Carl Davis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carl Davis
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| Born | October 28, 1936 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
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| Died | August 3, 2023 (aged 86) Oxford, England
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| Alma mater | Bard College |
| Occupation | Conductor and composer |
| Years active | 1960–2023 |
| Spouse(s) | Jean Boht (1970–2023) |
| Children | 2 |
Carl Davis (October 28, 1936 – August 3, 2023) was an American-born British conductor and composer. He wrote music for over 100 TV shows, including the famous BBC series Pride and Prejudice (1995). He also created new music for old silent movies and composed many pieces for films, ballets, and concerts. One of his most famous works was the Liverpool Oratorio in 1991, which he wrote with Paul McCartney.
Contents
Early Life and Start of His Career
Carl Davis was born in Brooklyn, New York City. He studied how to compose music with different teachers. He also went to Bard College in New York.
Early in his career, he gained valuable experience conducting for groups like the New York City Opera. In 1959, a show he helped write, called Diversions, won an award. This show later went to the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland in 1961. Because of its success, Carl Davis was asked to write music for a British TV show called That Was the Week That Was. This helped him start his career in the UK.
Music for Television
Carl Davis became well-known for writing the main music for BBC TV shows like The Wednesday Play and Play for Today.
He composed music for many other TV series, including:
- The World at War (1973), a documentary about history.
- Pride and Prejudice (1995), a popular drama series.
- Cold War (1998), another historical documentary.
He even conducted the BBC's theme song for their coverage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup football tournament.
Bringing Silent Films to Life with Music
In the late 1970s, Carl Davis started working on a special project: creating music for silent films. Silent films are old movies that didn't have recorded sound or dialogue. Instead, they often had live music played during the screening.
Davis wrote new orchestral music for many classic silent films, which helped bring them back to life for new audiences. Some of these included:
- Napoléon (1927), a long and famous French film.
- Intolerance (1916), another important early film.
He also wrote music for documentaries about famous silent film stars like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Harold Lloyd. Carl Davis became a top choice for creating new music for silent films. He often conducted these scores live in cinemas or concert halls while the film was being shown.
Some other silent films he wrote music for include:
- Ben-Hur (1925)
- The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
- City Lights (1931), a famous Charlie Chaplin film.
Music for Movies
Carl Davis also composed music for many feature films. He won a BAFTA Award for Best Film Music for his work on The French Lieutenant's Woman in 1981.
Some of his other film scores include:
- King David (1985)
- Scandal (1989)
- The Trial (1993)
- The Great Gatsby (2000)
Stage and Concert Music
Carl Davis wrote many pieces for the stage (like ballets and musicals) and for concert halls.
Some of his notable works include:
- The Lady of the Camellias: A ballet first performed in Croatia.
- Cyrano: A ballet commissioned by the Birmingham Royal Ballet.
- Alice in Wonderland: A musical based on the famous book by Lewis Carroll.
- Aladdin: A ballet commissioned by Scottish Ballet.
- The Liverpool Oratorio: In 1991, Carl Davis worked with Paul McCartney to create this large musical work. It was written to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic orchestra. The music was inspired by Paul McCartney's own life.
- The Last Train to Tomorrow: This piece was written for a children’s choir, actors, and orchestra. It tells the story of the Kindertransport, which was a rescue effort during wartime that saved children from Nazi-controlled areas.
Personal Life
Carl Davis was married to British actress Jean Boht from 1970 until his death. They had two daughters, Hannah Louise and Jessie Jo. Carl Davis even composed music for his daughter Hannah's films, Mothers & Daughters (2004) and The Understudy (2008). He and his wife also appeared in The Understudy as a married couple.
Carl Davis passed away on August 3, 2023, in Oxford, England, at the age of 86.
See also
In Spanish: Carl Davis para niños
