The death was announced over the Christmas period of composer Richard Rodney Bennett, who died aged 76 at his home in his adopted city of New York.
One of Britain’s most versatile composers, he earned two Oscar nominations for his film scores as well as worldwide critical acclaim for his output, which broached jazz and opera to serial music and choral works.
Flowers of the Forest
His work, ‘Flowers of the Forest – Reflections on a Scottish Folk Song’ was commissioned by the BBC for the National Youth Band of Great Britain in 1989.
Based on a 16th century Scottish folk song it used the same thematic material as his earlier ‘Six Scottish Folk Songs’ composed in 1972.
