Les Penning

Les Penning
Penning in 2014
Born
Leslie Penning

(1944-12-14) 14 December 1944 (age 79)
Wiltshire, England
NationalityBritish
Occupations
  • Musician
  • Composer
  • Producer
Years active1975–present
Musical career
Genres[1][2]
Instruments
  • Recorder
  • Kortholt
  • Crumhorn
  • Cornamuse
  • Bowed Psaltery
  • Gemshorn
  • Irish whistle
  • Keyboards

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.[4] He is credited with introducing Oldfield to medieval music through their time playing together at Penrhos Court.[5][6][7] 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 adaption 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.[8][failed verification] He has recently worked in 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".

  1. ^ "Les Penning – Credits – AllMusic". AllMusic.
  2. ^ "Les Penning/Rob Reed/Phil Bates : Belerion, by robert reed". Robertreed.bandcamp.com.
  3. ^ "Les Penning – Discography – Discogs". Discogs.
  4. ^ Smith, Bradley (1998). The Billboard Guide to Progressive Music. Billboard Books,U.S. p. 145. ISBN 978-0823076659.
  5. ^ Dewey, Chris (2013). Mike Oldfield – A Life Dedicated to Music. Brimstone Press. p. 32. ISBN 978-1906385354.
  6. ^ Maconie, Stuart (2010). Adventures on the High Teas: In Search of Middle England. Ebury Press. p. 135. ISBN 978-0091926519.
  7. ^ Oldfield, Mike (2007). Changeling: The Autobiography of Mike Oldfield. Virgin Books. pp. 165–166. ISBN 978-0-7535-1307-1.
  8. ^ "Richard King of Hay". Richard King of Hay.