Vivian Dunn
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Vivian Dunn KCVO
OBE
FRSA
(24 December 1908 - 3 April 1995) was the Director of Music, Portsmouth Division, Royal Marines
1931-53 and Principal Director of Music, Royal Marines, from 1953 to 1968. He was the first military musician to be knighted.
Francis Vivian Dunn was born in Jabalpur, India. Vivian’s father, William James Dunn, was bandmaster of the Second Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps
and later director of music of the Royal Horse Guards
. He studied piano with his mother, Beatrice Maud, and choral studies at Winchester
. In 1923 he studied at the Hochschule für Musik Köln
and two years later he attended the Royal Academy of Music
. He studied conducting with Henry Wood and composition with Walton O’Donnell. As a violinist, he performed in the Queen’s Hall Promenade Orchestra under Henry Wood, and in 1930 was a founder member of the BBC Symphony Orchestra
under several famous conductors.
Dunn was released from his contract with the BBC and on September 3, 1931 at age 22 commissioned as a lieutenant in the Royal Marines to be director of music for Portsmouth Division of the Corps. This post included directing the Royal Marines Band on the Royal Yacht. He took part in the royal tour of South Africa in 1947 aboard HMS Vanguard
and in a Royal Marines band tour of the U.S. and Canada in 1949.
His promotion to lieutenant-colonel and principal director of music, Royal Marines, came in 1953. Vivian and the Royal Marines Band then accompanied Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh on the SS Gothic
for the post-coronation Commonwealth Tour. Upon completing the tour, the Queen appointed Dunn CVO, and in 1960 appointed him OBE.
In 1955, Dunn was asked by Euan Lloyd
of Warwick Films to compose the theme music for The Cockleshell Heroes
(which was otherwise scored by John Addison
). He appears as himself conducting the Royal Marines in the end titles of the 1966 film Thunderbirds Are Go
.
Upon retiring from his military career in December 1968, Dunn became a guest conductor with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
. He also recorded with the Light Music Society Orchestra. In 1969, he received an EMI Golden Disc for sales of over one million Royal Marines Band records. In that year he was also elected as an honorary member of the American Bandmasters Association
. In 1987 he received the Sudler Medal of the Order of Merit from the John Philip Sousa Foundation
.
In 1988, after serving as the Senior Warden, Dunn became the first military musician installed as the Master of the Worshipful Company of Musicians
.
Dunn composed and arranged over sixty pieces of music. Several are marches, many with Royal Marines connections. These include The Globe and Laurel (1935, rev. 1945), The Captain General (1949), Cockleshell Heroes (1955) and Mountbatten March (1972). He arranged numerous others including The Preobrajensky March attributed to Donajowsky (later to become the official slow march of the Royal Marines) and A Life on the Ocean Wave
(the official quick march of the Royal Marines).
Dunn married Margery Halliday in 1938. They had one son (Patrick) and two daughters (Leonie and Rosemary). Vivian Dunn died from lung cancer in Haywards Heath
, Sussex on April 3, 1995. Marjery, Lady Dunn, died on June 26, 1998.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
FRSA
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
(24 December 1908 - 3 April 1995) was the Director of Music, Portsmouth Division, Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
1931-53 and Principal Director of Music, Royal Marines, from 1953 to 1968. He was the first military musician to be knighted.
Francis Vivian Dunn was born in Jabalpur, India. Vivian’s father, William James Dunn, was bandmaster of the Second Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps
King's Royal Rifle Corps
The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
and later director of music of the Royal Horse Guards
Royal Horse Guards
The Royal Horse Guards was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry.Founded August 1650 in Newcastle Upon Tyne by Sir Arthur Haselrig on the orders of Oliver Cromwell as the Regiment of Cuirassiers, the regiment became the Earl of Oxford's Regiment during the reign of...
. He studied piano with his mother, Beatrice Maud, and choral studies at Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
. In 1923 he studied at the Hochschule für Musik Köln
Hochschule für Musik Köln
The Cologne University of Music is a music college in Cologne, and Germany's largest academy of music.-History:The academy was founded by Ferdinand Hiller in 1850 as Conservatorium der Musik in Coeln...
and two years later he attended the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
. He studied conducting with Henry Wood and composition with Walton O’Donnell. As a violinist, he performed in the Queen’s Hall Promenade Orchestra under Henry Wood, and in 1930 was a founder member of the BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Symphony Orchestra is the principal broadcast orchestra of the British Broadcasting Corporation and one of the leading orchestras in Britain.-History:...
under several famous conductors.
Dunn was released from his contract with the BBC and on September 3, 1931 at age 22 commissioned as a lieutenant in the Royal Marines to be director of music for Portsmouth Division of the Corps. This post included directing the Royal Marines Band on the Royal Yacht. He took part in the royal tour of South Africa in 1947 aboard HMS Vanguard
HMS Vanguard (23)
HMS Vanguard was a British fast battleship built during World War II and commissioned after the end of the war. She was the only ship of her class and was the biggest, fastest and last of the Royal Navy's dreadnoughts, and the final battleship to be launched in the world...
and in a Royal Marines band tour of the U.S. and Canada in 1949.
His promotion to lieutenant-colonel and principal director of music, Royal Marines, came in 1953. Vivian and the Royal Marines Band then accompanied Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh on the SS Gothic
SS Gothic
SS Gothic was a cargo liner launched in 1947. She was the fourth and final of the Corinthic class liners ordered by the Shaw, Savill & Albion Steamship Co. in 1946—her sister ships being , and ....
for the post-coronation Commonwealth Tour. Upon completing the tour, the Queen appointed Dunn CVO, and in 1960 appointed him OBE.
In 1955, Dunn was asked by Euan Lloyd
Euan Lloyd
Euan Lloyd is a British film producer.He began his career directing short travelogue documentaries, starting with April in Portugal in 1954...
of Warwick Films to compose the theme music for The Cockleshell Heroes
The Cockleshell Heroes
The Cockleshell Heroes is a 1955 film with Trevor Howard, Anthony Newley, David Lodge and José Ferrer, who also directed. Set during the Second World War, it is a fictionalised account of Operation Frankton, the December 1942 raid by canoe-borne British commandos on shipping in Bordeaux Harbour...
(which was otherwise scored by John Addison
John Addison
John Mervyn Addison was a British composer best known for his film scores.Addison was educated at Wellington College, Berkshire and at the age of sixteen entered the Royal College of Music. He studied composition with Gordon Jacob, oboe with Léon Goossens, and clarinet with Frederick Thurston. ...
). He appears as himself conducting the Royal Marines in the end titles of the 1966 film Thunderbirds Are Go
Thunderbirds Are GO
Thunderbirds Are Go is a 1966 British science-fiction film based on Thunderbirds, a 1960s television series starring marionette puppets and featuring scale model effects in a filming process dubbed "Supermarionation"...
.
Upon retiring from his military career in December 1968, Dunn became a guest conductor with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is a British orchestra based in Birmingham, England. The Orchestra's current chief executive, appointed in 1999, is Stephen Maddock...
. He also recorded with the Light Music Society Orchestra. In 1969, he received an EMI Golden Disc for sales of over one million Royal Marines Band records. In that year he was also elected as an honorary member of the American Bandmasters Association
American Bandmasters Association
The American Bandmasters Association was formed in 1929 by Edwin Franko Goldman to promote concert band music. Goldman sought to raise esteem for concert bands among musicians and audiences...
. In 1987 he received the Sudler Medal of the Order of Merit from the John Philip Sousa Foundation
John Philip Sousa Foundation
The John Philip Sousa Foundation is a non-profit foundation dedicated to the promotion of band music internationally. The foundation administers a number of projects and awards supporting high quality band performance, conducting, and composition....
.
In 1988, after serving as the Senior Warden, Dunn became the first military musician installed as the Master of the Worshipful Company of Musicians
Worshipful Company of Musicians
The Worshipful Company of Musicians is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. Its history dates back to at least 1350. Originally a specialist guild for musicians, its role became an anachronism in the 18th century, when the centre of music making in London moved from the City to the...
.
Dunn composed and arranged over sixty pieces of music. Several are marches, many with Royal Marines connections. These include The Globe and Laurel (1935, rev. 1945), The Captain General (1949), Cockleshell Heroes (1955) and Mountbatten March (1972). He arranged numerous others including The Preobrajensky March attributed to Donajowsky (later to become the official slow march of the Royal Marines) and A Life on the Ocean Wave
A Life on the Ocean Wave
"A Life on the Ocean Wave" is a song by Henry Russell published in 1838. The song originated from the poet Epes Sargent. One day he and Russell were walking on The Battery in New York City watching the ships enter the harbour. This scene inspired Sargent to write a poem, which Russell then put to...
(the official quick march of the Royal Marines).
Dunn married Margery Halliday in 1938. They had one son (Patrick) and two daughters (Leonie and Rosemary). Vivian Dunn died from lung cancer in Haywards Heath
Haywards Heath
-Climate:Haywards Heath experiences an oceanic climate similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.-Rail:Haywards Heath railway station is a major station on the Brighton Main Line...
, Sussex on April 3, 1995. Marjery, Lady Dunn, died on June 26, 1998.
Recording
- The Martial Music of Sir Vivian Dunn. The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Plymouth, Captain J.R. Perkins. Clovelly CL CD10394, recorded 1994.