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Stanley Myers (Theme from "The Deer Hunter")

sospiri

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Hi all,

Not very often I get in here these days, but I came across this one whilst searching through lists of sheet music. Here's the pic and biography that was provided. Does he ring a bell with anyone? The search failed to find a listing for him.

Stanley Myers (6 October 1930 – 9 November 1993), was a prolific British film composer who scored over sixty films. Born in Birmingham, as a teenager Myers went to King Edward's School in Edgbaston, a suburb of Birmingham. He is also known for composers music for cult films House of Whipcord, Frightmare and House of Mortal Sin for cult filmmaker Peter Walker.
He is best known for Cavatina (1970), an evocative guitar piece that served as the signature theme for Michael Cimino's 1978 film The Deer Hunter, and for which Myers won the Ivor Novello Award. A somewhat different version of this work, performed by John Williams, had appeared in The Walking Stick. And yet another version had lyrics added. Cleo Laine and Iris Williams, in separate recordings as He Was Beautiful, helped to make Cavatina become even more popular.


And here's a link to one of the many versions of this lovely tune:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA_qnNrVelc

 

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Neither did I Rosie - a bit of serendipity there! Someone will no doubt check the Electoral Rolls - my subscription has lapsed!

Maurice
 
Hi Jean,

There's a list of Famous People Born In or Associated With Birmingham on Wiki here:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_from_Birmingham

I've just added Stanley Myers and also Sir Granville Bantock, the composer, who I'd also mentioned on here. Whilst there are many people that I don't know on that list (particularly pop musicians), there is obviously room for a lot more!

Maurice
 
Thanks Maurice. I have loads of my old sheet music and when I have a quiet moment I will go though it to see if any of the names are on that link. Jean.
 
Hi sospiri, I've just had a quick look at A***try for the Electoral Rolls and there's only an Oscar Stanley Myers listed in 1935, which is much too early!! (Blind Institute, 56 Carpenter Rd. Edgbaston).
Visitors arriving soon!
rosie.
 
Hi rosie,

Stanley Myers' birth was registered in Birmingham South and his mother's maiden name was BARKER. Between 1912 and 1931 there is only one male MYERS marrying a BARKER and that is John Myers to Lily Barker in the 3rd Qtr 1922 at Bramley, Yorkshire. It might be work checking for a John and Lily any time after 1925 in the Birmingham ERs.

Maurice
 
Hi Sue,

My guess is that they were living just ouside the Birmingham ER boundary. I'll see what else I can dig up, but there are no other siblings born in Birmingham.

Maurice
 
I'm drawing a bit of a blank on his personal life and ancestry, but most of you probably hear his music every week as he wrote the signature tune to BBC TV's Question Time.

Maurice
 
Hope you'll keep searching, Maurice and rosie! It would be good to learn more about this man's Birmingham connections.

Chris
 
Well it seems most likely that there is no long time connection with Birmingham. Stanley's parents, John Myers and Lily Barker were married in Bramley near Leeds, and both were born in Bramley in 1898 and 1896 respectively. Why they came to Birmingham in the first place remains a mystery yet to be solved.

Maurice
 
I'm indebted to the Groves Online Dictionary of Music for the following, although his younger years are still proving elusive.

Maurice

myers.jpg
 
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