, jointly, a British Academy of Film and Television Arts
award) and most recently in 2006 Ron Howard
's The Da Vinci Code
and Gabriel Range
's Death of a President.
In addition he has been a musician on such films as The Lion King
, Enemy of the State and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
.
Compositions from Harvey's "Nifty Digits" release (KPM Library #1251) are featured in a famous Sesame Street
segment filmed at a crayon factory.
Harvey is also a prolific composer of production music
.
. He has frequently toured and recorded with his old friend John Williams
, on projects including the 2002 album Magic Box. He also played on the 2004 album The Opera Band
by pop/classical crossover act Amici Forever
, which reached #74 on the Billboard Top 200 albums and #2 on the Billboard Top Classical crossover chart. He worked again with his BAFTA-winning colleague Elvis Costello on his 2006 album My Flame Burns Blue
. A skilled multi-instrumentalist, he has a collection of over 700 different instruments from around the world.
Since 2005, "John Williams & Richard Harvey's World Tour" has popped up in many different countries, from Japan and China to Ireland and Luxembourg, with the duo playing a mixture of world music and classical spanning five continents and five centuries and featuring Chinese, African and European instruments. There are several UK concerts scheduled for May 2011.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
. He is best known for his film and television soundtracks. He is also known for his Guitar concerto "Concerto Antico", which was composed for the guitarist John Williams
John Williams (guitarist)
John Christopher Williams is an Australian classical guitarist, and a long-term resident of the United Kingdom. In 1973, he shared a Grammy Award win in the 'Best Chamber Music Performance' category with Julian Bream for Julian and John .-Biography:John Williams was born on 24 April 1941 in...
and the London Symphony Orchestra.
Early life and career
Born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Harvey soon became involved in music, learning the recorder
Recorder
The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
when he was four years old, switching first to percussion and later playing clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
in the British Youth Symphony Orchestra. By the time he graduated from London's Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
in 1972, he was accomplished in the recorder flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, krumhorn, and other mediaeval and Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
-era instruments, as well as the mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
and various keyboards. He could have joined the London Philharmonic Orchestra
London Philharmonic Orchestra
The London Philharmonic Orchestra , based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom, and is based in the Royal Festival Hall. In addition, the LPO is the main resident orchestra of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera...
, but instead chose to work with Musica Reservata, an early music
Early music
Early music is generally understood as comprising all music from the earliest times up to the Renaissance. However, today this term has come to include "any music for which a historically appropriate style of performance must be reconstructed on the basis of surviving scores, treatises,...
ensemble. He subsequently met another RCM graduate, Brian Gulland, and went on to form the progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
and folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
band Gryphon
Gryphon (band)
Gryphon were a British progressive rock band of the 1970s, best known for their unusual Medieval sound and instrumentation.-Career:Multi-instrumentalist Richard Harvey and his fellow Royal College of Music graduate Brian Gulland, a woodwind player, began the group as an all-acoustic ensemble that...
. During that period, he also worked with other folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
musicians such as Richard and Linda Thompson and Ashley Hutchings
Ashley Hutchings
Ashley Stephen Hutchings is an English bassist, vocalist, songwriter, arranger, band leader, writer and record producer. He was a founder member of three of the most noteworthy English folk-rock bands in the history of the genre; Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and The Albion Band...
. When Gryphon wound down in the late 1970s, he became a session musician, playing on Kate Bush
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...
's Lionheart, Gerry Rafferty
Gerry Rafferty
Gerald "Gerry" Rafferty was a Scottish singer songwriter best known for his solo hits "Baker Street", "Right Down the Line", "Days Gone Down", "Night Owl", "Get It Right Next Time", and with the band Stealers Wheel, "Stuck in the Middle with You". Rafferty was born into a working-class family in...
's Night Owl
Night Owl (album)
Night Owl is a 1979 album by Gerry Rafferty. It was released a year after Rafferty's Platinum-selling album City to City. While not quite performing as well as its predecessor, Night Owl still managed enough sales to achieve Gold status in North America and the United Kingdom. The title song...
, Sweet
Sweet (band)
Sweet was a British rock band that rose to worldwide fame in the 1970s as one of the most prominent glam rock acts, with the classic line-up of lead vocalist Brian Connolly, bass player Steve Priest, guitarist Andy Scott, and drummer Mick Tucker.Sweet was formed in 1968 and achieved their first...
's Level Headed and Gordon Giltrap
Gordon Giltrap
Gordon Giltrap is an English acoustic and electric guitarist and composer, whose musical styles cross multiple genres, including folk, blues, folk rock, pop, classical and rock....
's Fear of the Dark
Fear Of The Dark (Gordon Giltrap album)
Fear Of The Dark is a 1978 studio album by guitarist Gordon Giltrap. It is the last of the album trilogy that started with 1976's Visionary and continued with 1977's Perilous Journey.The album was remixed and re-released in 1998.-Personnel:...
and The Peacock Party, among others. He also had a brief spell in New Wave outfit The Banned
The Banned
The Banned are a fictional band in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The storyline aired in 1986 and although it was considered to be a failure on-screen, it nevertheless became a successful part of the serial's extensive merchandising industry that year, as it spawned two Hit singles in the UK Music...
.
Film and television career
After working with film composer Maurice JarreMaurice Jarre
Maurice-Alexis Jarre was a French composer and conductor.Although he composed several concert works, he is best known for his film scores, and is particularly known for his collaborations with film director David Lean. Jarre composed the scores to all of Lean's films since Lawrence of Arabia...
in the mid 1970s he became involved in composing for film and television. His first work was to provide music for the television series Tales of the Unexpected
Tales of the Unexpected (TV series)
Tales of the Unexpected is a British television series originally aired between 1979 and 1988, made by Anglia Television for ITV. Filming began in 1978.The series was an anthology of different tales...
in 1979. In the subsequent 31 years he has supplied scores to over 80 television and film projects.
Notable works include 1979's Martian Chronicles ending titles, 1984's wistful Shroud for a Nightingale
Shroud for a Nightingale
Shroud for a Nightingale is a 1971 detective novel written by PD James in her Adam Dalgliesh series. Chief Superintendent Adam Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard is called in to investigate the death of two student nurses at the hospital nursing school of Nightingale House...
theme for the PD James detective series, 1985's Defence of the Realm
Defence of the Realm
Defence of the Realm is a 1985 political thriller directed by David Drury. Starring Gabriel Byrne, Greta Scacchi and Denholm Elliott...
, Alan Bleasdale
Alan Bleasdale
Alan Bleasdale is an English television dramatist, best known for writing several social realist drama serials based on the lives of ordinary people.The Bleasdales live in prescot,liverpool,wales and london.-Early life:Bleasdale is an only child; his father worked in a food factory and his mother...
's G.B.H in 1991 which he co-wrote with Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
(and which won them, jointly, a British Academy of Film and Television Arts
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
award) and most recently in 2006 Ron Howard
Ron Howard
Ronald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years...
's The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code (film)
The Da Vinci Code is a 2006 American mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard. The screenplay was written by Akiva Goldsman and based on Dan Brown's worldwide bestselling 2003 novel, The Da Vinci Code...
and Gabriel Range
Gabriel Range
Gabriel Range is a British filmmaker, who is probably best known for his fictional political-documentary about the assassination of George W. Bush in Death of a President...
's Death of a President.
In addition he has been a musician on such films as The Lion King
The Lion King
The Lion King is a 1994 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 32nd feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series...
, Enemy of the State and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a 2004 fantasy film directed by Alfonso Cuarón and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the third instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by Chris Columbus, David Heyman and Mark Radcliffe...
.
Compositions from Harvey's "Nifty Digits" release (KPM Library #1251) are featured in a famous Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
segment filmed at a crayon factory.
Harvey is also a prolific composer of production music
Production music
Production music is the name given to recorded music produced and owned by production music libraries and licensed to customers for use in film, television, radio and other media.-Introduction:...
.
Other projects
In 1984, he was a conductor on one of the series of Classic rock albums by the London Symphony OrchestraLondon Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
. He has frequently toured and recorded with his old friend John Williams
John Williams (guitarist)
John Christopher Williams is an Australian classical guitarist, and a long-term resident of the United Kingdom. In 1973, he shared a Grammy Award win in the 'Best Chamber Music Performance' category with Julian Bream for Julian and John .-Biography:John Williams was born on 24 April 1941 in...
, on projects including the 2002 album Magic Box. He also played on the 2004 album The Opera Band
The Opera Band
-Making of the album:The members of Amici Forever met when rehearsing and performing at opera venues around the world. Tenor Geoff Sewell, originally from New Zealand, came up with the idea of an "opera band" mixing traditional opera with contemporary pop...
by pop/classical crossover act Amici Forever
Amici Forever
Amici Forever is a band of four classically trained singers who mix opera with pop music . The band's first album, The Opera Band , reached number one on the Australian classical charts, number two on the United States classical charts and the top 5 in the United Kingdom classical...
, which reached #74 on the Billboard Top 200 albums and #2 on the Billboard Top Classical crossover chart. He worked again with his BAFTA-winning colleague Elvis Costello on his 2006 album My Flame Burns Blue
My Flame Burns Blue
My Flame Burns Blue is the twenty-second album by Elvis Costello, released on Deutsche Grammophon, B0005994-72. It is his second official live release after the El Mocambo bonus disc issued with the 2½ Years box set. It consists of recordings from the North Sea Jazz Festival in July 2004, made with...
. A skilled multi-instrumentalist, he has a collection of over 700 different instruments from around the world.
Since 2005, "John Williams & Richard Harvey's World Tour" has popped up in many different countries, from Japan and China to Ireland and Luxembourg, with the duo playing a mixture of world music and classical spanning five continents and five centuries and featuring Chinese, African and European instruments. There are several UK concerts scheduled for May 2011.
Career highlights
- 1977 Composed station theme for Hospital Radio Moorfields (on air 1974-2006)
- 1983 Composed music for Gerry Anderson's TerrahawksTerrahawksGerry Anderson & Christopher Burr's Terrahawks, simply referred to as Terrahawks, was a British science fiction television series produced by Anderson Burr Pictures and created by the production team of Gerry Anderson and Christopher Burr. The show was Anderson's first in over a decade to utilize...
- 1984 Principal conductor of the London Symphony OrchestraLondon Symphony OrchestraThe London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
for "Classic rockClassic rockClassic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
" - 1987 Composed music for the Children's ITVCITVCITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00...
series The Gemini Factor - 1988 Regular member of John WilliamsJohn Williams (guitarist)John Christopher Williams is an Australian classical guitarist, and a long-term resident of the United Kingdom. In 1973, he shared a Grammy Award win in the 'Best Chamber Music Performance' category with Julian Bream for Julian and John .-Biography:John Williams was born on 24 April 1941 in...
and Friends - 1989 Composed Oratorio Plague and the Moonflower (to librettoLibrettoA libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by Ralph SteadmanRalph SteadmanRalph Steadman is a British cartoonist and caricaturist who is perhaps best known for his work with American author Hunter S. Thompson.-Personal life:Steadman was born in Wallasey, Cheshire, and brought up in Towyn, North Wales...
performed in ExeterExeterExeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
, SalisburySalisburySalisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, CanterburyCanterburyCanterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
and St Paul's CathedralSt Paul's CathedralSt Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
, and recipient of Best BBC TV Art's Film in 1990) - 1991 British AcademyBritish AcademyThe British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
award for the score for GBH (with Elvis CostelloElvis CostelloElvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
) - 1991 Composed A Time of Miracles for W11 OperaW11 OperaW11 Opera is an independent opera company which produces operas performed by young people aged 9 to 18. Founded in 1971, it takes its name from its location in W11, a postal district in West London consisting largely of Notting Hill and parts of Holland Park....
- 1995 Composed Concerto Antico for John WilliamsJohn Williams (guitarist)John Christopher Williams is an Australian classical guitarist, and a long-term resident of the United Kingdom. In 1973, he shared a Grammy Award win in the 'Best Chamber Music Performance' category with Julian Bream for Julian and John .-Biography:John Williams was born on 24 April 1941 in...
and the London Symphony OrchestraLondon Symphony OrchestraThe London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:... - 1996 Performed all featured woodwind solos on the score for The Lion KingThe Lion KingThe Lion King is a 1994 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 32nd feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series...
- 1999 Composed the score for the Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
Company's Animal FarmAnimal FarmAnimal Farm is an allegorical novella by George Orwell published in England on 17 August 1945. According to Orwell, the book reflects events leading up to and during the Stalin era before World War II... - 2000 Composed score for the acclaimed HallmarkHallmarkA hallmark is an official mark or series of marks struck on items made of precious metals — platinum, gold, silver and in some nations, palladium...
project Arabian NightsArabian Nights (TV miniseries)Arabian Nights is a two-part 2000 American/British miniseries, adapted by Peter Barnes from Sir Richard Francis Burton's translation of the medieval epic One Thousand and One Nights. Mili Avital and Dougray Scott stars as Scheherazade and Shahryar respectively... - 2001 Composed score for the ThaiCinema of ThailandThe cinema of Thailand dates back to the early days of filmmaking, when King Chulalongkorn's 1897 visit to Bern, Switzerland was recorded by Francois-Henri Lavancy-Clarke. The film was then brought to Bangkok, where it was exhibited...
historical epic The Legend of SuriyothaiThe Legend of SuriyothaiThe Legend of Suriyothai is a 2001 Thai film directed by Chatrichalerm Yukol, telling the story of Queen Suriyothai, who died in a battle in 1548 against Burmese invaders... - 2002 Composed score for feature film LutherLuther (2003 film)Luther is a 2003 biopic about the life of Martin Luther . It was an independent biopic and was partially funded by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, starring Joseph Fiennes....
- 2004 Subhanahongsa AwardThailand National Film Association AwardsThe Thailand National Film Association Awards is a Thai film industry ceremony held annually by the Federation of National Film Associations of Thailand...
from the Federation of National Film Associations of Thailand for The Macabre Case of Prom Piram. - 2005 Composed Ivor NovelloIvor NovelloDavid Ivor Davies , better known as Ivor Novello, was a Welsh composer, singer and actor who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. Born into a musical family, his first successes were as a songwriter...
nominated score for feature length drama, ColditzColditzColditz is a town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, near Leipzig, located on the banks of the river Mulde. The town has a population of 5,188 .... - 2005 Composed score for feature film Three aka Survival IslandSurvival IslandSurvival Island, also known as Three, is a 2006 film written and directed by Stewart Raffill. It stars Billy Zane, Kelly Brook, and Juan Pablo Di Pace.-Plot:...
- 2006 Composed score for Death of a President, International Critics' Award winning film at Toronto Film Festival (September 2006)
- 2007 Composed score for King NaresuanKing Naresuan (film)The Legend of King Naresuan is a Thai biographical historical drama film about King Naresuan the Great, who ruled Siam from 1590 until his death in 1605....
, the follow-up to Suriyothai - 2009 Composed Recorder Concerto (Concerto Incantanto) for Michala PetriMichala PetriMichala Petri is a Danish recorder player. Petri is sought after as a soloist with many noted orchestras, including the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. She has released 34 recordings, toured extensively over four continents, and has had dozens of pieces written for her...
and the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong