Background
Born into a musical family (his father, Clarence Lucas, was also a noted composer), he began his career as a dancer for Sergei Diaghilev"s Ballets Russes (1918-1921).
composer conductor musicologist
Born into a musical family (his father, Clarence Lucas, was also a noted composer), he began his career as a dancer for Sergei Diaghilev"s Ballets Russes (1918-1921).
He became a ballet conductor at 19, as well as a self-taught composer of religious works and film music He is particularly noted for his film compositions, including the scores for, Alfred Hitchcock"s, Ice-Cold in Alex (1958) and the incidental music for The Dam Busters (based on the title march by Eric Coates). Benjamin Britten wrote that Lucas"s was "very interesting - especially quite lovely Sarabande." Lucas"s "Sinfonia Brevis" (1936?) may be one of the earliest British scores to incorporate Balinese gamelan effects (it was heard by Benjamin Britten who went on to use such effects in his music from Paul Bunyan).