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Tier 3 · vertical & regional
Robert Farnon
Person · male · Canada · Toronto · born 1917 · died 2005 · recording since 1955
Canadian-born composer, conductor, musical arranger and trumpet player
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Also known as Captain Bob Farnon · Ole Jensen · R. Farnon · ロバート・ファーノン
Timeline
13 events▣ Album 10◦ Birth 1★ Debut release 1† Death 1
1910s
1950s
· Debut release
Debut release: Canadian Impressions
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
1960s
· Album
Album: Captain Horatio Hornblower, R.N / Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra
Album
source: musicbrainz
1970s
1980s
1990s
· Album
Album: Colditz March / State Occasion / The Westminster Waltz / A Star Is Born
Album
source: musicbrainz
2000s
2010s
Biography
English biography405 words · 2 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1375850422
Biography
Robert Joseph Farnon (24 July 1917 – 23 April 2005) was a Canadian composer, conductor, musical arranger and trumpet player. As well as being a composer of original works (often in the light music genre), he was commissioned by film and television producers for theme and incidental music. In later life he composed a number of more serious orchestral works, including three symphonies, and was recognised with four Ivor Novello awards and the Order of Canada.
Life
Robert Farnon was born in Toronto to Robert and Elsie Farnon (née Menzies). He was commissioned as a captain in the Canadian Army and became the conductor/arranger of the Canadian Band of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force sent overseas during World War II. This was the Canadian equivalent of the American Band of the SHAEF led by Major Glenn Miller. He was noted as a jazz trumpeter – his longtime friend Dizzy Gillespie once stated that he was pleased that Farnon took up composing, arranging and conducting, because Robert was the better jazz trumpeter.
He married Joanne Dallas, a singer from the SHAEF band, whom he later divorced. At the end of the war Farnon resided in Britain, and he later moved to Guernsey in the Channel Islands with his new wife Patricia Smith and his five children. His friend and fellow composer Angela Morley composed "A Canadian in Mayfair" as a tribute.
He was considered by his peers to be the finest arranger in the world, and his talents influenced many composer-arrangers, all of whom acknowledged his contributions to their work. Conductor André Previn called him "the greatest writer for strings in the world." He was the musical director and conductor for Tony Bennett's 1972 series for Thames Television, Tony Bennett at the Talk of the Town.
He won four Ivor Novello Awards, including one for "Outstanding Services to British Music" in 1991, and in 1996 he won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement for "Lament" performed by J. J. Johnson & his Robert Farnon Orchestra. He was also awarded the Order of Canada early in 1998.
Robert Farnon died at the age of 87, at a hospice near his home of 40 years in Guernsey. He was survived by his wife Patricia and their five children, as well as two children from his previous marriage and his many grandchildren. Farnon's older brother Brian and his younger brother Dennis were also orchestral composers, arrangers and conductors.
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 9 | 54.3th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 22 | 87.8th |
| Studio albums | 13 | 93.5th |
| Awards recorded | 1 | 89th |
| Timeline events | 13 | 89.7th |
| Recording span (years) | 50 | 90.9th |
| Genres | 5 | 88.3th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (22 release groups · 13 studio albums)
Albums · 13
1955 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 32:47
1Gateway to The West2:442Main Street1:303A La Claire Fontaine5:394Pow Wow2:405Prairie Sunset2:536Alcan Highway2:227Ottawa Heights3:328Lake of The Woods7:309Mountain Grandeur1:2010Canadian Caravan2:37Captain Horatio Hornblower, R.N / Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra
1960 · studio album
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Tracklist · 2 tracks
ACaptain Horatio Hornblower, R.N.BRhapsody for Violin and OrchestraThe Music of Robert Farnon: Piano Playtime
1960 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks
A1Jumping BeanA2Lazy DayA3Little Miss MollyA4PlaytimeA5In a CalmA6Poodle ParadeB1Portrait of a FlirtB2Mid OceanB3MalagaB4Bird CharmerB5Summer LoveB6Westminster WaltzTo a Young Lady: The Sensuous Strings of Robert Farnon
1962 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 34:20
A1The Touch of Your Lips2:29A2To a Young Lady3:11A3Isn't It Romantic2:48A4La Casita Mia3:00A5Moonlight Becomes You2:30A6When I Fall in Love2:45B1Two Cigarettes in the Dark3:18B2I'm in the Mood for Love3:24B3Hey There2:53B4Something to Remember You By2:40B5Just a Memory2:47B6Alone Together2:351970 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks
1On the Trail2Home on the Range3Open Skies4Shenandoah5Away Out West6They Called the Wind Maria7Wyoming Lullaby8Colorado Trail9Theme From the New World Symphony10Gateway to the West1970 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks
A1There Will Never BeA2Wives and LoversA3YesterdayA4There's a Kind of HushA5If We LIved on Top of the MountainB1Scarborough FairB2Mrs. RobinsonB3Up, Up and AwayB4Blue ThemeB5Walk on By1986 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 40:36
A1P.P.M. Pulse2:55A2Big Brother Is Watching3:21A3Strength to Strength3:19A4Gold3:31A5Anyway the Wind Blows3:37A6Funk in Sync3:35B1The Dark Lands3:51B2The Suburban Jungle3:24B3Dressed to Impress2:56B4Sloane Clubbers3:32B5Our Island Home3:31B6Time Out3:04Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N.
1992 · studio album
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Tracklist · 11 tracks · 1:06:43
1Captain Horatio Hornblower Suite: Introduction1:362Captain Horatio Hornblower Suite: The Wind5:453Captain Horatio Hornblower Suite: Polwheal1:264Captain Horatio Hornblower Suite: Lady Barbara7:275Captain Horatio Hornblower Suite: Natividad5:006A la claire fontaine6:597State Occasion3:298Lake of the Woods9:579A promise of Spring3:3510Intermezzo for Harp and Strings5:1811Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra16:11Colditz March / State Occasion / The Westminster Waltz / A Star Is Born
1992 · studio album
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Tracklist · 17 tracks · 1:04:12
1Portrait of a Flirt2:442How Beautiful Is Night3:213Melody Fair2:514A la claire fontaine7:285The Peanut Polka3:076In a Calm (No. 2 of Three Impressions for Orchestra)2:437Gateway to the West3:138Jumping Bean2:319Pictures in the Fire5:0110Little Miss Molly3:2811Colditz March3:0812A Star Is Born2:4713The Westminster Waltz2:5814Manhattan Playboy (No. 3 of Three Impressions for Orchestra)2:4715Lake in the Woods10:0916Derby Day2:4817State Occasion3:082012 · studio album
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Tracklist · 13 tracks · 58:32
1Born to Dance: Easy to love (arr. R. Farnon)3:252Billy Rose’s Diamond Horseshoe: The More I See You (arr. R. Farnon)3:143My foolish heart: My foolish heart (arr. R. Farnon)4:214Ziegfeld Follies of 1934: What is there to say? (arr. R. Farnon)5:005The Nearness of You (arr. R. Farnon)4:356Great Day!: More than you know (arr. R. Farnon)5:417Put Your Dreams Away (arr. R. Farnon)3:188Flying Colors: Alone Together (arr. R. Farnon)4:019Jumbo: My Romance (arr. R. Farnon)5:1110A Game for Two (arr. R. Farnon)5:5811Love Dance (arr. R. Farnon)6:2512Funny Girl: His Is the Music that Makes Me Dance (arr. R. Farnon)4:5713Everything I Love (arr. R. Farnon)2:26— · studio album
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Tracklist · 16 tracks
1March of the Toys2Embraceable You3Wartime Favourites Medley: As Time Goes By / Shoo-Shoo Baby / I'll Be Seeing You4Saturday Night5Play Fiddle Play6C Jam Blues7Song of the Volga Boatmen8I'm Confessin'9When You and I Were Young Maggie10I'm Beginning to See the Light11Way Down Younder in New Orleans12My Blue Heaven13Out of This World14I Found a New Baby15Jingle Bells16Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea— · studio album
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Tracklist · 31 tracks · 22:22
A1.1[untitled]0:31A1.2[untitled]0:36A1.3[untitled]0:24A2.1New Day0:15A2.2Night Fall0:17A2.3Mist Patch0:14A2.4Late Rendezvous1:05A3Ghost Village1:20A4Enduring Vigil1:02A5Moon Dance2:03A6Shady Lady2:30A7Riviera Chase1:58B1.1Waiting Game0:43B1.2Crisis0:18B1.3Lonely Street0:39B1.4Space Waves0:40B2Omen0:43B3.1Indecision0:41B3.2Witches Ride0:57B3.3Reverse Space Waves0:40B4.1Dark Journey0:52B4.2Unexpected0:13B4.3Swinging Date0:43B5.1Twilight Time0:31B5.2Gun Smoke0:11B5.3Flying Squad0:19B5.4Blue Boy0:56B5.5Late Night0:26B6.1Hurry Home0:10B6.2Curtain 10:12B6.3Curtain 20:13— · studio album
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Tracklist · 24 tracks
Disc 1A1In a Dream WorldA2Dream a Little Dream of MeA3Street of DreamsA4Latin DreamerA5You Stepped Out of a DreamA6Loves DreamB1DreamB2Out of My DreamsB3I Dream of JeannieB4Dream MemoryB5I Had the Craziest DreamB6When I Grow Too Old to DreamDisc 2C1Godfather 2C2The Way We WereC3The Sweetheart of Sigma ChiC4EmmalineC5Jo-AnneC6All AloneD1Send in the ClownsD2My Little FriendD3Romantic HourD4MichelleD5DaybreakD6Alice Blue Gown
Single · 2
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Experiments in SpaceSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracks · 5:44AExperiments in Space (Pt.1)3:07 BExperiments in Space (Pt.2)2:37 | 1958 | ||
| 1975 | Concorde MarchSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracksAConcorde March BHoliday Flight | 1975 |
Album · 4
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | The Road to Hong KongSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 11 tracks · 32:30A1Overture2:47 A2Let's Not Be Sensible2:38 A3Moon Over Hong Kong3:39 A4Team Work2:15 A5The Only Way To Travel2:31 A6The Chase2:34 B1Road To Hong Kong3:10 B2Let's Not Be Sensible Blues2:37 B3Reluctant Astronauts3:13 B4Warmer Than A Whisper3:07 B5Lamasery Chant3:59 | Soundtrack | 1962 | |
| 1968 | Shalako (Original Motion Picture Sound Track)Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 11 tracks · 38:56A1Shalako3:21 A2Pete Wells Death3:30 A3Apaches' Dawn Attack5:26 A4Irena-Love Scene3:03 A5Lady Daggets' Desertation2:50 B1Main Titles5:36 B2Apaches' Pursuit of Shalako4:18 B3Irena1:45 B4Stagecoach Ambush/Lady Daggets' Death5:12 B5Shalako-Chato Duel1:57 B6Finale1:58 | Soundtrack | 1968 | |
| 1983 | StrangeSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 29 tracks · 40:22A1Supernatural0:52 A2Grassless Grave1:14 A3Premonitions0:58 A4Evil Influence1:11 A5Enchanted Island1:04 A6Broken Silence1:01 A7Poison Ivy1:36 A8Storyteller3:37 A9Strange5:23 A10Strange Punctuation 10:18 A11Strange Punctuation 20:22 A12Strange Punctuation 30:10 A13Strange Punctuation 40:10 A14Strange Punctuation 50:10 A15Strange Punctuation 60:12 A16Strange Punctuation 70:24 A17Strange Punctuation 80:24 A18Strange Punctuation 90:40 B19Intense Danger 10:12 B20Intense Danger 21:25 B21Intense Danger 30:30 B22Approaching Danger2:12 B23Surprise Scenery2:59 B24Strange Places2:16 B25Close Encounter2:11 B26Sultry Suspense2:04 B27Awesome2:00 B28Suspended Thoughts2:40 B29The Creeps2:07 | Compilation | 1983 | |
| 2014 | Overlord / The Disappearance / HustleSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 39 tracksDisc 1 1Overlord: Premonition 2Overlord: Tom 3Overlord: A Long Walk 4Overlord: Prisoner 5Overlord: The Fall 6Overlord: “We Don’t Know Where We’re Going” 7Overlord: Corfe Castle / A Kiss 8Overlord: “We Don’t Know Where We’re Going” 9Overlord: Called Away / Waiting to Go 10Overlord: Preparing the Dead 11Overlord: Premonition / Sacrifice / End Title 12Overlord Alternates: 3M1 13Overlord Alternates: 8M3X 14Overlord Alternates: “We Don’t Know Where We’re Going” (indtrumental version) 15Overlord Alternates: 8M2 16The Disappearance: The Disappearance / Burbank Called 17The Disappearance: From the First 18The Disappearance: Cheever 19The Disappearance: You Need Me 20The Disappearance: Arrival / Anger / Name the Shy 21The Disappearance: Memory / You’re My Wife 22The Disappearance: Follow / Personal Touch 23The Disappearance: Don’t Ever Stop 24The Disappearance: Death Us Do Part / End Credits Disc 21Hustle: Main Title (Maya’s Theme) 2Hustle: Cash, Cash, Cash 3Hustle: Meeting 4Hustle: Gifts 5Hustle: You’re Beautiful 6Hustle: I’ll Call 7Hustle: Maya’s Theme 8Hustle: Makeover 9Hustle: The Gaff / Portrait 10Hustle: Partners/Who Are You? 11Hustle: Dizzy / Double Cross / Handle Her 12Hustle: People Kill People 13Hustle: Goodbye Corinna / More Than Money / Playing Us 14Hustle: Police / You’re Dead 15Hustle: Best Interest / Have a Good Life / End Title (Maya’s Theme) | Compilation,Soundtrack | 3 June 2014 |
Other · 1
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Archive: More Famous ThemesSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 27 tracks · 1:13:221Gateway to the West2:57 2Westminster Waltz3:20 3Willie the Whistler2:16 4A Star Is Born2:48 5Grandstand2:18 6Melody Fair2:26 7Ottawa Heights3:06 8Goodwood Gallop2:18 9State Occasion2:52 10Poodle Parade3:16 11String Time2:52 12Alcan Highway2:28 13Pictures in the Fire3:47 14Manhattan Playboy2:27 15Proud Canvas2:05 16The Huckle-Buckle2:58 17Canadian Caravan2:48 18Peanut Polka2:34 19Lazy Day2:37 20Swing Ho2:28 21Joanne2:59 22En Route2:36 23Stardom2:45 24Playtime3:00 25Holiday Flight2:33 26World Series2:29 27City Streets2:19 | — |
EP · 2
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Something to Remember You by No.2Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 4 tracksA1Something to Remember You By A2Maria B1A Shine on Your Shoes B2You and the Night and the Music | — | ||
| — | Something to Remember You BySearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 4 tracksA1Then I'll Be Tired of You A2Louisiana Hayride B1I See Your Face Before Me B2I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan | — |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Robert Farnon head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 9 | 54.3th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 22 | 87.8th |
| Studio albums | 13 | 93.5th |
| Awards recorded | 1 | 89th |
| Timeline events | 13 | 89.7th |
| Recording span (years) | 50 | 90.9th |
| Genres | 5 | 88.3th |
Awards & honours
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | Member of the Order of Canada | won |
Line-up
| Name | From | To | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ole Jensen And His Orchestra(band) | — | present |
Where this record comes from
aliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/93d586fd-4828-41e4-85f7-c2848ea989d7discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/93d586fd-4828-41e4-85f7-c2848ea989d7core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q433579seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Farnonbiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Farnon
Why this artist is in the database
- List of Canadian musicians
Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: no portrait (not displayed: the licence credit is missing)
Wikidata: Q433579 · MusicBrainz: 93d586fd-4828-41e4-85f7-c2848ea989d7
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