- Source: Les Penning
Les Penning is a British folk musician and composer, best known for his work with Mike Oldfield on the album Ommadawn and several of Oldfield's singles. He is credited with introducing Oldfield to medieval music through their time playing together at Penrhos Court. He has worked with many other artists, playing woodwind, as producer or as recording engineer, and has created radio drama for BBC Hereford and Worcester and music for two S4C television series: Gwyddion and an adaption by Gareth Miles of the William John Griffith novel Storïau'r Henllys Fawr. In 1978 he was a musician and performer on the BBC adaptation of ‘Kilvert’s Diary’.
In 1977 he was given the title of Sir Les Penning, Master of the King's music, by Richard Booth, the King of Hay. He has recently worked on several projects in collaboration with Robert Reed including "Doctor Who Theme" and "Sanctuary II" and his albums Belerion, Return to Penrhos, and The Ringmaster Part One and Two.
Discography
Albums
The Worldes Goodnyte (2007)
Througham Slad's Lost Sessions (2014) with Mike Oldfield (unofficial release)
Belerion (2016) with Robert Reed, Phil Bates, and Miguel Engel de la LLave Jiménez
Return to Penrhos (2019) with Robert Reed and Tom Newman
Pipes of Penning (2021) with Robert Reed
The Last Bells of Winter (2021) with Robert Reed
The Goat of Christmas Past (2021) with Robert Reed
Singles and EPs
Cuckoo Song with Mike Oldfield, Virgin, 1977
The British Grenadiers, Polydor Records, 1977
The Hay National Anthem, Hay Gramophone Gesellschaft, 1977
Should Have Been Forever, Plant Life Records, 1983
Willow Fair, Plant Life Records, 1983
Sussex Carol (with Rob Reed), 2016
In Dulci Jubilo (with Rob Reed), 2018
The Floral Dance (with Rob Reed), 2019
As a contributing artist
Ommadawn, Virgin Records, 1975 – Recorder, Conductor
In Dulci Jubilo, Virgin, 1975
Portsmouth, Virgin, 1976 – Recorders and feet
Argiers, Virgin, 1976
Echo & the Bunnymen, Heaven Up Here, 1981
Harmony Revival, Original Copy (LP), Ellie Jay Records, 1981
Robert Reed, Sanctuary III (LP, Album), Plane Groovy, 2018
Theme from Doctor Who (with Robert Reed and Tom Newman), 2016
Robert Reed, The Ringmaster Part One and Two, Tigermoth Productions, 2021
Tubular World, Hergest Ridge 50th Anniversary Edition,2021
The Weever Sands, Secrets of the Pecking Order, 2022
The Weever Sands, Moonfish: Songs Of Love And Water, 2024
Other music industry work
BBC Hereford and Worcester – Radio Drama
S4C television series: Gwyddion and Storïau'r Henllys Fawr (composer)
BBC series: Kilvert’s Diary (musician and performer), 1978
References
External links
Official Facebook Page