Role

:

Composer Performer

Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

March 3, 1951 in London, England

Death

:

September 18, 2013

 

Lindsay Cooper was a British composer, bassoonist, and oboist who was born on March 3, 1951, in Hornsey, London. She was raised in a musical family, and her father was a jazz pianist. Cooper began playing the piano at a young age and later learned to play the bassoon and oboe. She attended the Royal College of Music in London, where she studied bassoon and composition. Cooper was a founding member of the avant-garde rock group Henry Cow, which was formed in 1968. The band was known for its complex and experimental music, which combined elements of rock, jazz, and classical music. Cooper played bassoon, oboe, and saxophone in the band and was also a composer and arranger. She contributed to many of the band's albums, including "Leg End," "In Praise of Learning," and "Western Culture." In addition to her work with Henry Cow, Cooper was also a member of the improvisational group Comus and the feminist collective The Feminist Improvising Group. She also collaborated with a number of other musicians and artists, including Mike Oldfield, Robert Wyatt, and Sally Potter. Cooper's compositions were often experimental and incorporated elements of classical, jazz, and rock music. She was known for her use of unconventional instruments, such as bassoon, oboe, and saxophone, and her use of complex rhythms and harmonies. Some of her most notable works include "Oh Moscow," a suite for orchestra and rock band, and "Music for Other Occasions," a collection of pieces for various ensembles. Cooper was also a prolific composer of film and television music. She composed the score for the 1982 film "Comrades," which was directed by Bill Douglas and won the Best Film award at the Cannes Film Festival. She also composed music for the television series "The Comic Strip Presents" and "Blackadder." Cooper was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the early 1990s, which made it difficult for her to continue performing and composing. However, she continued to work on music and collaborated with other musicians, including the Italian group Thinking Plague. She also released several solo albums, including "Rags," "A View from the Bridge," and "An Angel on the Bridge." Cooper passed away on September 18, 2013, at the age of 62. She was remembered as a pioneering composer and musician who pushed the boundaries of classical and rock music. Her work continues to inspire and influence musicians around the world.

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