name	Heart
background	group_or_band
origin	(Members from) Seattle,Washington, USA(Band based in) Vancouver,British Columbia, Canada (1973-1976)
genre	Hard rock, folk rock
years active	–present
label	Mushroom/Epic/Sony BMG/Portrait/Legacy (1976-1983)EMI/Capitol (1985-1995) Shout! Factory/Sovereign (2004- 2009) Sony Legacy (2010- )
associated acts	The Lovemongers
website
current members	Ann WilsonNancy WilsonBen SmithKristian AttardDebbie ShairCraig Bartock
past members	See: Frank Cox }}

Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music. After diminishing in popularity for a couple of years in the early 80s, the band enjoyed a comeback in 1985, experiencing further successes with their power ballads and pop hits into the 1990s.

Over their four-decade career, Heart has had chart successes with songs in genres ranging from hard rock and metal to folk rock. With ''Jupiter's Darling'' (2004) and ''Red Velvet Car'' (2010), Heart made a return to their hard rock/acoustic roots of the late 70s. To date, Heart has sold over 30 million records worldwide. Heart was ranked #57 on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock".

History

Origins (1967–1974)

Steve Fossen, Roger Fisher, Mike Fisher

In 1967 Steve Fossen formed ''The Army'' along with Roger Fisher on guitar, Don Wilhelm on guitar, keyboards and lead vocals, Ray Schaefer on drums. Fossen played the bass. They played for several years in and around the Bothell, Washington area (northeast of Seattle). They frequently played Bothell High School, Inglemoor High School and Shorecrest High School, as well as many taverns and club venues. They frequented the club "Parker's" on Aurora Avenue in north Seattle during the 1970s when it was known as the "Aquarius Tavern". In 1969 the band went through line-up changes (Gary Ziegelman on lead vocals, Roger on guitar, Steve on bass, James Cirrello on guitar, Ron Rudge on drums, Ken Hansen on percussion, and Debi Cuidon on vocals) and a new name, ''White Heart'' (from ''Tales from the White Hart'', a collection of short stories by Arthur C. Clarke). For a brief time in 1970 this line-up shortened its name to Heart; however, the band went through more personnel changes. In 1971, Heart consisted of Steve Fossen, Roger Fisher, David Belzer (keys) and Jeff Johnson (drums).. When Ann Wilson joined in 1972, the band was named ''Hocus Pocus''. Mike Fisher, Roger's brother, was set to be drafted. Nancy Wilson has stated that when he did not report for duty, his home was raided, but he slipped out a rear window, escaped to Canada and became a Vietnam War draft dodger.

One day in 1972, Mike crossed the border to visit family and, by chance, met Ann at a ''Hocus Pocus'' show. According to Nancy, that meeting was "when she and Michael fell in love" and Ann decided to follow Mike back to Canada. Steve Fossen finished his college education before he also decided to move to Canada in late 1972, and Roger followed in late 1972 / early 1973, and along with Mike and Ann, the band ''Heart'' was officially formed. Nancy joined in 1974, and soon after became involved with Roger. In 1974 the Heart lineup consisted of Ann, Nancy, Roger, Steve, John Hannah (keyboards), and Brian Johnstone (drums).

Ann and Nancy Wilson

The Wilson sisters grew up in Southern California and Taiwan before their Marine Corps father retired to the Seattle suburbs. After Ann graduated from Sammamish High School in Bellevue, Washington, she joined Roger Fisher in the band ''Hocus Pocus'' where she met Roger's brother Mike in 1971, and followed him back to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Meanwhile, Nancy finished high school then went to college where she majored in art and German literature. She then played solo gigs until 1974 when she quit college and moved to Canada to join Heart.

Success (1975–1981)

Heart's residency in Canada was long enough for the group to gain recognition as "Canadian artists" by the CRTC for the purposes of broadcasting. This status meant that the group's early recordings qualified as Canadian content and therefore received increased attention from radio programmers. In their early days the group told audiences that they were from Canada, even though all the members of Heart were citizens of the United States and were never permanent residents of Canada.

After many one-night shows around their new home in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the group recorded a demo tape with the assistance of producer Mike Flicker and session-guitarist and keyboard player, Howard Leese. Hannah and Johnstone had left by this time, and soon after Leese became a full-time member of the group. The same team then cut the debut album, ''Dreamboat Annie'', which attracted the attention of the newly formed Mushroom Records in 1975, a Vancouver-based label run by Shelly Siegel. Drummers Duris Maxwell, Dave Wilson, Kat Hendrikse and Michael Derosier were among those who played on the sessions for the album. Derosier eventually joined them as their full-time drummer.

Upon release in Canada, the album was first picked up for radio airplay by a station in Montreal. Airplay on Canadian stations soon picked up, helped in part by the fact that the album qualified as "Canadian content." The album sold an impressive 30,000 copies across Canada in its first few months. In the US, Siegel released the album first in the Seattle area where it quickly sold another 25,000 copies. With two hit singles, "Crazy on You" (#35, 1976) and "Magic Man" (#9, 1976), ''Dreamboat Annie'' eventually sold over 1 million copies.

Mike Fisher was able to freely return to the United States with the members of Heart after President Jimmy Carter granted amnesty to Vietnam draft dodgers upon taking office on January 21, 1977. By this time Heart had broken its contract with Mushroom Records and signed with CBS subsidiary Portrait, a move that resulted in a prolonged legal battle with Siegel. He released the partly completed ''Magazine'' just before Portrait released ''Little Queen''. A Seattle court ruled that Mushroom Records had to recall ''Magazine'' so that the group could remix several tracks and redo vocals before re-releasing the disc; Heart had wanted the album taken off the market completely. Hence, ''Magazine'' was released twice, both before and after ''Little Queen''. ''Little Queen'', with the hit "Barracuda" (#11, 1977), became Heart's second million-seller. Ann and Nancy appeared on the cover of ''Rolling Stone'' in July 1977 (issue No. 244).

''Magazine'' was re-issued in April 1978, with a re-ordered tracklisting and remixed versions of many of the songs. It peaked in the top twenty. It achieved platinum status and gave forth the Top 20 hit single "Heartless".

In late 1978, the double-platinum ''Dog and Butterfly'' followed suit garnering ecstatic critical reviews, and yielded top 30 hits with its title song and "Straight On". The album was composed of 8 tracks and divided into two sections, the A-side being "Dog" and featuring more uptempo rock/pop songs, whilst the "Butterfly" B-side featured longer tracks with a more experimental and moody flavour. The closing 7-minute opus "Mistral Wind" became an immediate live favorite and is a staple of all Heart set lists to this day.

After the 77-city "Dog and Butterfly" tour, the Wilson-Fisher liaisons ended, as Roger had by then left the band in the fall of 1979 and formed his own band in the Seattle area. Nancy Wilson and longtime guitarist Howard Leese filled in the guitar void, and her childhood friend Sue Ennis helped with song collaborations. Still, the absence of Fisher's guitar work was evident in the band's subsequent albums.

Heart then released ''Bebe le Strange'' in 1980. It became the band's second top ten album, peaking at #5 and achieving gold status, and yielded the Top 40 hit "Even It Up". By the end of the year, the band scored their highest charted single at the time; a remake of the ballad "Tell it Like it Is" which peaked at #8.

In November 1980, to mark the significant achievement of their first five studio albums, the double album ''Greatest Hits Live'' was released to double platinum success and reached #12 on the US chart, continuing a chart run until spring 1981. Something of a misnomer, the two-disc set actually featured studio versions of most of Heart's singles to date plus a couple of new studio tracks and 6 live tracks, amongst which were covers of "Unchained Melody", Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll" and The Beatles' "I'm Down". But with a total of only two hit singles in 1980, (five singles were actually released), and a hiatus of almost two years to their next studio album, sales following this greatest hits package were weaker than previous efforts.

Decline (1982-1984)

Following the release of ''Private Audition'' in 1982, Fossen and Derosier left the band. Both ''Private Audition'' and 1983's ''Passionworks'', (featuring new bassist Mark Andes and new drummer Denny Carmassi), failed to go gold.

''Private Audition'' presented an eclectic range of styles and marked quite a departure in sound from previous Heart releases. The hard rock opener "City's Burning" and Nancy's contribution "The Situation" were the only real connections to the sound of 1980's "Bebe Le Strange"; the rest of the album featured a Supremes-sounding Top 40 hit, "This Man Is Mine", a Ragtime-influenced title track, several gentle pop ballads, (the standout being "Perfect Stranger"), and an intensely dramatic coda in the form of "America".

''Passionworks'' featured the Top 50 hit "How Can I Refuse", and was a definite step towards the power ballad/pop sound which reached its zenith in the three studio albums that followed. This was particularly in evidence with the minor hits "Allies" and "Sleep Alone".

In 1984 Ann Wilson recorded a duet, with Mike Reno of Loverboy, called "Almost Paradise". It was featured on the soundtrack of the movie ''Footloose''. The song was a hit on the pop charts, reaching #7, and was a further foreshadowing of the sound that shaped the band's enormous comeback.

Comeback (1985–1990)

Heart's first album for Capitol, simply titled ''Heart'' (#1, 1985), turned out to be the biggest commercial success in the band's history. It sold five million copies on the strength of four Top-10 hits: "What About Love" (#10, 1985), "Never" (#4, 1985), "These Dreams" (#1, 1986) and "Nothin' at All" (#10, 1986). A fifth single, the metallic "If Looks Could Kill" also charted.

In June 1986, Nancy Wilson married journalist, screenwriter and director Cameron Crowe. (She had made a cameo appearance in his movie, ''Fast Times at Ridgemont High'' in 1982, in a scene where she was driving a Corvette, and was listed in the credits as "Beautiful Girl in Car".)

Heart's next album, ''Bad Animals'' (#2, 1987), continued the power ballad theme that defined much of 1980s pop. It also contained a chart-topper, "Alone" (#1, 1987), as well as "Who Will You Run To" (#7, 1987), "There's the Girl" (#12, 1987) and "I Want You So Bad" (#47, 1988), and also became the band's first top 10 album success in the UK, peaking at #7 on the UK Album Chart.

In a 1988 interview with Nine-O-One Network Magazine, Ann Wilson disclosed that the title song from the album, “Bad Animals,” was written about a bad experience at a posh Memphis hotel. “We walked in and people looked at us like we were scum,” she explained. “It was an elegant lobby, with elegant rugs and vases, and we were tired and our hair was wild.” Nancy interrupted, “All the people were dressed to the hilt. They all looked like they were all from Dynasty. It was like a hush fell over the place . . . So, we just looked at each other and said, ‘sore thumb lobby.’”

Completing the comeback was ''Brigade'' (#3, 1990) which became Heart's 6th multi-platinum LP and added three more Top-25 hits to its catalogue: "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You" (#2 U.S.), "Stranded" (#12 U.S.) and "I Didn't Want to Need You" (#24 U.S.). Three other album cuts, "Secret", "Wild Child" and "Tall, Dark Handsome Stranger" were Rock chart hits and received considerable airplay on US hard rock and heavy metal stations. ''Brigade'' was the band's highest charting album ever in the UK, reaching #3.

1991–1995

Following the 1990 tour, Heart released their first complete live album in the autumn of 1991. ''Rock the House Live!'' featured highlights of the Brigade world tour, and was a moderate success in the US and UK.

The Wilson sisters then put together an informal acoustic group called The Lovemongers with Sue Ennis and Frank Cox. A four-song EP, that included a live version of Led Zeppelin's "The Battle of Evermore" and an updated version of the Heart standard "Crazy On You", came out in late 1992, and the quartet performed several times in the Seattle area. The Lovemongers released a full-length album titled ''Whirlygig'' in 1997, and a collection of mostly self-penned Christmas songs entitled "Here is Christmas" in 1998. This was later re-released as a Heart album ''Heart Presents a Lovemongers' Christmas'' in 2001.

Also in 1992, Ann sang with Alice in Chains on the songs "Brother," "Am I Inside," and "Love Song," from the EP ''Sap.'' When Heart re-emerged with ''Desire Walks On'' (#48) in 1993, Schuyler Deale played bass on the album's sessions. (Mark Andes had left the band by 1992.) ''Desire Walks On'' included the hard rock/metal radio hit "Black on Black II" as well as the Top 40 hit "Will You Be There (In the Morning)" (#39, 1994). For the group's subsequent tour, Heart was joined by bassist Fernando Saunders and drummer Denny Fongheiser. The band offered live acoustic versions of its best-known songs on 1995's ''The Road Home,'' which was produced by Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones, with Jones also performing with the band on mandolin and other instruments.

In 1995 Nancy decided to take a break from music to concentrate on raising a family with husband Cameron Crowe. Ann toured that year with a band that was alternately called The Ann Wilson Band or Ann Wilson & the Ricola Brothers. This lineup included Leese, Scott Olson (guitars), Jon Bayless (bass), and Scott Adams (sax). Additionally, Lovemongers members Ben Smith (drums) and Frank Cox (guitars, keyboards, percussion) performed in this lineup. They were joined by Nancy for at least one show at The Joint in Las Vegas on October 16, 1995, which was billed as a Heart show and later broadcast by the Westwood One Superstars in Concert series. A videotape of the show was also shown on VH1.

1996-2001

In 1998 Ann toured again without Nancy, this time billed as Ann Wilson and Heart. The lineup was the same as it had been in 1995, but without Scott Adams. This was long term band member Leese's last tour with Heart; he left the band later in the year. Nancy kept busy scoring her husband's movies ''Jerry Maguire'', ''Almost Famous'', ''Elizabethtown'' and ''Vanilla Sky''. She wrote and, along with her husband, produced the song "I Fall Apart" in ''Vanilla Sky'' that Cameron Diaz performed, and also composed "Elevator Beat", a non-vocal composition for the film. In 1999 Nancy released a solo album, ''Live at McCabe's Guitar Shop''. Also in 1999, Nancy and Ann embarked on a tour of their own, this being the first time that they had done so.

2002-2006

In 2002, Ann and Nancy returned to the road with a brand-new Heart lineup that included Scott Olson, Ben Smith, Alice in Chains bassist Mike Inez, and keyboardist Tom Kellock. In 2003, Heart released their concert DVD ''Alive in Seattle'' which has since been certified Gold - Video Longform by the RIAA. The DVD includes such hits as "Alone", "Barracuda", "Crazy on You", "Magic Man", "Straight On", "These Dreams" and many more.

Also in 2003, Gilby Clarke (ex-Guns N' Roses) and Darian Sahanaja replaced Olson and Kellock. These two new men didn't stay very long and were succeeded in 2004 by Craig Bartok and Debbie Shair. (Sahanaja's schedule became very busy after he joined Brian Wilson's touring band, but he returned to play with Heart in 2007 for their "Dreamboat Annie Live" show.)

In 2004 the Wilsons released ''Jupiter's Darling'', their first studio album as Heart since 1993. It featured a variety of songs that included a return to Heart's original hard rock sound, as well as a blend of pop and new textures. Stand-out tracks included "Make Me", "Enough", "Oldest Story in the World" (#22 Billboard Rock Airplay, 2004) and "Lost Angel". In 2005 the Wilsons appeared on the CMT Music Awards as a special guest of country singer Gretchen Wilson (no relation) and performed the Heart classic, "Crazy on You", with Gretchen. Also in 2005 Heart appeared in the finale episode of the second season of ''The L Word'' on Showtime (broadcast on May 15, 2005), performing "Crazy on You".

Heart performed with Gretchen Wilson on VH-1's 10 March 2006 tribute to the band, "Decades Rock Live". The special also featured Alice in Chains, Phil Anselmo, Dave Navarro, Rufus Wainwright, and Carrie Underwood. Later in the year, bass player Inez left Heart to re-join the reformed Alice in Chains. Ric Markmann then became Heart's new bassist.

2007-2009

Heart was honored at the second annual VH1 Rock Honors (24 May 2007), and also performed along with Ozzy Osbourne, Genesis and ZZ Top. Gretchen Wilson and Alice in Chains honored the group by performing "Barracuda". This, along with the inclusion of "Crazy on You" in ''Guitar Hero II'', "Barracuda" in the ''Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock'', and ''Guitar Hero: Smash Hits'' video game, renewed interest in Heart once again.

In September 2007, Ann Wilson released her first solo album, ''Hope & Glory.'' The album features guest appearances by Elton John, Alison Krauss, Nancy Wilson, k d lang, Wynonna Judd, Gretchen Wilson, Rufus Wainwright, Shawn Colvin, and Deana Carter, and was produced by Ben Mink (Barenaked Ladies, k d lang, and Feist). Both Nancy Wilson and Roger Fisher commenced writing autobiographies, but no publication dates have yet been mentioned.

Heart appeared on ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' on January 25, 2008 for Ellen's birthday show, and performed "Barracuda." Ellen played an intro to "Barracuda" on ''Guitar Hero'' in front of the audience before announcing Heart. On April 9, 2008, the band appeared on ''Idol Gives Back'' with Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson, who sang "Barracuda" in harmony with Ann. In mid 2008, Heart made a U.S. tour with Journey and Cheap Trick.

On 31 May 2008, Heart performed at the Artist for the Arts Foundation benefit at Barnum Hall, Santa Monica High School, Santa Monica, CA. Performing live, along side Jackson Browne (Something Fine), Venice (Crazy on You) and over 70 members of the Santa Monica High School (SaMoHi) Orchestra and Girls Choir (Bohemian Rhapsody), the benefit helped to provide funds for the continuation of Music Education in public schools. The event was filmed and recorded by Touring Video and Post by On the WAVE Productions. The video was produced by Harry Rabin of OTW and can be seen on the AFTA Foundation website.

In July 2009, Heart were special guests on 15 dates of Journey's summer arena tour. They played at a number of venues, including Louisville's Freedom Hall, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the Sovereign Center, Reno Events Center, and Taco Bell Arena. Heart also headlined a series of shows, with The Bangles opening for them. Heart also headlined at the Verizon Wireless American Music Festival Labor Day 2009. They also wrote two songs ("Mine," "Civilian") with American female pop rock duo 78violet for their upcoming self titled studio album.

2010 and Heart's Return to the Top 10

On August 31, 2010 a long-awaited new studio album entitled ''Red Velvet Car'' was released. The album contains 10 tracks, including a new working of the Lovemongers' song "Sand". It marks a stylistic return to Heart's melodic hard rock / acoustic sound, previously featured most prominently on ''Little Queen'' and ''Dog and Butterfly''. ''Red Velvet Car'' debuted at #10 on the Billboard Album chart for the week of September 11, 2010, making it the highest debut ever for a Heart album and their first top 10 album success in 20 years, after 1990's ''Brigade''. The album also debuted at #3 on Billboard's Rock Album chart. ''Red Velvet Car'' spawned two singles, "WTF" aimed at hard rock and classic rock radio and "Hey You" aimed at Adult Contemporary formats. "Hey You" charted at #26 on Billboard's AC chart, while "WTF" charted at #16 on Billboard's Top Selling Rock Singles chart.

Some limited edition versions of the album, sold through U.S. Target stores (also available on the CD in UK, Canada, Japan and Europe as well as on iTunes UK, Europe and Canada) included the bonus track "Closer to the Sun". Additional Bonus tracks include: "In the Cool" (also available through U.S. Target stores and on iTunes UK, Europe and Canada), "Bootful of Beer" (available on the CD in UK, Canada, Japan and Europe as well as on iTunes UK, Europe and Canada) and the track "Listening" - available only on the Japanese CD Import version. The album release was accompanied by a North American tour, which commenced in January and ran until December 2010. On November 4, 2010, it was announced that Heart would do its first cross-Canada tour in thirty years, beginning on January 28, 2011 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Potential European dates have been pushed to later in 2011 and are expected to be announced in due course.

A live DVD and Blu-ray disc of the 2010 US tour, ''A Night at Sky Church'', was released on March 8, 2011, the show already having been filmed on March 5, 2010, in their hometown of Seattle.

Coming off their latest Top 10 album and cross country tour of Canada, Heart announced on February 24 that they will be embarking on a 2011 summer tour co-headlining with Def Leppard. According to Ann Wilson, "Nancy and I are really excited to be bringing Heart to the stage this summer with Def Leppard. It's going to be a powerful, monster show. The real thing. The summer of 2011 will be amazing."

Heart also played as part of 2010 ''VH1 Divas Support the Troops'', along with Katy Perry, Paramore, Nicki Minaj, Sugarland, Keri Hilson, and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. During Heart's set, Grace Potter played keyboards and dueted with Ann on vocals on "Crazy on You". After an initial rollout with multiple airings, this show is currently being aired occasionally on VH1 and affiliated channels, as well as Palladia HD channel. The concert was presented by the USO, hosted by Kathy Griffin, and recorded Friday, December 3, 2010 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California.

Legacy

In addition to their own recording careers, the Wilson sisters have played a role on the Seattle music scene. Among the groups who have recorded at their Bad Animals studio are R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden and Candlebox.

"Heart's Heart: 20 Years of Rock & Roll" was the first CD-ROM multimedia biography/greatest hits package ever released.

In 2009 the Wilson sisters were also awarded ASCAP's Founders Award in recognition of their 35-year songwriting career.

Heart has achieved Top 10 albums on the Billboard charts in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and now 2010 with chart singles in each decade. This span of four decades places them among the most commercially enduring hard rock acts of all time.

Heart's diversity in music styles has been evident in their chart successes. The band has had singles chart success on Billboard's Hot 100, Mainstream Rock Tracks, and Adult Contemporary charts. Throughout history Heart has been labeled as Hard Rock, Folk, Easy Listening, Heavy Metal, and Hair Metal, many times demonstrating two or more of these styles on the same album. Their album title ''Dog and Butterfly'' was a symbol of their sometimes contradictory styles, with the "Dog" side of the album focusing on hard rock tunes and the "Butterfly" side made up of acoustic folk music. Their epic "Mistral Wind" from this album captured both styles in one song, starting as a mellow acoustic ballad and building to a metal crescendo. "Mistral Wind" is considered by many followers of Heart to be the band's finest studio recording.

Controversy

In 1977, Heart's record label, Mushroom Records, fueled rumors that Ann and Nancy were lesbian lovers by running a full-page ad in ''Rolling Stone'' showing the sisters bare-shouldered (as appearing on the "Dreamboat Annie" album cover) and suggestively captioned, "It was only our first time!" When a reporter suggested, backstage after a live appearance, that the sisters were sex partners, the infuriated Ann returned to her hotel room and began writing the lyrics to "Barracuda" to relieve her frustration. The song became one of Heart's biggest hits, charting at #11 in 1977.

There was no denying that sex appeal was a major ingredient in the sisters’ success. In 1988, the sisters told author James L. Dickerson that they would never apologize for exploiting their sex appeal. Ann pointed out that cleavage ran in their family and she saw no reason to deny it. “I’ve always been lucky to know men who have encouraged us for that,” she said, laughing.

Members and former members

Artist !! Instrument(s) !! Period
	Manager, engineer, producer, light man, guitar (1973–74)	1973-1979
	Lead guitar, backing vocals
	Electric bass guitar, percussion
	Keyboards
	Drums
	Vocals (Lead vocals, backing vocals), flute, guitar, keyboards, percussion, violin, autoharp
	Vocals, guitar (acoustic guitars, electric guitars, lead guitar), mandolin, keyboards, synthesizers, harmonica
	Drums, percussion
	Hammond B-3, Fender Rhodes electric piano
	Guitars, electric lead, acoustic 12 string, acoustic 6 string, bass, keyboards, synthesizers,mandolin, recorder, orchestra arrangements, autoharp, percussion, backing vocals
	Electric bass guitar, backing vocals
	Drums, percussion
	Electric bass guitar
	Drums, percussion
	Electric bass guitar
	Guitars, electric & acoustics
	Guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
	Sax
	Electric bass guitar
	Keyboards, synthesizers
	Drums
	Electric bass guitar
	Guitar
	Keyboards, synthesizers
	Guitar
	Keyboards, synthesizers
	Electric bass guitar
	Electric bass guitar

Timeline

Discography

''Dreamboat Annie'' (1976)

''Little Queen'' (1977)

''Magazine'' (1978)

''Dog and Butterfly'' (1978)

''Bebe le Strange'' (1980)

''Private Audition'' (1982)

''Passionworks'' (1983)

''Heart'' (1985)

''Bad Animals'' (1987)

''Brigade'' (1990)

''Desire Walks On'' (1993)

''Jupiters Darling'' (2004)

''Red Velvet Car'' (2010)

See also

List of best-selling music artists

:Category:Images of Heart (band)

Offshoots from Heart and subsequent activities of former band members:

*Fisher, Fossen, DeRosier: Alias

References and notes

Notes

Bibliography

Jake Brown, ''Heart: In the Studio'', Ecw Press (June 1, 2008), ISBN 1550228315 (There are many errors in this book including wrong dates and wrong song titles.)

Dickerson, James L. (2005)" Go, Girl, Go! The Women's Revolution in Music," Schirmer Trade Books. ISBN 0-8256-7316-x.

External links

Heart's official site

Interview with Howard Leese

"The first Canadian version of Heart" (Steve Fossen, Brian Johnstone, John Hannah, Ann Wilson & Roger Fisher)

Assorted early performances - videos at RogerFisher.com

Category:American rock music groups Category:Canadian rock music groups Category:Musical groups established in 1973 Category:Musical groups from Washington (state) Category:Musical groups from Vancouver Category:Columbia Records artists Category:Capitol Records artists Category:Juno Award winners

cs:Heart da:Heart (gruppe) de:Heart es:Heart (banda) fr:Heart it:Heart (gruppo musicale) nl:Heart ja:ハート (バンド) no:Heart pl:Heart (grupa muzyczna) pt:Heart ru:Heart simple:Heart (band) sk:Heart fi:Heart sv:Heart th:ฮาร์ต uk:Heart zh:Heart樂團

background	solo_singer
instrument	Vocals, flute, guitar, 12 string guitar, bass guitar, violin, piano, autoharp, keyboards, percussion
name	Ann Wilson
birth name	Ann Dustin Wilson
born	June 19, 1950San Diego, California
genre	Rock, hard rock, folk rock, pop rock
associated acts	Heart, The Lovemongers, Alice in Chains, Pantera, Marilyn Manson
years active	1970–present }}

Ann Dustin Wilson (born June 19, 1950) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, flute player, songwriter, and occasional guitar player of the rock band Heart.

Personal life

Wilson was born in San Diego, California. Her father was a colonel in the Marine Corps, and she moved frequently. Her family eventually settled in Bellevue, a suburb of Seattle, Washington. Shy because of a stutter, Wilson sought fulfillment in music. In the early 1970s she joined a local band, White Heart, which changed its name to Hocus Pocus, and then in 1974, to Heart.

During the 1970s, Ann Wilson was in a relationship with Michael Fisher, the manager of the band, while her younger sister Nancy was involved with lead guitarist Roger Fisher, Michael's younger brother. Both couples controlled the band. In 1979, both relationships ended; Ann stated that Michael had fallen in love with another woman and they parted. The song "Magic Man" was written about Michael and contains autobiographical lyrics about the beginning of their relationship.

Ann adopted her daughter Marie in 1991 and her son Dustin in 1998.

As a child, Ann was teased for being overweight. She revealed that in the 1970s she would starve herself to stay thin. When Heart created a comeback in the mid-1980s, Ann had gained significant weight. Fearing it would compromise the band's image, record company executives and band members began pressuring her to lose weight. In music videos, camera angles and clothes were often used to minimize her girth, and more focus was put on her sister Nancy. Ann stated she began suffering from stress-related panic attacks due to the negative publicity surrounding her obesity. She underwent a weight-loss surgery called "adjustable gastric band" in January 2002 after what she calls "a lifelong battle" with her weight.

Recording career

In 1974 Ann's younger sister Nancy joined Heart, and the band moved to Canada. Heart recorded their first album ''Dreamboat Annie'' in Vancouver in 1975; it was released in the United States in 1976. In 1977 ''Little Queen'' was released, and in 1978, ''Dog & Butterfly''. Ann also sang the duet "Almost Paradise" with Mike Reno in the movie ''Footloose'' from 1984 which reached number seven on Billboard's Hot 100. In 1986 she released a solo single from the movie "The Golden Child" called "The Best Man in the World" which reached number sixty-one in the U.S. She also had a hit with "Surrender to Me" in 1988/1989, a duet with Cheap Trick singer Robin Zander, taken from the film ''Tequila Sunrise'' which reached number six in the U.S. singles chart.

In 1992 Ann appeared on Alice in Chains' EP ''Sap''; she did vocals for "Brother", "Am I Inside" and "Love Song". In 1993, Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley contributed to vocals on "Ring Them Bells," a Bob Dylan cover from Heart's album Desire Walks On. In addition, Alice in Chains bassist Mike Inez and touring guitarist Scott Olson appeared on Heart's 2003 release ''Alive in Seattle.''

Ann and Nancy started a recording studio, Bad Animals, in Seattle in the mid-1990s. They formed a side band, The Lovemongers, which performed "The Battle of Evermore" on the 1992 soundtrack to the Cameron Crowe (Nancy's then husband) movie ''Singles'', and later released a four-song EP. The Lovemongers' debut album ''Whirlygig'' was released in 1997.

Solo career

In 2006 Ann began recording her first solo album, ''Hope & Glory'', produced by Ben Mink, and released by the Rounder (Zoe) Music Group on September 11, 2007. ''Hope & Glory'' features guest appearances from Elton John, k.d. lang, Alison Krauss, Gretchen Wilson, Shawn Colvin, Rufus Wainwright, Wynonna Judd and Deana Carter. Ann's sister, Nancy, also contributed. Four singles were released from the project, "Little Problems, Little Lies", "Isolation" and "Immigrant Song".

The ''Hope & Glory'' version of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" is available on Ann's official MySpace page, and charted as "the #9 most podcasted song of 2007" on the PMC Top10's annual countdown. Ann's powerful, piercing voice led many to refer to her as "the female Robert Plant" (Led Zeppelin's lead vocalist).

Ann joined producer Alan Parsons in the 2001 live tribute tour to Beatles music called ''A Walk Down Abbey Road''.

In June 2007 she sang with the group Sed Nove and Ian Gillan in the Festival of Music in Paris.

References

External links

Heart

Official Ann Wilson MySpace page

Category:1950 births Category:American female singers Category:Female rock singers Category:Living people Category:People from San Diego, California Category:People from Seattle, Washington Category:Musicians from Washington (state) Category:Heart (band) members

ar:آن ويلسن cs:Ann Wilson de:Ann Wilson es:Ann Wilson fr:Ann Wilson pt:Ann Wilson ru:Уилсон, Энн fi:Ann Wilson sv:Ann Wilson (musiker)

name	Nick Mason
background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
birth name	Nicholas Berkeley Mason
born	January 27, 1944Edgbaston, Birmingham, England
instrument	Drums, percussion, keyboards, guitar, vocals
genre	Progressive rock, psychedelic rock, instrumental rock
occupation	Musician, drummer, record producer, author, composer
years active	1964–present
label	Capitol, Columbia, Sony, EMI, Harvest
associated acts	Pink Floyd Sigma 6The Screaming AbdabsThe Tea SetMason & FennRobert WyattCarla BleyMichael Mantler }}

Nicholas Berkeley "Nick" Mason (born 27 January 1944) is an English drummer and songwriter, best known for his work with Pink Floyd. He was the only constant member of the band since its formation in 1965. Despite solely writing only a few Pink Floyd songs, Mason has contributed to some of Pink Floyd's most popular songs such as "Interstellar Overdrive", "A Saucerful Of Secrets" and "Echoes". He also competes in auto racing events, such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Early life

The son of the documentary film maker Bill Mason, he was born in Birmingham but brought up in Hampstead, London (many online biographies mistakenly cite the street address Downshire Hill – sometimes as "the Downshire Hills" – as a district of Birmingham) and attended Frensham Heights School, Surrey. He later studied at the Regent Street Polytechnic (now the University of Westminster), where he teamed up with Roger Waters, Bob Klose and Richard Wright in 1964 to form Pink Floyd's predecessor, Sigma 6.

Musical career

Mason has been the drummer on every Pink Floyd album (but not on every song; some session drummers have been used).

Despite legal conflicts over ownership of the name 'Pink Floyd', Roger Waters and Nick Mason are now on good terms. Mason joined Waters on the last two nights of his 2002 world tour to play drums on the Pink Floyd song "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun", and he also played drums on some concerts of Waters' European tour in 2006, and during performances in Los Angeles and New York City in the United States. On 12 May 2007, Mason joined Waters again on stage at Earls Court to play ''The Dark Side of the Moon''. Again on 12 May 2011 Mason was featured, along with David Gilmour, on the encore Outside the Wall at Waters´ concert who was performing The Wall it its entity. Gilmour also performed on Comfortably Numb that night.

In July 2005, Mason, Gilmour, Wright, and Waters played together on stage for the first time in 24 years. A four song set was played at the Live 8 concert in London. Mason also joined David Gilmour and Richard Wright for the encore during Gilmour's show at the Royal Albert Hall, London, on 31 May 2006, reuniting the post-Waters Pink Floyd. Mason has also claimed to be the link between Gilmour and Waters, and believes the band will play live again. His answers have ranged from "playing again for a charitable cause" to "a tour" given in various interviews in the last few years. He also stated in 2006 that Pink Floyd have not officially disbanded yet.

The only Pink Floyd songs that are solely credited to Mason are "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party Parts 1-3" (from ''Ummagumma'') and "Speak to Me" (from ''The Dark Side of the Moon''). The one-off song by the band entitled "Nick's Boogie" was named after him.

The only times Mason's voice has been included on Pink Floyd's albums are "Corporal Clegg", the single spoken line in "One of These Days" and spoken parts of "Signs of Life" and "Learning to Fly" (the latter taken from actual recording of Mason's first solo flight) from ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason''. He does, however, sing lead vocals on two unreleased but heavily bootlegged tracks, "Scream Thy Last Scream" (1967) and "The Merry Xmas Song" (1975–76). In live performances of the song "Sheep", he did the spoken section.

Unlike the other members of Pink Floyd, Mason has rarely played an instrument other than his usual one (drums), although he has contributed sound effects to many Pink Floyd albums. He has only ever played non-percussive instruments on "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party", his personal composition from ''Ummagumma'', where he provided some keyboard, guitar and bass noises, and on live versions of "Outside the Wall", where he played acoustic guitar along with the rest of the band. He has claimed that he took some failed violin and piano lessons as a child. However, on the ''Profiles'' album Nick released with Rick Fenn in 1985, he is also credited with keyboards. He can be seen playing a synthesizer in the promo video for "Lie for a Lie", but it is unknown if he actually played on the recording.

Mason has done some work with other people, notably as a drummer and producer for Steve Hillage, Robert Wyatt, The Damned and Gong. He also drummed for Michael Mantler.

Nick Mason used Premier drums in the 1960s and occasionally in the 1970s (mainly on recordings up to Wish You Were Here). After that, he used Ludwig drums from 1970 until 1992. He currently uses Drum Workshop (DW) drums, pedals and hardware. His kit is a DW double bass kit with the ''Dark Side of the Moon'' logo on the drums. He has also used Paiste cymbals during his entire career with Pink Floyd. He currently uses a mixture of Paiste Traditional, Signature and 2002 cymbals.

Nick Mason's book, ''Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd'', was published in the UK in October 2004. It is also available, abridged, as a 3CD audio book, read by Mason.

Notable Pink Floyd songs co-written by Mason

Interstellar Overdrive (1967) (''The Piper at the Gates of Dawn'')

A Saucerful Of Secrets (1968) (''A Saucerful of Secrets'')

Atom Heart Mother (1970) (''Atom Heart Mother'')

One of These Days (1971) (''Meddle'')

Echoes (1971) (''Meddle'')

Time (1973) (''The Dark Side of the Moon'')

Non-musical ventures

name	Nick Mason
nationality	British
years	1979–80, 1982–84
team(s)	Dorset Racing AssociatesEMKA ProductionsDome RacingGTi Engineering
best finish	18th (1979)
class wins	0 }}

Mason is married (to his second wife, Nettie) and has four children; two daughters (Holly and Chloe) from his first marriage and two sons (Guy and Cary) from his second. They live in Hampstead, London; however they often stay in the Wiltshire town of Corsham in the former home of Camilla Parker Bowles.

As Floyd's recording and touring schedule grew more sporadic, Mason was left with more time to pursue his favourite hobby: car racing. He owns (through his company Ten Tenths) and races several classic cars, and has competed successfully at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. His collection has been a subject of his 1998 book, ''Into the Red'' in which he documents his experience with his cars, along with some histories. He is also a qualified pilot, and flies an Aerospatiale AS 350 Squirrel helicopter in specially painted colours.

Mason was invited by Ferrari to purchase one of their 400 Enzos, which Jeremy Clarkson pleaded with him to borrow for reviewing purposes on the BBC motoring programme ''Top Gear''. Mason agreed, on the sole condition that throughout the review, Clarkson promoted the release of the book ''Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd''. This led to Clarkson using Pink Floyd album titles in his description of the Enzo and The Stig driving round the track with "Another Brick in the Wall" playing (despite the fact that the Enzo does not come equipped with a stereo). Mason says that his favourite car of all time is the Ferrari 250 GTO, and owns one of the 39 built (which is valued at between £16,000,000 and £20,000,000).

His wealth amounts to £55 million, according to the Sunday Times Rich List 2006–07. (although this figure is believed to be inaccurate as his car collection alone would be worth a substantial part of this figure).

Views and advocacy

Mason is a supporter of the Countryside Alliance and has played concerts to raise funds for the organisation. He is a board member and co-chairman of the Featured Artists' Coalition.

Discography

With Pink Floyd

With Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports

''Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports'' – 3 May 1981

With Rick Fenn

''Profiles'' – 29 July 1985

''White of the Eye'' – 1987 (soundtrack)

''Tank Malling'' – 1988 (soundtrack)

With Michael Mantler

''The Hapless Child'' - 1976

''Something There'' – 1982

''Live'' – 1987

''Review'' - 2000

''Concertos'' – 2008

As a producer

Principal Edwards Magic Theatre – ''The Asmoto Running Band'' (1971)

Principal Edwards Magic Theatre – ''Round One'' (1974)

Robert Wyatt – ''Rock Bottom'' (1974)

Gong – ''Shamal'' (1976)

The Damned – ''Music for Pleasure'' (1977)

Steve Hillage – ''Green'' (1978); Co-produced with Steve Hillage. Mason also plays a drum on "Leylines to Glassdom"

Books

''Into the Red: 22 Classic Cars That Shaped a Century of Motor Sport'' (with Mark Hales) – 3 September 1998 (first edition), 9 September 2004 (second edition)

''Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd'' – 28 October 2004

References

External links

Nick Mason's Drummerworld profile

Nick Mason Interviews

Ten Tenths official site

Inside Out book page from Pink Floyd official site

Pink Floyd Drums: The Division Bell Tour Drums

Nick Mason's interview for Hit Channel website

Category:1944 births Category:Living people Category:People from Edgbaston Category:Old Frenshamians Category:Alumni of the University of Westminster Category:English drummers Category:English rock drummers Category:Pink Floyd members Category:English record producers Category:24 Hours of Le Mans drivers

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name	The Michael Nyman Band
background	classical_ensemble
alias	Campiello Band
origin	London, England
genre	contemporary classical music minimalist music film scores
years active	1976-present
label	PianoEMI/Virgin/Venture/CarolineEditions EGJayArgoSLCWarner Bros.MN Music
associated acts	Balanescu Quartet John Harle Band Camilli Quartet London Saxophonic Michael Nyman Orchestra
current members	Michael NymanAndrew FindonDavid RoachKate MuskerTony HinniganSimon HaramMartin ElliottNigel BarrSteve SidwellDavid LeeCathy ThompsonGabrielle Lester
past members	Alexander BalanescuJohn HarleElisabeth PerrySteve SaundersDavid FuestJonathan CarneyGraham AshtonClare ConnorsDavid RixRichard ClewsMarjorie DunnAnn MorfeeBill HawkesKatherine ShaveBruce WhiteNigel GommGeorgina Born
notable instruments	}}

The Michael Nyman Band, formerly known as the Campiello Band, is a group formed as a street band for a 1976 production of Carlo Goldoni's 1756 play, ''Il Campiello'' directed by Bill Bryden at the Old Vic. The band did not wish to break up after the production ended, so its director, Michael Nyman, began composing music for the group to perform, beginning with "In Re Don Giovanni", written in 1977. Originally made up of old instruments such as rebecs, sackbuts and shawms alongside more modern instruments like the banjo and saxophone in order to produce as loud a sound as possible without amplification, it later switched to a fully amplified lineup of string quartet, double bass, clarinet, three saxophones, horn, trumpet, bass trombone, bass guitar, and piano. This line up has been variously altered and augmented for some works.

The band's first recorded album on a professional label was Nyman's second, the self-titled ''Michael Nyman'' (1981), which mostly comprised pieces written for the early films of Peter Greenaway. This album has yet to be released on compact disc. Another self-titled album (1995) has appeared as a promotional item compiling tracks from various other albums, and should not be confused with this one.

Along with soundtracks to Greenaway's ''The Draughtsman's Contract'', ''Drowning by Numbers'', and ''The Cook The Thief His Wife & Her Lover'', their 1980s output included ''The Kiss and Other Movements'' (which includes the titular art song; a song from Nyman's projected ''Tristram Shandy'' opera; a tango; a movement from the same work as "Memorial" as used in Greenaway's ''26 Bathrooms''; and a performance of music (not the original soundtrack) from Greenaway's ''Making a Splash'') and the modern dance work ''And Do They Do''. They also made a limited edition recording of Nyman's ''La Traversée de Paris'' in 1989; many of its individual movements were soon to be dismantled, revised, or simply transplanted whole, to serve as the soundtrack for Greenaway's ''Prospero's Books'' (1991). Conversely, Nyman composed music for another adaptation of William Shakespeare's ''The Tempest'', the ballet-opera ''Noises, Sounds & Sweet Airs'', soon after ''Prospero's Books'', some of which was dervied from ''La Traversée de Paris''.

Their 1992 album, ''The Essential Michael Nyman Band'', may appear to be a greatest hits compilation, but is actually composed of the concert versions of various film pieces, having undergone years of revisions and refinement, are significantly different from their soundtrack counterparts, to a far more severe extent than typical differences between classical music performances. This album also contains two cuts from the film score to ''A Zed & Two Noughts'', which was originally performed by an orchestra of musicians who were never members of the band, with solos by band members Nyman, Balanescu, Perry, and Leonard. Similarly, ''The Piano'' was performed by members of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra with Harle, Roach, Findon, and Nyman, but is also part of the band's repertoire.

In 1993, the band joined with an orchestra for the first time in their recording history with ''MGV: Musique à Grand Vitesse'', a piece commissioned for the opening of a TGV line, first performed on September 26, 1993, in which the band, according to Nyman's own liner notes, represents the tracks, "resisting the temptation of the concerto grosso". The album credit is to "The Michael Nyman Band and Orchestra".

The group has largely been superseded by the Michael Nyman Orchestra. Such soundtrack albums as ''Practical Magic'', ''Ravenous'', ''The End of the Affair'', ''The Claim'', and ''The Libertine'' are credited to this group, first implied on that 1994 album. While the former two titles lack detailed credits, the latter three albums show that most of the band (not to say most of those credited as full members over its history) performs in the Orchestra. The band's existence is far from over, however, as Nyman orchestrated his 2002 opera, ''Facing Goya'', specifically for the band. His previous two opera recordings include band members but are not formally credited to the band, and one, the aforementioned ''Noises, Sounds & Sweet Airs'', uses a full-scale orchestra, without Nyman at the baton. ''Man and Boy: Dada'' (2004) and ''Love Counts'' (2005; recorded 2007), Nyman's newest operas, feature the band conducted by Paul McGrath.

In 1996, another offshoot group, The Nyman Quartet, consisting of Cathy Thompson, Gabrielle Lester, Kate Musker, and Tony Hinnigan, recorded ''The Ballad of Kastriot Rexhepi'' (with Sarah Leonard--the only singer ever credited as a band member) and ''Exit No Exit'', and plan to record the third recording of Nyman's four string quartets.

They are produced by David Cunningham.

Many of the current and former band members, including John Harle, Alexander Balanescu, Dave Lee, Madeleine Mitchell, Andrew Findon, and Simon Haram, have released solo albums that include performances of Nyman's music.

Lineup

The membership in the band is rather fluid, though it has had many core members, listed at right. Often, whoever plays with the band on a given album is credited as a full member, though just as often, non-members are credited as guest artists. The following people have received credit as full-fledged members on at least one album, followed by a list of every instrument that they have been credited with playing at any time. The recordings prior to ''Michael Nyman'' (1981) did not credit individual band members.

''(listed chronologically)''

Michael Nyman (1976-), composer, conductor, piano, harpsichord, kurzweil

Rory Allam (1981), clarinet

Alexander Balanescu (1981–1993, 1999–2002), violin

Anne Barnard (1981), french horn

Ben Grove (1981), bass guitar

John Harle (1981–1999), soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone

Nick Hayley (1981), rebec, violin

Ian Mitchell (1981–1982), clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone

Elisabeth Perry (1981–1991, 1998), violin, viola

Steve Saunders (1981–1991), bass trombone, euphonium

Roderick Skeaping (1981), rebec, violin

Keith Thompson (1981–1982), flute, piccolo, recorder, tenor saxophone

Doug Wootton (1981), banjo

Malcolm Bennett (1982), bass guitar

Andrew Findon (1980-), tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, piccolo, flute, bass flute, alto flute

Barry Guy (1982), double bass

David Fuest (1985, 1986, 1989, 2007), clarinet, bass clarinet

John Greaves (1985), bass guitar

David Roach (1985-), soprano, alto and tenor saxophones

Sarah Leonard (1985–1991), soprano

Rupert Bawden (1986), viola

Ruth Phillips (1986, 1991), cello

Jonathan "John" Carney (1987–1991), violin, viola

Catherine "Kate" Musker (1987-), viola

Anthony "Tony" Hinnigan (1987-), cello

Miranda Fulleylove, also spelled "Fullylove" (1988, 1999), violin

Rosemary Furniss (1988), violin

Briony Shaw (1988), violin

Jackie Shave (1988, 1989, 1999), violin

Joe Rappaport (1988), viola

Andrew Shulman (1988), cello

Robin McGee (1988–1989), double bass

John Wilbraham (1988), trumpet, flugelhorn

Michael Thompson (1988), french horn

Christopher "Chris" Laurence also spelled "Lawrence" (1989, 1994, 1999, 2006-), double bass

Graham Ashton (1989–1992), trumpet, flugelhorn

David Stewart (also spelled "Stuart") (1989), trombone

Clare Connors (1989–1994), violin

Justin Pearson (1989–1992, 2005), cello

Paul Morgan (1989, 1991, 1999, 2004), double bass

David Rix (1989, 1991–1999, 2004), clarinet, bass clarinet

Jamie Talbot (1989, 1991, 1995, 2005), soprano and alto saxophones

Simon Haram (1989, 1996-), soprano and alto saxophones

Richard Clews (1989, 1991, 1995–1996), french horn, Wagner tuba

Huw Jenkins (1989), horn

Fenella Barton (1989), violin

Gabrielle "Gaby" Lester (1989, 2002-), violin

Iris Juda (1989), violin

Jonathan Rees (1989, 1999), violin

Lyn Fletcher, violin

Mayumi Seiler, violin

Michael "Mike" McMenemy (1989, 1991, 1992, 1994), violin

Richard Ehrlich, violin

Roger Tapping, viola

Jane Salmen, cello

Tim Hugh, cello

Lynda Herighten, double bass

Martin Elliott (1989, 1991–1995, (live only 1996-1998) 1999-), bass guitar

Richard Watkins (1989), horn

Tim Amhurst also spelled "Amherst" (1991, 1994), double bass

Lynda Houghton (1991), double bass

Marjorie Dunn (1991–1994), horn

Nigel Barr (1991-), bass trombone, euphonium, tuba

Madeleine Mitchell (1992), violin

Beverley "Bev" Davison (1992, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2005), violin official site

Ann Morfee (also spelled Morphy) (1992–1994, 1999, 2002), violin

Steven "Steve" Sidwell (1992-), trumpet, flugelhorn, piccolo trumpet

Jonathan Lenahan (1992), piano

Marshall Marcus (1994), violin

Katherine "Kathy" Shave (1994, 1999–2002), violin

William Schofield (1994, 2007), cello

William "Bill" Hawkes (1994, 1996, 1999), violin

Claire Thompson (1995), violin

Nicholas Ward (1995), violin

Boguslav Kosteci/Boguslow Kosteki (1995), violin

Harriet Davies (1995), violin

Bruce White (1995, 1999-), viola

Philip D'Arcy (1995, 1999), viola

Jim Sleigh (1995), viola

Tony Lewis (1995), cello

David Lee (1996-), french horn, Wagner tuba

Nigel Gomm (1996, 1998, 2002, 2007-), trumpet, flugelhorn

Nigel Black, (1996) french horn, Wagner tuba

Paul Gargham, (1996) french horn, Wagner tuba

Chris Davies (1996), french horn, Wagner tuba

Gary Kettel (1996), drums

Rachel Browne (1998), violin

Prunella Pacey (1998), violin

Melissa Phelps (1998), cello

Andrew Fawbert (1998, 2002), bass trombone, tuba, euphonium

Sophie Landon (1999), violin

Fran Andrade (1999), violin

Jonathan Evans-Jones (1999, 2007), violin

Andrew Parker (1999), viola

Sophie Harris (1999), cello

Ian Humphries, violin (2002, 2005, 2007-)

Elizabeth Burley (2002)

Catherine "Cathy" Thompson (2002-) violin

Gillian Findlay (2002), violin

Roger Linley (2002), double bass

Stephen Williams (2002), double bass

James Woodrow (2002), electric guitar

Edward Coxon, violin (2003)

Richard Cookson, viola (2003)

Nicholas "Nick" Cooper, cello (2003, 2005)

Mary Scully, double bass (2003, 2006)

Rebecca Hirsch, violin (2004–2005)

Melinda Maxwell, oboe (2004)

Gareth Hulse, oboe (2004)

Andrew Sparling, clarinet, bass clarinet (2004, 2005, 2007)

Christopher Gunia, bassoon (2004)

Richard Benjafield, percussion (2004)

Dominic Saunders, piano (2004, 2006)

Ian Humphries, violin (2005)

Mia Cooper, violin (2005)

Lizzie Bull, violin (2005)

Morvent Bruce, violin (2005)

James Boyd, viola (2005)

John Metcalfe, viola (2005)

Robert Max, cello (2005)

Fiona McNaught, violin (2005, 2007)

Robert Buckland, soprano and alto sax (2005)

David Arch, piano (2005)

Phillipa Ibbotson, violin (2006)

Nicolette Kuo, violin (2006)

Emlyn Singleton, violin (2006)

Debbie Widdup, violin (2006)

Harriet Davies, violin (2006)

Fenella Barton, violin (2006)

Nick Barr, viola (2006)

Jonathan Barritt, viola (2006)

Allen Walley, bass (2006)

Walter Fabeck, keyboards (2006)

Simon Chamberlain, piano (2006)

Discography

''Not Necessarily English Music, a collection of experimental music from Great Britain, 1960-1977'', curated by David Toop

*Miserere by Giuseppe Verdi, arranged by M. Nyman

*The Campiello Band: Michael Nyman, Rory Allam, Lucie Skeaping, Roddie Skeaping, Steve Saunders, Keith Thompson, Doug Wooton

*Recorded in Clifton College, Nottingham, England, 3 March 1977. Recorded by Robert Worby.

''"The Masterwork" Award Winning Fish-Knife'' (1979)

*no musician credits

''From Brussels with Love'' (1980) - "A Walk Through H, Part 1"

''Miniatures'' (1980) - "89-90-91-92"

''Michael Nyman'' (1981)

*Allam, Balanescu, Barnard, Grove, Harle, Hayley, I. Mitchell, Nyman, Perry, S. Saunders, Skeaping, K. Thompson, Wootton, with Peter Brötzmann (bass clarinet, tenor saxophone), Evan Parker, (soprano saxophone), Lucy Skeaping (soprano)

''The Draughtsman's Contract'' (1982)

*Nyman, Balanescu, Bennett, Findon, Guy, Harle, I. Mitchell, Perry, S. Saunders, K. Thompson

''The Kiss and Other Movements'' (1985)

*Balanescu, Findon, Fuest, Greaves, Harle, Nyman, Perry, Roach, S. Saunders; with Dagmar Krause, Omar Ebrahim, Sarah Leonard (vocals), Mark Bennett (trumpet), Lowri Blake (cello), Martin Drower (trumpet), Rosemary Furniss (violin), David Purser (trombone), David Staff (trumpet), Crispian Steele-Perkins (trumpet), Theresa Ward (violin), Nigel Warren-Green (cello), Jonathan Williams (cello)

''And Do They Do'' (1986)

*Balanescu, Bawden, Findon, Fuest, Nyman, Perry, Phillips, Roach

''Drowning by Numbers'' (1988)

*Balanescu, Carney, Fulleylove, Furniss, Shaw, J. Shave, Musker, Carney, Rappaport, Hinningan, Shulman, McGee, Fuest, Harle, Roach, Findon, Wilbraham, M. Thompson, S. Saunders, Nyman

''La Traversée de Paris'' (1989)

*Balanescu, Perry, Connors, Carney, Hinnigan, Pearson, Morgan, McGee, Rix, Fuest, Harle, Talbot, Haram, Findon, Ashton, Clews, Jenkins, S. Saunders, with Sarah Leonard, and London Voices directed by Terry Edwards

''The Cook The Thief His Wife & Her Lover'' (1989)

*Balanescu, Perry, Carney, Hinnigan, Lawrence, Fuest, Harle, Roach, Findon, Ashton, Stewart, Nyman, Leonard, with London Voices directed by Terry Edwards (Paul Chapman (boy soprano), Elisabeth Harrison, Judith Rees, Sue Anderson, Sarah Leonard, Lesley Reid, Doreen Walker, Gareth Roberts, Terry Edwards, Simon Davies, Gordon Jones, Geoffrey Shaw)

''La Sept''

*Nyman, Perry, Barton, Lester, Juda, J. Shave, Rees, Fletcher, Seiler, McMeneny, Ehrlich, Musker, Tapping, Salmen, Hugh, Hinnigan, Herighten, Elliott, Rix, Harle, Roach, Findon, Stuart, Watkins, with Sylvie Caspar

''Le Mari de la Coiffeuse'' (''The Hairdresser's Husband'') (1990)

*no musician credits

''Prospero's Books'' (1991)

*Balanescu, Carney, Perry, Connors, Musker, Hinnigan, Pearson, Morgan, Amhurst, Houghton, Elliott, Rix, Harle, Roach, Talbot, Findon, Ashton, Clews, Dunn, Barr, S. Saunders, Nyman, with Sarah Leonard, Marie Angel, Ute Lemper, Deborah Conway

''The Michael Nyman Songbook'' sung by Ute Lemper (1991)

*Balanescu, Perry, Connors, McMenemy, Musker, Hinnigan, Phillips, Amherst, Elliott, Rix, Harle, Roach, Findon, Ashton, Dunn, Barr, Nyman (note: The lineup in Volker Schlöndorff's concert film of the same title (1992) is different from the studio album: Nyman, Davison, M. Mitchell, Morfee, Musker, Hinnigan, Pearson, Elliott, Rix, Harle, Roach, Findon, Sidwell, Dunn, Barr)

''The Essential Michael Nyman Band'' (1992)

Balanescu, Connors, Morphy, Musker, Hinnigan, Pearson, Elliott, Harle, Roach, Findon, Sidwell, Dunn, Barr, Lenahan, Nyman, with Sarah Leonard (soprano), Linda Hirst (mezzo-soprano)

''Ai Confini: Interzone'' (1993) - ''The Final Score'', Part I (complete recording released on ''After Extra Time'' in 1996)

*Nyman, Balanescu, Connors, Morfee, Musker, Hinnigan, Pearson, Elliott, Harle, Roach, Findon, Sidwell

''MGV (Musique à Grande Vitesse)'' (1994)

*Nyman, Balanescu, Connors, Hinnigan, Harle, Roach, Findon, Barr, Elliott, with Orchestra

''Anohito no Waltz'' (1994)

*Nyman, Balanescu, Connors, Musker, Hinnigan, Harle, Roach, Findon, Barr, Elliott, with Hihiri Kuwano (violin), Tatsunobu Getoh (violin), Hiroshi Yamagishi (French horn), Akihiko Ikawa (trumpet)

''À la folie'' (''Six Days, Six Nights'') (1994)

*Davison, Morfee, Marcus, K. Shave, Musker, Hinningan, Scofield, Laurence, Amhurst, Harle, Roach, Findon, Barr, Sidwell, Dunn, Elliott, Nyman

''Live'' (1994)

*Nyman, Carney, Hawkes, Musker, Hinnigan, Harle, Roach, Findon, Barr, Elliott with Guergui Stoianov Boiadjev (violin), Nanko Mikov Dimitrov (violin), Evelina Nedeva Arabadjieva (violin), Kantcho Stefanov Kantchev (violin), Nediltcho Suilianov Hristov (viola), Stefan Todorov Jilkov (viola), Marieta Mihaylova Ivanova (cello), Emilia Hrostova Radilova (cello); musicians from Orquestra Andaluzi de Tetouan: Abdessadak Ckara (violin), Abdella Chekara (laud), Jelloul Najidi (kanoun), Ahmed Taoud (violin), Driss Aaufi (saxophone), Ahmet Mrabet (clarinet), Abdesslam Beniisa (cello), Mohamed Acgaalh (banderita (tambourine)), Jalla Chekara (violin), Nour-Din Aghbal (violin), Abdelouahid El Bazi (derboliga (drum)), Mohammed Chkara (cello)

''Carrington'' (1995)

*Nyman, Davison, Morfee, Claire Thompson, Ward, Kosteki, H. Davies, Musker, White, D'Arcy, Sleigh, Hinnigan, Pearson, Lewis, Elliott, Roach, Talbot, Clews

''The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1995)

*with Hilary Summers, contralto

''After Extra Time'' (1996)

*Nyman, Hawkes, Morfee, Musker, Hinnigan, Harle, Roach, Findon, Barr, Sidwell, Lee, Elliott (b/w ''The Final Score'' (1993); and "Memorial" as recorded on ''The Essential Michael Nyman Band'' in 1992)

''The Ogre'' (1996)

*Harle, Roach, Haram, Findon, Sidwell, Gomm, Lee, Black, Gargham, Clews, C. Davies, Barr, Kettel, Nyman, edited by Elliott

''The Suit and the Photograph'' (1998) - "3 Quartets"

*Perry, Browne, Phelps, Harle, Roach, Haram, Findon, Gomm, Lee, Fawbert, Nyman

''Twentieth-Century Blues: The Songs of Noel Coward'' (1998)

*"London Pride" arranged by Damon Albarn and Michael Nyman

*No individual musician credits

''Wonderland'' (1999)

*J. Shave, Davison, Rees, K. Shave, Landon, Andrade, Fullylove, Evans-Jones, Hawkes, Parker, Musker, Hinnigan, Harris, Morgan, Roach, Haram, Findon, Elliott, Lee, Sidwell, Barr, Nyman

String Quartets 2, 3 & 4/If & Why (2002)

*Haram, White, Humphries, Hinnigan, Morfee, Burley

''Facing Goya'' (2002)

*Balanescu, Lester, Catherine Thompson, Findlay, K. Shave, Musker, White, Hinnigan, Linley, Williams, Elliott, Roach, Haram, Findon, Sidwell, Gomm, Lee, Barr, Fawbert, Woodrow, Nyman, with Winnie Böwe (soprano), Marie Angel (soprano), Hilary Summers (contralto), Harry Nicoll (tenor), Omar Ebrahim (baritone)

''Sangam: Michael Nyman Meets Indian Masters'' (2003)

* Lester, Catherine Thompson, Coxon, Musker, Cookson, Hinnigan, N. Cooper, Scully, Elliott, Roach, Haram, Findon, Sidwell, Lee, Barr, Nyman , with U. Shrinivas (mandolin), Rajan Misra, Sajan Misra, Ritesh Misra, Rajnish Misra (vocals), Sanju Sahai (tabla)

''The Actors'' (2003)

''Man and Boy: Dada'' (2004)

*Lester, Hirsch, Hinnigan, Morgan, Maxwell, Hulse, Sparling, Rix, Roach, Gunia, Benjafield, S. Saunders

''The Composer's Cut Series Vol. I: The Draughtsman's Contract'' (2006)

*Nyman, Lester, Cathy Thompson, Musker, Hinnigan, Roach, Haram, Findon, Elliott, Lee, Sidwell, Barr, Humphries, Davison, M. Cooper, Bull

''The Composer's Cut Series Vol. II: Nyman/Greenaway Revisited'' (2006)

*Nyman, Lester, Cathy Thompson, Musker, Hinnigan, Roach, Haram, Findon, Elliott, Lee, Sidwell, Gomm, Barr, Humphries, Davison

''The Composer's Cut Series Vol. III: The Piano'' (2006)

*Nyman, Lester, Catherine Thompson, Humphries, Davison, M. Cooper, Hirsch, Bull, Bruce, Musker, Boyd, Metcalfe, Hinnigan, Max, Pearson, Elliott, Roach, Haram, Findon, Barr

''Six Celan Songs'' (2006)

Nyman, Lester, Catherine Thompson, McNaught, Musker, Hinnigan, N. Cooper, Laurence, Elliott, Roach, Haram, Buckland, Findo[n], Sparling, Sidwell, Barr, Arch, with Hilary Summers

''Love Counts'' (2007)

Humphries, Ibbotson, Kuo, Evans-Jones, Singleton, Widdup, Davies, Barton, Musker, Nick Barr, Barritt, Hinnigan, Schofield, Laurence, Scully, Walley, Elliott, D. Saunders, Fabeck, Fuest, Sparling, Findon, Lee, Sidwell, Gomm, conducted by Paul McGrath, with Helen Davies and Andrew Slater

''Mozart 252'' (2008)

*Nyman, Chamberlain, Humphries, Lester, McNaught, Catherine Thompson, Musker, Hinnigan, Elliott, Roach, Haram, Findon, Gomm, Sidwell, Lee, Barr, with Hilary Summers, Andrew Slater

''8 Lust Songs: I Sonetti Lussuriosi'' (2008)

*Lester, Cathy Thompson, Musker, Hinnigan, Elliott, Roach, Haram, Findon, Sidwell, Lee, Barr, Nyman, with Marie Angel

References

Category:Musical groups established in 1976 Category:British musical groups

Michael Laurence Nyman, CBE (born in Stratford, London 23 March 1944) is an English composer of minimalist music, pianist, librettist and musicologist, known for the many film scores he wrote during his lengthy collaboration with the filmmaker Peter Greenaway, and his multi-platinum soundtrack album to Jane Campion's ''The Piano''. His operas include ''The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat'', ''Letters, Riddles and Writs'', ''Noises, Sounds & Sweet Airs'', ''Facing Goya'', ''Man and Boy: Dada'', ''Love Counts'', and ''Sparkie: Cage and Beyond'', and he has written six concerti, four string quartets, and many other chamber works, many for his Michael Nyman Band, with and without whom he tours as a performing pianist. Nyman has stated his preference for writing opera to other sorts of music.

Biography

Nyman was born in Stratford, London into a Jewish family, and was educated at the Sir George Monoux Grammar School, Walthamstow. He studied at King's College, London under Alan Bush., and was accepted at the Royal Academy of Music in September, 1961, and studied with Bush and Thurston Dart, focusing on piano and seventeenth-century baroque music. He won the Howard Carr Memorial Prize for composition in July 1964.

In 1969, he provided the libretto for Harrison Birtwistle's opera, ''Down by the Greenwood Side'' and directed the short film ''Love Love Love'' (based on, and identical length to, The Beatles' "All You Need Is Love") before settling into music criticism, where he is generally acknowledged to have been the first to apply the term "minimalism" to music (in a 1968 article in ''The Spectator'' magazine about the English composer Cornelius Cardew). He wrote introductions for George Frideric Handel's Concerti Grossi, Op. 6 and conducted the most important interview with George Brecht in 1976.

Nyman drew frequently on early music sources in his scores for Greenaway's films: Henry Purcell in ''The Draughtsman's Contract'' and ''The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover'' (which included Memorial and Miserere Paraphrase), Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber in ''A Zed and Two Noughts'', Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in ''Drowning by Numbers'', and John Dowland in ''Prospero's Books'', largely at the request of the director.

Nyman says he discovered his aesthetic playing the aria, "Madamina, il catalogo è questo" from Mozart's ''Don Giovanni'' on his piano in the style of Jerry Lee Lewis, which "dictated the dynamic, articulation and texture of everything I've subsequently done." He has scored numerous films, the majority of them European art films, including several of those directed by Peter Greenaway. His few forays into Hollywood have been ''Gattaca'', ''Ravenous'' (with musician Damon Albarn), and ''The End of the Affair''. He wrote settings to various texts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart for "Letters, Riddles and Writs", part of ''Not Mozart''. He has also produced a soundtrack for the silent film ''Man with the Movie Camera''. Nyman's popularity increased after he wrote the score to Jane Campion's award-winning 1993 film ''The Piano''. The album became a classical music best-seller. He was nominated for both a British Academy Award and a Golden Globe.

Among Nyman's other works are the opera ''Noises, Sounds & Sweet Airs'' (1987), for soprano, alto, tenor and instrumental ensemble (based on Nyman's score for the ballet ''La Princesse de Milan''); ''Ariel Songs'' (1990) for soprano and band; MGV (Musique à Grande Vitesse) (1993) for band and orchestra; concertos for saxophone, piano (based on ''The Piano'' score), violin, harpsichord, trombone, and saxophone & cello recorded by John Harle and Julian Lloyd Webber; the opera ''The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat'' (1986), based on a case-study by Oliver Sacks; and four string quartets. In 2000, he produced a new opera on the subject of cloning on a libretto by Victoria Hardie titled ''Facing Goya'', an expansion of their one-act opera ''Vital Statistics''. The lead, a widowed art banker, is written for contralto and the role was first created by Hilary Summers. His newest operas are ''Man and Boy: Dada'' (2003) and ''Love Counts'' (2005), both on libretti by Michael Hastings.

He has also composed the music for the children's television series ''Titch'' which is based on the books written and illustrated by Pat Hutchins.

Many of Nyman's works are written for his own ensemble, the Michael Nyman Band, a group formed for a 1976 production of Carlo Goldoni's ''Il Campiello''. Originally made up of old instruments such as rebecs and shawms alongside more modern instruments like the saxophone in order to produce as loud a sound as possible without amplification, it later switched to a fully amplified line-up of string quartet, three saxophones, trumpet, horn, bass trombone, bass guitar and piano. This line up has been variously altered and augmented for some works.

Nyman also published an influential book in 1974 on experimental music called ''Experimental Music: Cage and Beyond'' (Catalan, Spanish and French translations), which explored the influence of John Cage on classical composers.

In the 1970s, Nyman was a member of the Portsmouth Sinfonia – the self-described World's Worst Orchestra – playing on their recordings and in their concerts. He was the featured pianist on the orchestra's recording of ''Bridge Over Troubled Water'' on the Martin Lewis-produced ''20 Classic Rock Classics'' album on which the Sinfonia gave their unique interpretations of the pop and rock repertoire of the 1950s–1970s. Nyman created a similar group called Foster's Social Orchestra, which specialised in the work of Stephen Foster. One of their pieces appeared in the film ''Ravenous'' and an additional work, not used in the film, appeared on the soundtrack album.

He has also recorded pop music with the Flying Lizards; a version of his ''Bird List'' from the soundtrack to Peter Greenaway's ''The Falls'' (1980) appears on their album ''Fourth Wall'' as "Hands 2 Take."

On 7 July 2007 Nyman performed at Live Earth in Japan. On 2008 Nyman realised, in collaboration with the cultural association Volumina, Sublime, an artist's book that unified his music with his passion for photography.

In a collaboration with friends Max Pugh and Marc Silver, Nyman is now beginning to exhibit his films and photography. Nyman’s video works are filmed with a hand-held camera, often before and after concerts and as part of his international travels, featuring everyday moments. Some works are left relatively unedited whilst others undergo split screens and visual repetition. Soundtracks to some of the video works use location sounds, whilst others recycle existing scores from his archive or a combination of both.

In October 2009, Nyman released The Glare, a collaborative collection of songs with David McAlmont, which cast his work in a new light. The album – recorded with the Michael Nyman Band – finds McAlmont putting lyrics based on contemporary news stories to 11 pieces of Nyman music drawn from different phases of his career.

"David did the research and chose most of the musical pieces," Nyman explains. "I suggested a few pieces,too but I really didn't do very much, although I think it's a true collaboration. You can identify who was responsible for what, but both aspects create a perfect synergy in which neither element can exist without the other."

Although the album was recorded in just two days, there was a huge amount of preparation and rewriting before they entered the studio. "They're third generation songs and when you listen to them, you ask 'Is it Nyman?' 'Is it soul?' 'Is it rock'n'roll?' It's all and none of them," the composer says. "I think we've created a new musical language. I'm no good at writing pop cliché – when I try, it invariably comes out sounding quite different."

The project has a long gestation for the pair first met in 2004 at a exhibition opening and talked about working together. Nothing came of it for almost five years until they got together again via Facebook, met up for lunch – and the idea for The Glare was born.

"I was surprised and delighted by what we've came up with," Nyman says. "So much so, that when I now play these pieces solo, it sounds like something's missing and the music needs David's voice and approach. That's a remarkable thing, because I've been playing these pieces for years. Of all the many collaborations I've been involved in, none has ever given me more pleasure and I'm desperate to take it on the road and play these."

Personal life

He was married to Aet Nyman and has two daughters, Molly and Martha. His first string quartet quotes "Unchained Melody" in homage to Aet, who appears in Greenaway's ''The Falls'', for which he also composed music. Molly is a composer in her own right; in collaboration with Harry Escott she has written several film scores including for ''The Road to Guantanamo'' by her father's frequent collaborator, Michael Winterbottom. Martha is a development researcher for the BBC.

Career highlights

1961–67 – Studies at the Royal Academy of Music and King's College London.

1968–78 – Works as music critic (becoming first person to apply the word "minimalist" to music).

1976 – Founds the Campiello Band (now the Michael Nyman Band) and embarks on eleven-film collaboration with Peter Greenaway.

1981 – Releases first Michael Nyman Band album.

1993 – Soundtrack for ''The Piano'' wins an Ivor Novello Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and American Film Institute award and goes on to sell over three million copies.

2002–2005 – Composer-in-Residence at Badisches Staatstheater in Karlsruhe, Germany, who performed three Nyman operas and more tunes for his daughters.

2007 – Performed on 7 July from Kyoto, Japan as part of the Live Earth global environmental awareness musical event.

Honours

Nyman was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours.

Nyman was awarded an honorary doctorate (DLitt) from The University of Warwick on 30 January 2007. At the ceremony The University of Warwick Brass Society and Chamber Choir, conducted by Paul McGrath, premiered a specially composed procession and recession fanfare composed by Nyman.

Works

1963 – ''Introduction and Allegro Concertato for Wind Quartet'' (lost)

1963 – ''Divertimento for Flute, Oboe and Clarinet''

1965 – ''Canzona for Flute''

1974 – ''Bell Set No. 1'' (multiple metal percussion)

1976 – ''1–100'' (4–6 pianos)

1976 – (First) ''Waltz in D'' (variable)

1976 – (Second) ''Waltz in F'' (variable)

1977 – ''In Re Don Giovanni'' (ensemble)

1978 – ''The Otherwise Very Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz'' (multiple pianos)

1979 – ''"The Masterwork" Award Winning Fish-Knife'' (ensemble)

1980 – ''A Neat Slice of Time'' (choir)

1981 – ''Think Slow, Act Fast'' (ensemble)

1981 – ''Five Orchestral Pieces for Opus Tree'' (band*) (based on Anton Webern's Five Orchestral Pieces, Op. 10)

1981 – ''M-Work'' (band)

1981 – ''2 Violins''

1982 – ''Four Saxes (Real Slow Drag)'' (saxophone quartet)

1983 – ''A Handsome, Smooth, Sweet, Smart, Clear Stroke: Or Else Play Not At All''

(orchestra)

1983 – ''Time's Up'' (chamber ensemble)

1983 – ''I'll Stake My Cremona to a Jew's Trump'' (electric violin and viola, both players also simultaneously singing)

1983 – ''Love is Certainly, at Least Alphabetically Speaking'' (soprano and band)

1984 – ''The Abbess of Andouillets'' (choir)

1985 – ''Nose-List Song'' (soprano and orchestra) [this and the above three works are from an unfinished opera setting of Laurence Sterne's ''The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman'', which Nyman has repeatedly cited as his all-time favourite book]

1985 – ''Childs Play'' (2 violins; harpsichord)

1985 – ''String Quartet No. 1''

1986 – ''Taking a Line for a Second Walk'' (for orchestra (''Basic Black'') or piano duet)

1986 – ''The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat'' (opera; libretto by Christopher Rawlence; adapted from the Oliver Sacks case study by Nyman, Rawlence, and Michael Morris)

1986 – ''And Do They Do'' (modern dance, 1986)

1987 – ''Vital Statistics'' (opera; libretto by Victoria Hardie)

1988 – ''String Quartet No. 2''

1989 – ''Out of the Ruins'' (choir)

1989 – ''La Traversée de Paris'' (soprano and band)

1989 – ''The Fall of Icarus'' (band)

1989 – ''L'Orgie Parisienne'' Arthur Rimbaud setting (soprano or mezzo soprano and orchestra)

1989 – ''La Sept'' (band)

1990 – ''Shaping the Curve'' (soprano saxophone, string quartet or piano)

1990 – ''Six Celan Songs'' (contralto and orchestra)

1990 – ''Polish Love Song'' (soprano and piano)

1990 – ''String Quartet No. 3''

1990 – ''The Kiss and Other Movements''

1991 – ''The Michael Nyman Songbook'' A collection of songs based on texts by Paul Celan, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, William Shakespeare, and Arthur Rimbaud and recorded with vocalist Ute Lemper.

1991 – ''Where the Bee Dances'' (soprano saxophone and orchestra)

1991 – ''Fluegelhorn and Piano''

1992 – ''Time Will Pronounce'' (violin, cello, and piano)

1992 – ''For John Cage'' (brass ensemble)

1992 – ''Self-Laudatory Hymn of Inanna and Her Omnipotence'' (alto and string orchestra or countertenor and viol consort)

1992 – ''The Convertibility of Lute Strings'' (solo harpsichord)

1992 – ''Anne de Lucy Songs'' (soprano and piano)

1992 – ''Le Mari de la Coiffeuse (The Hairdresser's Husband)''

1992 – ''The Upside-Down Violin'' (orchestra/ensemble)

1993 – ''MGV: Musique à grande vitesse'' (band and orchestra)

1993 – ''The Piano Concerto'' (piano and orchestra)

1993 – ''Noises, Sounds & Sweet Airs'' (1993; opera-ballet setting William Shakespeare's ''The Tempest'')

1993 – ''Yamamoto Perpetuo'' (violin solo)

1993 – ''Songs for Tony'' (saxophone quartet)

1994 – ''To Morrow'' (soprano or soprano saxophone, organ)

1994 – ''3 Quartets'' (ensemble)

1994 – ''Concerto for Trombone'' (trombone, orchestra, and steel filing cabinets)

1995 – ''String Quartet No. 4''

1995 – ''Tango for Tim (In memoriam Tim Suster)'' (harpsichord)

1995 – ''The Waltz Song'' (unison voices)

1995 – ''Viola and Piano''

1995 – ''Grounded'' (mezzo-soprano, saxophones, violin, piano)

1995 – ''HRT [High Rise Terminal]'' (chamber ensemble)

1995 – ''Concerto for Harpsichord and Strings''

1995 – ''Double Concerto for Saxophone and Cello'' (saxophone, cello, and orchestra)

1996 – ''After Extra Time'' (ensemble)

1996 – ''Enemy Zero'' (game music)

1997 – ''Enemy Zero – Original Soundtrack''

1997 – ''Strong on Oaks, Strong on the Causes of Oaks'' (orchestra)

1997 – ''The Promise'' (piano)

1997 – ''Gattaca''

1998 – ''Titch'' (worked on the main opening/closing piano theme).

1998 – ''Cycle of Disquietude (Coisas, Vozes, Lettras)'' (soprano, mezzo-soprano, and band)

1998 – ''Orfeu'' (band)

1998 – ''De Granada A La Luna'' (band)

1999 – ''The Commissar Vanishes'' (band)

1999 – ''The End of the Affair''

2000 – ''Facing Goya'' (opera; libretto by Victoria Hardie)

2001 – ''a dance he little thinks of'' (orchestra)

2003 – ''Violin Concerto'' (violin and orchestra)

2003 – ''Man and Boy: Dada'' (opera; libretto by Michael Hastings)

2005 – ''Love Counts'' (opera; libretto by Michael Hastings)

2006 – ''gdm for Marimba and Orchestra'' (concerto)

2006 – ''Acts of Beauty''' (song cycle)

2007 – ''A Handshake in the Dark'' (choral piece with orchestra; text by Jamal Jumá [world premiere 8 March 2007, Barbican, London, performed by the BBC Symphony Chorus and Orchestra, John Storgards conducting])

2007 – ''Interlude in C'' (expansion of a theme from ''The Libertine'' for Accent07 touring ensemble)

2007 – ''Eight Lust Songs'' song cycle

2008 – ''Yamamoto Perpetuo for Solo Flute'' (arranged by Andy Findon)

2009 – ''Sparkie: Cage and Beyond'' opera with Carsten Nicolai

2009 – ''The Musicologist Scores'' (band)

2010 – ''2Graves''

2010 – ''Vertov Sounds''

*originally recorded by Nyman, Ned Sublette, Susan Krongold, Barbara Benary, Jon Gibson, Richard Cohen, Virgil Blackwell, Peter Zummo, and Peter Gordon at The Kitchen, and intended for Peter Greenaway's short film, ''The Tree''.

Nyman's music re-used

Nyman's "The Heart Asks Pleasure First" (from ''The Piano'') is the music on which Italian rock noir band Belladonna's song "Let There Be Light" is based. Released in December 2010, the track features Michael Nyman himself on piano.

Nyman's "The Heart Asks Pleasure First" (from ''The Piano'') was used as backing music for one of the bank advertisements for Lloyds TSB broadcast on television. It has also been featured in episodes of ''20/20''.

Music from ''Ravenous'' has been used at least once on WFYI's ''Across Indiana'', in a segment titled "On the Trail of John Hunt Morgan", produced by Scott Andrew Hutchins.

Nyman's soundtrack for ''Carrington'' is mostly based on his own ''String Quartet No. 3''.

''A Cock and Bull Story'' contains music from ''The Draughtsman's Contract'', as well as Nyman's arrangements of classical music used in Stanley Kubrick's ''Barry Lyndon'' (it does not use any music from Nyman's ''Tristram Shandy'' opera).

Nyman's music for Peter Greenaway's films has been used in the Japanese television program ''Iron Chef''.

Popular "Chasing Sheep is Best Left to Shepherds" (from ''The Draughtsman's Contract'') constituted the main theme of Spanish TV program ''Queremos Saber'', presented by Mercedes Milà in the nineties.

Nyman features in '9 Songs' (Michael Winterbottom, 2004) playing at the Hackney Empire on his 60th birthday.

Nyman's MGV: Musique à grande vitesse was used in November 2006 for a new one-act ballet for the Royal Ballet in London, DGV (danse à grande vitesse) by Christopher Wheeldon.

Nyman's "The Heart Asks Pleasure First" was covered by the Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. Nyman had refused to release the song initially; he later authorised its use.

Time Lapse was used in Sky's 2008 'Heroes' advert

Selections from Nyman's catalogue formed part of the soundtrack for James Marsh's 2008 documentary, ''Man on Wire'', a film about Philippe Petit, a Frenchman, who in 1974 illegally strung a tightrope between the top of the WTC buildings and danced between them for 45 minutes, thus committing the "artistic crime of the 20th century".

Nyman's piece "Car Crash" from Zed & Two Thoughts movie intro was used for once on the final episode of a Greek series called 'To Kafe Tis Xaras'

Recordings

''Man and Boy: Dada'' – MN Records 102

''The Very Best of Michael Nyman: Film Music 1980-2001'' – Virgin EMI CDVED957

''String Quartets 1–3'' – Decca 4730912

''Decay Music'' EMI CVE964 2004

References

External links

Michael Nyman official site

Michael Nyman's homepage at Chester Music

The Power of the Cadence: Michael Nyman in conversation with Robert Davidson

'The Case Against Nyman Revisited' Recent article on Michael Nyman's use of pre-existing music

Nyman à grande vitesse'', review article in ''The Oxonian Review''

Michael Nyman judged The Film of the Month competition in June 2009 on the independent filmmakers networking site Shooting People

An Evening with Michael Nyman, BAFTA event video

Listening

Michael Nyman audio at Internet Archive

Category:20th-century classical composers Category:21st-century classical composers Category:Alumni of King's College London Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Contemporary classical music performers Category:English classical pianists Category:English composers Category:English film score composers Category:English musicologists Category:Ivor Novello Award winners Category:Minimalist composers Category:People from Stratford, London Category:Postmodern composers Category:1944 births Category:Living people Category:Jewish classical musicians

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