Overlanders (1946), his only film score. He orchestrated the scores written by Lord Berners for two films: The Halfway House (1943) and Nicholas Nickleby (1947). He asked Vaughan Williams to compose the music for three films, The Loves of Joanna Godden (1947), Scott of the Antarctic (1948) and Bitter Springs (1950), helping to fit the scores to the films. Vaughan Williams dedicated his Sinfonia Antartica (including music from Scott of the Antarctic) to Irving in 1953. Rawsthorne's First Quartet (1939) and Walton's Second Quartet (1947) are also dedicated to him. Personal life At the age of 20, Ernest Irving married Bertha Newall of Blackpool at Fylde register office on 11 May 1898. There were two children, but the marriage ended in divorce. He married his second wife Muriel Heath (1898-1983), a contralto who had sung in Lilac Time, on 19 December 1930. After the marriage, which produced one daughter, Irving suffered financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy. He acted as chess correspondent for the Illustrated London News between 1928 and 1932. On 22 March 1931 he was on the train from Euston which derailed at Linslade (near Leighton Buzzard), killing six people. In 1951 Irving received honorary membership of the Royal Philharmonic Society, and also had an honorary degree from the Royal Academy of Music. He retired from Ealing in May 1953 due to ill-health; his successor was Dock Mathieson, brother of Muir. At the time of his death five months later Irving was working on a comic operetta (The 'Orse) and had almost completed his autobiography (posthumously published in 1959 as Cue for Music). He died at his home (4 The Lawn, Ealing Green), aged 74. As music director Selected filmography References External links Main and End Title music from Whisky Galore 1878 births 1953 deaths English film score composers English male film score composers Honorary Members of the Royal Philharmonic Society People from Godalming English musical theatre composers