The Charge of the Light Brigade (Theme)

John Mervyn Addison (16 March 1920 – 7 December 1998) was a British composer best known for his film scores.

Addison was born in Chobham, Surrey to a father who was a colonel in the Royal Field Artillery, and this influenced the decision to send him to school at Wellington College, Berkshire. His grandfather was Lieut-Colonel George Addison, who played for the Royal Engineers in the 1872 and 1874 FA Cup Finals.

At the age of sixteen he entered the Royal College of Music, where he studied composition with Gordon Jacob, oboe with Léon Goossens, and clarinet with Frederick Thurston. This education ended in 1939 with service in World War II. Addison served with the British XXX Corps in the 23rd Hussars. He was a tank officer in the Battle of Normandy and wounded at Caen, later participating in Operation Market Garden. Addison would later write the score for the film A Bridge Too Far about the operation. At the end of the war, he returned to London to teach composition at the Royal College of Music.

"The Charge of the Light Brigade" is a 1968 British DeLuxe Color war film made by Woodfall Film Productions and distributed by United Artists, depicting parts of the Crimean War and the eponymous charge.

The film is about the folly of war, and the poor state of the British Army and its leadership during the Crimean War (1853–1856).

The fine arrangement was done by Christopher Palmer (1946-1995). Christopher Palmer (9 September 1946 – 22 January 1995) was an English composer, arranger and orchestrator; biographer of composers, champion of lesser-known composers and writer on film music and other musical subjects; record producer; and lecturer. He was involved in a very wide range of projects and his output was prodigious. He came to be regarded as one of the finest symphonic orchestrators of his generation.

The work is found in "Processionals for Organ", published by Novello in 1988.

Please see FIRST COMMENT for more information.

Photos attached below.