Harry Rabinowitz facts for kids

Harry Rabinowitz MBE (1916–2016) was a talented South African-British musician. He was famous for being a conductor and a composer. A conductor leads an orchestra, making sure all the musicians play together perfectly. A composer writes music. Harry Rabinowitz created music for many movies and TV shows.

He was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, on March 26, 1916. His parents were Israel and Eva Rabinowitz. He studied music at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. Later, he went to London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama to learn even more.

Harry Rabinowitz's Musical Journey

Harry Rabinowitz's music career started in a department store. He played sheet music for customers there. His first time leading an orchestra was in 1945 for a show called Strike a New Note. He even used a rolled-up newspaper as his baton!

In 1946, he moved from South Africa to England. He wanted to study conducting more deeply.

Leading Orchestras and TV Music

Harry Rabinowitz became a very important conductor. From 1953 to 1960, he led the BBC Revue Orchestra. Then, he became the music director for BBC Television Light Entertainment from 1960 to 1968. He was also the head of music for London Weekend Television from 1968 to 1977.

He conducted famous orchestras around the world. These included the Hollywood Bowl (1983–1984) and the Boston Pops Orchestra (1985–1992). He also worked with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1996, he conducted at Carnegie Hall for a special celebration.

Music for Movies and TV Shows

Harry Rabinowitz conducted the music for many well-known films. Some of these movies include:

• Hanover Street (1979)
• Chariots of Fire (1981)
• Heat and Dust (1983)
• The Bostonians (1984)
• Return to Oz (1985)
• Lady Jane (1986)
• Maurice (1987)
• The Remains of the Day (1993)
• The English Patient (1996)
• The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
• Cold Mountain (2003)

He even had an uncredited piece of music in the science fiction movie Aliens (1986).

He also composed music for television shows. These include The Frost Report (1966), I, Claudius (1976), and The Agatha Christie Hour (1982).

In June 2015, Harry Rabinowitz was a special guest on the BBC Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs. On this show, guests choose music they would want if they were stranded on a desert island.

Harry Rabinowitz's Family Life

Harry Rabinowitz was married twice. His first wife was Lorna Thurlow Anderson. They were married in 1944. Later, in 2001, he married Mary C. Scott.

He had three children: two daughters named Karen Lesley and Lisa Gabrielle, and a son named Simon Oliver.

Harry Rabinowitz lived in different places. He spent part of the year in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. The rest of the year, he lived in Provence, France.

Later Years and Legacy

Harry Rabinowitz lived a very long life. He turned 100 years old on March 26, 2016. He passed away on June 22, 2016, at his home in Lacoste, France. Even in his later years, he continued to play the piano every day. His music and conducting left a lasting mark on film and television.

See also

In Spanish: Harry Rabinowitz para niños