Ivor Slaney Song Lyrics

Who is Ivor Slaney?

Ivor Ernst Slaney (born 27 May 1921 in West Bromwich, d. 20 March 1998, Southampton) was a British composer and conductor, notable for his work in film, television and radio. Slaney's father Ernst Wallace Slaney was the principal 'cellist in the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra in the 1920s and 1930s under Sir Dan Godfrey. His mother was Grace Elizabeth Arney (b 22 April 1893, died July 1988). She married Ernst in Bristol in 1920. As a youngster Ivor joined the choir of St Stephen's Church, Bournemouth where he was also taught by Percy Whitlock, the church's Director of Music and a colleague of Ernst Slaney at the Bournemouth Pavilion. According to Whitlock's diary, Ivor was known as 'Tiny'. In 1935, aged 14, Ivor entered the Royal Artillery in Woolwich and gained a scholarship to the Royal College of Music, where he studied oboe with Léon Goossens and made friends with Malcolm Arnold. During the war he joined up as a musician in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, and afterwards worked fo...