Howard Blake Howard Blake

Born: 28 October 1938, London, England.

Biography:
Howard Blake studied piano and composition at the Royal Academy of Music with Harold Craxton and Howard Ferguson. Blake worked steadily in television and film throughout the 1960s, coming to prominence in 1968 through his work on "The Avengers" TV series. His other major credits have included "The Duellists" (1977), "Blood Relatives" (1978), "Riddle of the Sands" (1979), "Flash Gordon" (1980), "A Month in the Country" (1987), "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1996) and "My Life So Far" (2000). However, arguably his most enduring work is that which he wrote for the "The Snowman" (1982), the classic animated short film based on the children's book by Raymond Briggs. The orchestral score was originally composed for the film and then adapted as a concert work for performance with narrator. It has since been developed in many forms, including as a stage show and ballet, and entered public consciousness via its hit song 'Walking in the Air', performed by Peter Auty for the film (1982) and later in a commercial hit by Aled Jones (1985). As well as his film and television work, Blake's has also written extensively for the concert hall and stage, his most notable achievements including the dramatic oratorio "Benedictus" (1979), a clarinet concerto (1984), his "Nursery Rhyme Overture" (1984), and a piano concerto written to celebrate the thirtieth birthday of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1990. Blake was awarded an OBE in 1994, and recently premiered a large-scale choral work, "Stabat Mater", with the Choir of Winchester Cathedral and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Interestingly, Blake was also Ridley Scott's first choice composer for his follow-up to "The Duellists" - "Alien" (1979). Blake was all set to begin work when 20th Century Fox stepped in and recommended another composer... Jerry Goldsmith.

Reviews:
The Duellists, The Riddle of the Sands and The Snowman

Filmography:
Ten (2002), The Bear (1999), My Life So Far (2000), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1996), A Month in the Country (1987), The Canterville Ghost (1986), The Wreck of Julie Plante (1985), The Lords of Discipline (1983), Amityville 3-D (1983), The Hunger (1983), The Snowman (1982), The Changeling (1980), Flash Gordon (1980), The Riddle of the Sands (1979), S.O.S. Titanic (1979), The Odd Job (1978), Blood Relatives (1977), The Duellists (1977), Stronger Than the Sun (1977), The Rainbow Gang (1973), An Elephant Called Slowly (1969), Some Will, Some Won't (1969), The Avengers (1961).

Highest Grossing Films as at end of 2006 (adjusted for inflation):
Flash Gordon ($66.3m), The Lords of Discipline ($24.6m), Amityville 3-D ($13.2m), The Duellists ($8.3m), Blood Relatives ($6.8m), The Riddle of the Sands (negligible grosses)

Awards:
1980 BAFTA Awards – Nominee, Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music – Flash Gordon

Links:
Official Site

The Duellists/The Riddle of the Sands Flash Gordon/Amityville 3-D The Snowman


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