ISSN2050-4926 INTERNATIONAL MILITARY MUSIC SOCIETY … Journal 114.pdf · 4 IMMS UK (Founder)...

ISSN2050-4926

INTERNATIONAL MILITARY MUSIC SOCIETY UNITED KINGDOM (FOUNDER) BRANCH

Journal No. 114 WINTER 2017

2 IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Winter 2017

INTERNATIONAL MILITARY MUSIC SOCIETY

UNITED KINGDOM (FOUNDER) BRANCH Founder President: Lt-Col Sir Vivian Dunn KCVO OBE (1908-1995)

Branch President: Lt-Col (Rtd) Geoff Kingston

Honorary Vice-Presidents: Mrs J E Alford, P T Higgins, P Mather, Miss E Pearson

FRONT COVER: The Band of the

Royal Air Force College at this

year’s Belfast Tattoo. (Photo:

www.raf.mod.uk/rafmusic under

Open Government Licence v3.0.)

CHAIRMAN’S CALL Sadly, I must begin my Chairman’s

call with the information that George

Skinner, one of the Branch’s earliest

members, passed away recently.

George along with his wife, Averil,

very rarely missed any of our

quarterly meetings or our various

visits and both of them were to be

seen together at many concerts and

other events sharing their love of

military and brass band music. Their

enthusiasm has been passed on to

their son, Mark, currently a musician

in the Household Division. Our

thoughts go out to Averil, Mark and

the rest of their family.

I am writing this having just returned

from the Remembrance Sunday

Service at my local Royal British

Legion Branch where I had the

honour of laying a wreath to

remember all those members of our

Armed Forces and Civilian Services

who paid the ultimate sacrifice so that

we can live the relatively peaceful life

which we enjoy today. At this time of

Remembrance it is also opportune to

recognise the contribution which

musicians from all three services give

to the many Remembrance Services

around the United Kingdom in this

time of limited musical resources.

In the lead up to the Christmas

festivities there are still many

opportunities for us to enjoy military

music at its best with the Bands of the

Household Division presenting their

‘Scarlet and Gold’ concert at the

Cadogan Hall on the 6th and 7th

December and the annual Christmas

Celebration at the Guards’ Chapel on

18th December, while the Royal

Marines continue their series of

concerts at St Mary’s Church,

Fratton. Please check our ‘Dates for

Your Diary’ pages for further details

of these and the other concerts

coming soon.

Those of you who attend our quarterly

meetings will be aware that, for some

time now, we have been able to offer

reduced price recordings some of

which have come from members who,

for various reasons, have offered us

their collections to benefit Branch

funds. Unfortunately, we have

reached the position where we are

unable to accept any more collections

as none of us have storage space for

them. While we, as a Branch,

appreciate these kind offers it is

simply not feasible for us to accept

any more. I am aware that, in the past,

we have been able to share these

collections with the archivist at

Kneller Hall or the Royal Marines and

Royal Air Force Band Services but

they are experiencing a similar

problems with storage and are unable

to help any more.

Finally, I hope that it is not too early

for me to wish you all a Happy

Christmas and a peaceful and

prosperous New Year.

With all best wishes. Alan Purdie

INTERNATIONAL VICE-

PRESIDENT:

Major (Rtd) Roger Swift

CHAIRMAN:

Alan Purdie, 5 Hemming Close,

Hampton, Middlesex TW12 2JD. Tel:

020 8941 1416. E-mail:

[email protected]

HON. SECRETARY:

Jim Davies, Amberstone, Pyrford Road,

Pyrford, Surrey GU22 8UP.

Tel: 01932 355135. E-mail:

[email protected]

HON. TREASURER

& MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY:

Guy Morris, 32 Claremont Avenue,

Hersham, Surrey KT12 4NS.

Tel: 0870 904 6453. E-mail

[email protected]

JOURNAL EDITOR:

Mike Boxall, 38 Hortensia House,

Hortensia Road, London SW10 0QP.

E-mail:

[email protected]

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

John Crisford CBE, Charles Gray, Brian

Hill, Rodney Illsley and Ron Shooter

ADVISORY PANEL:

John Curtis, Colin Dean,

Dr Graham Jones MBE, Philip Mather,

Major (Rtd) Richard Powell, and Major

(Rtd) Gordon Turner MBE

REGIONAL ORGANISER

North East: Ivor Shirley, 9 Hurst

Grove, Darlington, Co Durham DL1

4NX

WEBMASTER:

Ron Rose, Flat 4, Kingsholm House, 7

Twickenham Close, Swindon, Wiltshire

SN3 3FF.

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.imms-uk.org.uk

ISSN 2050-4926

The IMMS UK Branch Journal is published four times a year. The respective closing dates

for copy in 2018 are 2nd February, 25th May, 31st August and 16th November. Contributions

for the Journal from members are always welcome. The annual membership subscription,

due on 1st January, is £25 of which the UK Branch retains £8 to help finance local activities.

Members receive in addition to the UK Branch Journal three editions each year of Band

International, which is sent to all members worldwide. Further details about the Society and

its activities are available from the UK Branch Secretary. Enquiries and correspondence

about the Society’s meetings should be addressed to the Branch Secretary and not to Kneller

Hall. The contents of the UK Branch Journal are copyright and no part of it may be

reproduced without permission. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of

the President, the UK Branch Committee or the Society’s membership as a whole.

IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Winter 2017 3

Branch meetings

With the kind permission of the

Commandant, Colonel Barry Jenkins,

and with the support of his team there,

our meetings take place at The Royal

Military School of Music, Kneller

Hall, Twickenham TW2 7DU; next

year’s meetings will be on Saturdays

3 March (with the Branch AGM held

at 11 00), 16 June, 22 September and

8 December, starting at 14 00.

When attending meetings, you’ll need

to allow time to complete the security

procedures at the School. If you travel

by public transport or on foot, notify

me in advance. If travelling by car for

the first time, notify me of your

vehicle’s registration number.

Members’ details are held at the

Guardroom for subsequent visits.

Remember to carry your IMMS

membership card as proof of identity.

Lost membership cards can be

replaced on request.

September meeting

We welcomed Musician David Wong

(clarinet) from the Band of the

Grenadier Guards to our meeting on

Saturday 23 September. Born and

educated in Hong Kong, David joined

the Grenadier band in 2014 becoming

the first soldier from Hong Kong to

join the regimental band.

Musician David Wong (Photo:

www.defenceimagery.mod.uk under


After teaching in Hong Kong for two

years he won a scholarship to

London's Royal College of Music in

London. Here he achieved a Master's

degree and was the winner of the

woodwind concerto competition two

years in succession.

Following a splendid performance of

Sonata pour Clarinette avec

accompagnement du Piano by Saint-

Saens, op.167, accompanied at the

piano by Major Roger Swift, David

told us in his delightful way about his

musical journey which has taken him

to the Band of the Grenadier Guards.

December meeting

Our final meeting this year will be on

Saturday 9 December starting at 14 00

when our guest speaker will be a long-

standing friend of this Branch, Major

Bruce Miller, who will have just

retired from his appointment as

Director of Music, Irish Guards.

Major Bruce Miller (Photo: Colin Dean)

Branch visit

Thanks to the kind invitation of Major

Peter Clark, the Director of Music,

and the carefully detailed preparatory

work by Lance Corporal Terry Hissey

(himself a longstanding member of

this IMMS branch), a dozen or so

members enjoyed a most enjoyable

visit on Friday 15 September to the

Waterloo Band and Bugles of The

Rifles at their base in Edward Brooks

Barracks at Abingdon in Oxfordshire.

See page 12 for a report on the visit.

Concerts in the Park

Colonel Barry Jenkins, Director

Corps of Army Music and

Commandant at Kneller Hall,

addressed the audience before the

final Concert in the Park of the

season. The Colonel, who retires at

the end of the year to be succeeded by

Colonel Victoria Reid, confirmed that

there would be Concerts in the Park at

Kneller Hall in 2018 and 'almost

certainly' in 2019.

The concert took place in front of a

large and appreciative audience who

welcomed the Band of the

Household Cavalry and the Band of

the Brigade of Gurkhas to 'the Rock.'

Recent appointments

Following the appointment of

Lieutenant-Colonel Jon Ridley RM as

Principal Director of Music Royal

Marines, the Directors of Music of the

five bands of the Royal Marines are

now: Captain Andy Gregory RM

(Portsmouth), Major Huw Williams

RM (Plymouth), Major Ian Davis RM

(Collingwood), Captain Matt Weites

RM (Scotland) and Captain Sam

Hairsine RM (Commando Training

Centre RM) - while not forgetting

Major Pete Curtis MBE, RM (School

of Music).

Following the appointment of Wing

Commander Piers Morrell RAF as

Principal Director of Music, Royal

Air Force, the Directors of Music of

the three RAF bands are: Flight

Lieutenant Chris I’Anson (Central

Band), Flight Lieutenant Tom Rodda

(RAF Regiment) and Squadron

Leader Richard Murray (RAF

College).

Visits to bands

As we go to print discussions are in

hand for the visit in the Spring to the

Band of the Household Cavalry at

Windsor, which had to be cancelled

last year. We also hope to take up

Captain Ben Mason's kind invitation

to visit his band – that of The Queen's

Division, based at RAF Henlow.

If you wish to join either or both

visits, please reconfirm your interest

with me.

IMMS International

Bob Davis of IMMS New Zealand

has been elected as International

President of the Society in succession

to Trevor Ford. Congratulations to

Bob and best wishes to him during his

time in office.

Major (Retd.) Roger Swift continues

as the UK’s International Vice-

President and Lieut.-Col. (Retd.)

Geoff Kingston continues as the UK’s

representative on the international

committee. Jim Davies

BRANCH SECRETARY’S NOTES


George Victor Skinner (1947-2017) George was a founder member of the IMMS, joining on the

1st of January 1977 after transferring his membership from

the Band Section of the Military Historical Society. He was

a regular contributor to Band International (and also to

Fanfare magazine) for several years, with articles mostly

covering events in and around London, sometimes hiding

behind the pseudonym of Victor Erskine.

He was a familiar figure at band events

throughout the country and had an

encyclopaedic knowledge of military music.

He was born in 1947 when his parents lived in

Windsor, and his mother used to tell of a day

she was out pushing the pram in Windsor

Great Park when a gentleman approached and

asked to look at the baby. Not a request to

refuse as the gentleman was King George VI

who, having asked the baby’s name, not doubt

assumed he was named after him!

George worked for the Gas Board in a central

London office with sufficient flexibility to

enable him to spend his summer lunchtimes at the bandstand

in St. James’s Park and be back there in the evening for the

5.30pm concerts, following which a brisk walk took him to

the Embankment Gardens for another concert. Those were

the days!

Things changed when George’s job moved to Staines but on

the positive side, it prompted him to start driving, opening up

a whole host of other venues for band events, attending

several every week throughout the year.

I first got to know George in 1976 and we soon became good

friends. He opened up a new world of band engagements for

me, introducing me to Cavalry Sunday, the various

regimental Memorial Sundays, Guard Mounting and summer

concerts at Windsor Castle, not to mention Major Jimmy

Howe’s regular massed bands concerts at Croydon. From

1979 we started to venture further afield with the Tattoos in

Edinburgh, Cardiff and Plymouth as well as the Shrewsbury

Notice is given that the Annual General Meeting of the

International Military Music Society's UK (Founder) Branch

will take place at The Royal Military School of Music,

Kneller Hall, Twickenham TW2 7DU on Saturday 3 March

commencing at 11 00.

The AGM is members' opportunity to receive reports from,

and put questions to, the Branch officers about our activities

over the past year and future plans – as well as receiving the

financial report. Any items for inclusion in the AGM's

Agenda must be received by me (at Amberstone, Pyrford

Road, Pyrford GU22 8UP) by 31 January; items received

after that date may be disregarded.

Members at the AGM also confirm Officers' appointments

and elect members to serve on the Branch's committee. Our

Chairman, Alan Purdie, having been elected at the 2017

AGM, has completed the first of his three-year term.

Flower Show which, after us spreading the word to anyone

who would listen, eventually became a regular IMMS

gathering.

George married Averil in 1985 and Mark arrived a couple of

years later. His destiny was never really in doubt, having

been taken to Regent’s Park for his first band concert at the

age of one week. Mark proved a great credit to George and

Averil, joining the Band of the Welsh Guards,

being moved to the Coldstream and now the

Irish Guards. George was thrilled when Mark

married Sarah in 2010 and they produced four

grandchildren for him to dote over.

A deterioration in his eyesight became a

problem in recent years and as 2017 progressed

he began to look unwell. His friends were

shocked to see him look very frail and unwell

at a concert in September and began to fear the

worst. He slipped away on 10th October 2017,

aged 70.

Three days later, at the suggestion of Dominic

Cleydon, the Band of the Grenadier Guards played George’s

favourite march, Holyrood, marching from Wellington

Barracks for Guard Mounting, as Army music’s tribute to one

of its finest and most knowledgeable supporters.

RIP

Colin Dean

Averil Skinner has sent these thanks: “Please accept my

heartfelt thanks to all of you who sent messages of sympathy

to my family and me following the death of dear George.

They have been a source of great comfort to us.

Thanks also to those who were able to attend the

Thanksgiving service, it was good to see you there. I

apologise if I didn’t speak to you individually. I do not know

the addresses of many of you, therefore I am unable to write

to each of you. Please accept this as an expression of my

deepest thanks.”

The Committee appoints your Secretary, Treasurer and

Journal Editor. Committee member Ron Shooter's three-year

term expires at the March 2018 AGM and we hope he will

stand for re-election. The other elected members of your

committee (Messrs John Crisford CBE, Charles Gray, Brian

Hill and Rodney Illsley) are in mid-term. Mr. Crisford has

also succeeded Alan Hardwick as IMMS' International

Treasurer.

Our rules allow for a committee of six elected members, in

addition to the officers. As it appears there will be at least

one committee vacancy, any nominations must be received

by me no later than 31 January 2018, preferably by post rather

than by e-mail; each nomination must be signed by the

nominee, the proposer and the seconder. A nomination form,

which can be downloaded, will be placed on our website by

1 December. Jim Davies

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

OBITUARY


The good news about Jerome Gatehouse Collection items

being integrated into the Museum of Army Music’s archives

prompted these reminiscences from Peter Penwarden:

“My friendship with Jerome started 40 or so years ago. At

the time my wife and daughter ran a bookshop in Newport

(south Wales); one day a young chap came in asking about

books on military music. My daughter said: “My dad is mad

about bands,” thus starting a 20-year friendship.

I used to drive up to him at least once a week for a 'military

music' get together and we went to all the Cardiff

Tattoos, Wembley, Royal Tournament and so forth.

A couple of little tales - he used to post enquiry letters (in

English) worldwide, replies usually coming back in English,

but one day he had the 'bright' idea of sending out enquiries

in French, German, Spanish, etc. He then started receiving

replies he couldn’t understand, so he spent a lot of money,

which he could ill afford, with a translation company in

Cardiff.

In his letter he would ask how many military and police bands

in a country, where located, etc. One country (I forget which)

thought he was seeking state secrets and reported him to

Interpol which resulted in a visit from the local bobbies. They

'interviewed' him over a cup of tea listening to stirring

marches - case solved!”

Other memories from Phil Havard, who’s obviously been

clearing out some draws as he’s sent in a copy of the

programme for the 1961 FA Cup Final where Tottenham

Hotspur beat Leicester City 2–0. Probably of more interest to

us, though, was the musical programme.

Before the match, the massed bands of the Scots and Welsh

Guards played the marches Triumph of Right (Lovell) and

March of the Slide Trombones (Scott), a selection from ‘The

Sound of Music’ (Rodgers), a waltz Nights of Gladness

(Ancliffe), a waltz selection The Golden Waltz (arr. Winter),

selections from the shows ‘The Flower Drum Song’

(Rodgers) and ‘The Music Man’ (Willson), finishing with the

march medley The Passing of the Regiments (arr. Winter).

The band of the Coldstream Guards then accompanied the

community singing and at half time there was a marching

display by the Massed Bands of The Brigade of Guards.

Directors of Music are listed as:

• Grenadier Guards - Lieutenant R. B. Bashford,

L.R.A.M., A.R.C.M., p.s.m.

• Coldstream Guards - Lieut.-Colonel D. A. Pope,

A.R.C.M., p.s.m. (Senior Director of Music, Brigade

of Guards)

• Scots Guards - Lieutenant J. H. Howe, L.R.A.M.,

A.R.C.M. p.s.m.

• Irish Guards - Major C. H. Jaeger, Mus.Bac.,


• Welsh Guards - Major F. L. Statham, M.B.E.,


Phil couldn’t help comparing this with today when, as he

says, “We’re lucky to get the National Anthem now!”

Our discographer, Phil Mather, is researching the history of

Kneller Hall Student Bandmasters’ marches and has sought

our help. He’s looking for any military band quick march

music catalogues published by any company of any date.

In particular, he’s trying to locate a copy of the Ruddal Carte

Kneller Hall March Journal which first saw the light of day

in the 1890s.

If you have this, or march catalogues of whatever publisher

and date and can help Phil, contact him by email on

[email protected] or by post at 34 Malvern Avenue,

Bury, Lancs. BL9 6NW.

Fanfare

The 2017 edition of Fanfare, the Journal of the Corps of Army

Music has just been published. With 168 pages of articles and

photos from CAMUS, Fanfare is always a good read.

Alan will have copies at the December London meeting for

sale at the cover price of £6.50 each.

For members who can’t attend the meeting, Jim will have

copies available at £9 inclusive of postage and packaging.

To order a copy from Jim, send a cheque made out to ’IMMS

UK Branch’ to Jim Davies at Amberstone, Pyrford Road,

Pyrford, Surrey GU22 8UP.

Mike Boxall

READERS WRITE


The Band of the Royal Air Force CollegeThe opportunity to perform on the same stage as an Italian

running band and a Dutch bicycle band does not arise very

often for the Band of the Royal Air Force College, but this is

exactly what the Belfast Tattoo had in store for them to finish

the summer season.

Since its debut in 2013, the Belfast Tattoo has gone from

strength to strength. From the early days of a show featuring

local acts and just two performances, the Tattoo now spans

over three nights, and, in 2017, included acts from all over the

world, such as the Winnipeg Police Band from Canada, Lume

de Biqueira of Spain and Fascinating Drums from Germany,

to name but a few. The organisation also still includes musical

talent firmly from its roots in Northern Ireland with the

Coleraine Fife and Drum, Kellswater Flute Band and The

Choir of Belfast High School also wowing the crowds.

The fourteen acts from seven different nations rehearsed

together for three days before the crowds flocked to the SSE

Arena for the opening night. Murley Silver Band, Northern

Ireland’s premier brass band were on hand before each show

to provide entertainment on the concourse before audiences

sat down to witness the Band of the Royal Air Force College

open proceedings with their marching display, with Squadron

Leader Richard Murray, a proud Northern Irishman himself,

at the helm. To the Few, St. Louis Blues March, and a drill

movement representing the RAF’s new F35 Lightning 2

stealth fighter jet to the music of Ron Goodwin’s Those

Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines got the evening off

to a spectacular start.

The band also accompanied the world-famous Queen’s

Colour Squadron, the Royal Air Force Regiment Ceremonial

Display Squadron, during their drill display. Fusing

traditional military music with modern chart toppers, the

Queen’s Colour Squadron carried out arms drill to It’s a Long

Way to Tipperary, 633 Squadron; Jess Glynne’s Hold my

Hand and Ed Sheeran’s Galway Girl with expert precision.

When all the participants’ performances had come to an end,

the band took to the stage for one last time to take part in the

Tattoo’s Grand Finale. Whilst usual Tattoo favourites such as

Auld Lang Syne and Amazing Grace gave the show that iconic

Tattoo vibe, special mentions must be given to SAC Philippa

Hobbs (vocals) and SAC Andrew Stevenson (guitar) whose

performances of Anthem from the musical ‘Chess’ brought

the house down. With a standing ovation from the whole

arena, these fantastic musicians did themselves, and Royal

Air Force Music Services, proud.

Whilst in Belfast, the band was lucky enough to take time out

to explore the many cultural aspects of this fascinating city.

A trip to the Titanic Museum really opened people’s eyes to

not only the story of the ship’s demise, but the financial,

industrial and social effect that the ship-building trade had in

the area, both before and after 1912.

Such has been the success of the Belfast Tattoo in its first five

years that the organisers will now take the show to different

areas of the United Kingdom. With performances already

booked in Glasgow for early 2018, it was also announced that

a Tattoo will be performed for the first time in the city of

Liverpool; a show not to be missed.

So, as the band reflect on a fantastic week and contemplate

whether to incorporate bicycles into their drill manoeuvres

any time soon, they wish the Belfast Tattoo all the very best

for their future shows, and would like to extend an invitation

to the Italian running band, Fanfare of Magenta, to take part

in the RAF Fitness Test in the near future!

SAC Andrew Belfield

Band of the Royal Air Force College

SAC Philippa Hobbs sings, with Squadron Leader Richard Murray conducting, during the Tattoo finale.

(Photo: www.raf.mod.uk/rafmusic under Open Government Licence v3.0.)

THE BELFAST TATTOO


Squadron Leader Richard Murray RAF

Squadron Leader Murray BMus(Hons), LRSM, LLCM, RAF

began playing the flute and piano from an early age under the

guidance of the music staff at Downshire School,

Carrickfergus and at Belfast High School. He was soon

studying music at the University of Ulster, graduating with

honours in 1997.

Richard joined

Royal Air Force

Music Services in

November 1997 and

served briefly with

the Western Band of

the Royal Air Force

at RAF Locking.

Prior to his posting

as Principal Flautist

with the Band of the

Royal Air Force

Regiment at RAF

Cranwell in 1999, Richard was awarded the Cassel Silver

Medal by The Worshipful Company of Musicians.

While at Cranwell Richard continued his musical studies

gaining Licentiateships in Performance and Conducting from

the London College and Royal Schools of Music. For his

efforts he was awarded another Silver Medal from the

Worshipful Company of Musicians on completion of the

Bandmaster Course in 2006. On promotion to Sergeant in

2008, Richard was posted to The Central Band of the RAF.

Richard received his Commission and was awarded the

MacRoberts Prize on completion of Initial Officer Training

Course No.17 at RAF College Cranwell in February 2010.

Following his first tour as Director of Music to The Band of

the RAF Regiment, Richard was assigned to The Central

Band of the RAF in 2012.

Having completed a Junior Officer Development Programme

at the Defence College, Shrivenham, in 2015 Richard was

posted to Headquarters Music Services as Branch Advisor. In

this role he was responsible for all aspects of strategic

management planning, recruitment, training, budgets,

allocations and policy administration.

Richard has recorded for the BBC and has conducted at

numerous prestigious state, national and international events.

These have included the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the

London Olympics, Basel Tattoo (Switzerland) and WW1

Commemorations in New Delhi (India).

Richard returned to Cranwell in September 2016 and is the

current Director of Music to the Band of the RAF College.

Outside work, Richard enjoys quality family time with his

wife Megan and is kept on his toes with three young

daughters.

Flight Sergeant Barry Stringer MBE

Media and Communications Officer, RAF Music Services

Whittle Hall Concerts

The autumn series of concerts at the Whittle Hall, RAF

College Cranwell, took place on the 20th, 21st and 22nd of

September.

This year the concerts were performed by the Band of the

Royal Air Force College conducted by their Director of

Music, Squadron Leader Richard Murray. The concerts also

featured The Cranwell Military Wives Choir conducted by

Mr. Rowland Lee.

After the National Anthem, the band performed a varied

selection of music starting with Bugler's Dream and Olympic

Fanfare (L. Arnaud/J. Williams) followed by Irish Tune from

County Derry (Percy Grainger). The Choir joined the band

next and performed Rule the World (Barlow arr. Laidler)

conducted by Mr. Lee.

Our first and only solo of the evening came next –

Grandfather’s Clock - usually a brass band piece played as a

euphonium solo but on this occasion as a lovely bassoon solo.

This was superbly played by SAC James Underwood doing

all the variations, a real unusual treat.

The choir again joined the band for the next two items, the

first of which Wherever You Are (Mealor arr. Stubbs) and All

That Jazz (Kander/Ebb arr. Shaw) both conducted by Mr.

Rowland Lee. Anthem from ‘Chess’ (Ulvaeus/Andersson arr.

Sidwell) came next with vocals by SAC Philippa Hobbs, who

did a really great job, and a great guitar solo from SAC Andy

Stevenson. This was very well received by the audience.

Taking us to the interval was a piece new to me, Blue Shades

by American composer Frank Ticheli. This really tested the

band and contained solos from clarinet and bass clarinet

which was quite unusual. With different elements of jazz

running through it, it wasn’t something you could hum on the

way home but was an interesting piece.

The second half started in usual fashion with Swing Wing, the

20-piece big band that plays in the style of the 40s, 50s and

60s, led by Sergeant Tom Ringrose. Their set included more

great vocals from SAC Philippa Hobbs in Cry Me a River, Go

Daddy-O and Round Midnight.

The band reformed on stage to play the ever-popular Glen

Miller number Pennsylvania 6-5000. A more serious piece

came next in Spitfire Prelude and Fugue (Walton) very well

played by the band.

The Choir then joined the band for Rowland Lee’s We Will

Remember Them with words taken from the poem ‘For the

Fallen’ by Laurance Binyon.

To lighten things up came a medley of songs arranged by a

former PDM, Wing Commander Rob Wiffin. Songs That Saw

Us Through contained some old favorites like In the Mood

(Manone/Garland), A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square

(Sherwin), Run Rabbit Run (Gay) and many more.

The concert finished in traditional style with The RAF March

Past (Sir Walford Davies/Sir George Dyson). As the audience

asked for more, the band and choir obliged with an ABBA

medley to send us happily on our way. Rodney Illsley

PROFILE CONCERT REVIEW

Squadron Leader Murray (Photo:

www.raf.mod.uk/rafmusic under



Household Division Concert Series Bournemouth Air Festival

The September and October concerts in the Household

Division Concert Series brought us two bands from the

Guards Division playing in the Guards’ Chapel, starting with

the Irish Guards.

With a Scottish Director of Music, an Irish Bandmaster and a

Welsh Band Sergeant Major, a concert in an English venue

appropriately took the rather loose theme of the four

countries. Gerry Horabin’s Star of Erin and Stanford’s

overture Shamus O’Brian represented the Emerald Isle, then

it was off to Cornwall for Sir Malcom Arnold’s Padstow

Lifeboat which I hadn’t heard for many a year.

Peter Graham was well represented with his Day of the

Dragon for the Welsh, and a euphonium duet, Brillante,

brilliantly played by Bandmaster Andrew Porter and L/Cpl

Liam Grunsell, the latter, we were told, shortly to train to

become a bandmaster himself.

Finally from the Graham pen, three movements from his

Alloway Tales, with some Burns’ poetry recited over parts in

very fine style by L/Sgt Mark McLauchlin - just about

decipherable by us English.

David Jackson’s fun march with the wonderfully appalling

pun of a title of Jocks Away, and Edward Gregson’s Prelude

for an Occasion, completed the programme except for the

‘Last Night of the Proms’ regulars which seem to put

posteriors on pews however many times we hear them. This

was one of the last concerts where we will see Major Bruce

Miller at the helm; a pity and a big loss to Army music.

Moving on to October with the Grenadier Guards, and a

theme of Journey to the Centre of the Earth, the title of yet

another work by Peter Graham. The purpose of this concert

series is very much to stretch the musicians’ playing and this

‘test-piece’ type composition did just that, clearly testing

band and conductor, Major Mike Smith, to the full. They

passed! Enjoyable, but I rather preferred Nigel Hess’s Global

Variations which came later and contained more in the way

of melody.

The complexities of Philip Sparke’s new march Navigation

Inn were rather lost in the chapel acoustics which can work

for, or against, the music.

Perhaps the real highlights of the evening were Eric

Whitacre’s October, a lovely quiet reflective piece which was

greatly enhanced by the chapel’s walls, and Autumn Leaves,

beautifully arranged by Major Denis Burton MBE as a

trombone solo and featuring Sergeant Simon Hall.

A selection from ‘Wicked’, arranged by one of the tuba

players in the band, was nicely done, while Irishman,

Musician Adam Higginson, was doubtless made homesick

giving us a fine rendition of Hamilton Hardy’s flute solo In

Ireland. To finish, Jupiter, The Bringer of Jollity once again

showed off the chapel acoustics to the full.

Two fine free concerts with a finish time of about 9pm, not

too late for getting home. Who could ask for anything more?

Ronald Selby

Now in its tenth year, where other venues are reducing or

getting rid of military bands, Bournemouth is the opposite.

This year, instead of the normal one Royal Marines Band, we

were delighted to have performances from the Band of The

Royal Regiment of Fusiliers too.

Thursday 31st August provided us with an excellent concert

from 8 to 9.30 pm by the Band of Her Majesty's Royal

Marines Collingwood on the Pine Walk Bandstand, once

home to many weeks of military music concerts.

The Friday gave us two concerts by the Band of The Royal

Regiment of Fusiliers, the first at 4 pm overlooking the sea in

the glorious garden of the Miramar Hotel, the second on the

Pine Walk Bandstand at 7.30.

The Royal Marines Beat Retreat on the lawns during the

evening on the Friday and again twice on the Saturday. These

were among Major Jon Ridley‘s last appearances with the

band before his promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel as Principal

Director of Music, Royal Marines.

The Band of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers again

performed on the Pine Walk Bandstand on the Saturday night.

The music was very varied, including Disney’s Moana, John

Williams’ The Midway March, American folk musician Jay

Ungar’s Ashoken Farewell played as a violin solo, and rock

drummer Phil Collins’ Against All Odds played as a

saxophone solo.

More traditional military band pieces from around the world

included Marche Militaire (Franz Schubert), El Relicario

(Jose Padilla) and Amparito Roca (Jaime Texidor).

It was really nice to see The Royal Marines joined this year

at the Air Festival by a Reserve Band at full strength and

playing its heart out.

Phil Havell

The Band of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, based in

Newcastle Upon Tyne, came a long way south for annual

camp this year. Seen here at their afternoon concert in the

gardens of the Miramar Hotel, Bournemouth, they also

played at Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth and on the Isle of

Wight. (Photo: Phil Havell)

CONCERT REVIEWS


Royal Marines at Cadogan Hall

A concert by the Portsmouth Band of the Royal Marines at

the Cadogan Hall, London, on Thursday 28 September

marked the centenary of Seafarers UK, formerly known as

King George's Fund for Sailors. Sadly for the performers, and

no doubt the organisers, the audience was disappointingly

small despite the fine musical fare on offer. Were the tickets

a little over-priced?

The occasion was particularly notable, however, in that it was

the final concert to be directed by Lieutenant-Colonel Nick

Grace OBE before his retirement; he served as Principal

Director of Music Royal Marines from 2009.

Lt. Col. Nick Grace presents the band (Photo: Jim Davies)

The first half of the programme was conducted by Colonel

Grace's successor, Lieutenant-Colonel Jon Ridley. It was

interesting to see the old and new order at a single event, both

duly wearing the insignia of their rank – and also their spurs!

Jim Davies

Music Legends Concert

Billed as a ‘sing-along’, the Music Legends concert by the

Regimental Band of the Honourable Artillery Company

didn’t disappoint. We in the packed audience at St Mary

Magdalene Church, Richmond upon Thames, on Saturday

30th September were to have plenty on which to exercise our

vocal chords.

The National Anthems of Great Britain and the Netherlands

(the vicar of St Mary Magdalene is from Holland) got us off

to a fine start. Director of Music Major Glen Jones then

introduced a Sousa medley. Although well played, to me this

one suffered from the problem Sousa medleys always have -

trying to cram snatches of too many well-known pieces

together.

A ‘Wizard of Oz’ medley gave the audience a chance to sing

again and was notable for a fine Bb Bass part in If I Only Had

a Brain. The theme to the Bond film ‘Skyfall’ brought a

change of mood with its building menace, then L/Sgt Keith

Tyce’s violin lead the band on John Williams’ Schindler’s

List.

An ABBA medley had the audience in fine voice again with

the HAC flutes particularly evident in Fernando – or were

they the HAC flutes? Major Jones later explained that, weeks

before the concert a wedding and an imminent birth

threatened to deprive them of their flute section. With the

arrival of baby Bertie Wood 12 days earlier bringing Musician

Dave Wood back to the stand, and Sergeant Rachel Smith

from the Band of the Coldstream Guards stepping in to

replace the absent bridesmaid, the day was saved.

Against All Odds by

rock drummer Phil

Collins followed,

featuring an

outstanding alto sax

lead from Musician

Chris Smith. Murray

Gold's theme for the

eleventh Doctor

Who, I Am the

Doctor, brought us to

The Seal Lullaby by

Eric Whitacre. For

this setting to

Rudyard Kipling's story ‘The White Seal’, the band

accompanied pianist Alex Knight, St Mary Magdalene’s

Director of Music and Organist.

It was the audience’s chance to shine next as we sang out to

works from Freddie Mercury, Sir Hubert Parry and Sir

Edward Elgar. After Bohemian Rhapsody, Jerusalem and

Land of Hope and Glory we had a chance to recover our

breath during Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3. Alex Knight

again featured, this time on the church’s organ.

The HAC Regimental March, The British Grenadiers,

brought this hugely enjoyable concert to an end. The large

audience’s obvious delight throughout gave the lie to those

who think that military bands are no longer a part of British

popular culture.

Mike Boxall

Combined Bands Concert

As a (perhaps belated) way of celebrating its 10th

anniversary, The Royal Marines Association Concert Band

joined forces with the young musicians of HM Royal Marines

School of Music in a most enjoyable concert at the Ferneham

Hall, Fareham, on Wednesday 18 October.

Under the direction of Lieutenant-Colonel (Retd.) Chris

Davis OBE and Major Pete Curtis MBE, a carefully chosen

programme, with some old favourites that suited the

occasional perfectly, made for easy and happy listening.

Well-judged solos by young RM musicians Jonny Griffin on

euphonium in Blaydon Races (arr. Langford) and Owen Muir

on xylophone for The Joyful Skeleton (W. G. Lemon) were

complemented by Jon Yates BEM playing his own

composition, Adagio for Trumpet.

The programme also featured Famous Songs of the British

Isles (arr. Dunn), Preobrajensky (arr. Dunn), Glorious Victory

(Kendall) and the overture to Italian Girl in Algiers (Rossini).

Preceding the traditional Naval finale, we heard Philip

Sparke's Dundonell from Hymn of the Highlands which gave

all the musicians the opportunity, under the Colonel's

direction, to show just how much musical fire-power was

assembled before us.

A great evening – congratulations and best wishes to

Association Band and, of course, to the young musicians from

the School of Music just embarking on their careers!

Jim Davies

CONCERT REVIEWS

Major Glen Jones conducting

(Photo: Band of the HAC)


Lieutenant-Colonel (Retd.) Chris Davis OBE on the left, and Major Pete Curtis MBE on the right, taking the microphone at the

combined concert by the Royal Marines Association Concert Band and the Band of HM Royal Marines School of Music in Fareham

on 18th October. (Photos: Jim Davies).

An unusual photo of the Buglers of the Band of HM Royal Marines Portsmouth performing behind the Bass section at the Cadogan

Hall concert on 28th September. (Photo: Jim Davies)

PER MARE PER TERRAM


The Band of The Honourable Artillery

Company deployed to California in June

with Staff Sergeant Claire Lawrence from

The Countess of Wessex’s String

Orchestra as Bandmaster. They are seen

here before performing aboard the USS

Midway Museum in San Diego which is

dedicated to honouring all those who serve

in uniform across all military services.

The band ended the day with a traditional

Beating Retreat. The salute was taken by a

US Navy Veteran who had served in

WWII. (Photo: Musn. O Wild, HAC)

During annual training in July, the Band of the Royal Yeomanry added hard hats to their increasing stock of headwear to perform

for the crew and BAE Systems engineers refitting HMS St Albans in dry dock at Portsmouth. (Photos: www.royalnavy.mod.uk under


On 10th September, the Massed Bands of the Royal Naval Volunteer Band Association played at the Royal Naval Association

Commemoration Service at The Cenotaph in London. (Photos: Mike Boxall)

BY SEA AND LAND


The Waterloo Band and Bugles of The Rifles On Friday 15th September, branch members were invited to

visit the Waterloo Band and Bugles of The Rifles at their base

in Edward Brooks Barracks at Abingdon in Oxfordshire.

IMMS members were joined by the local Branch of the RGJ-

Rifles Association and invited guests.

The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment

The proceedings opened with a talk by Major Clark about the

band, its history and its activities during which we were

introduced to senior members of the band. We then had the

opportunity to watch the band rehearsing for a Sounding

Retreat they were to perform the following day at Sandhurst;

again, attention to detail was much in evidence.

After a complimentary lunch we savoured performances by

woodwind, brass and saxophone ensembles before Major

Clark took the baton for a delightful and carefully-chosen

programme of music that showed off the band's musical

expertise and repertoire. This included Cpl Chris Evans

playing the Northumbrian pipes in Philip Sparke’s Hymn of

the Highlands.

The brass players also displayed their impromptu vocal

talents in von Weber’s Huntsman’s Chorus to much

amusement. Long service awards were then presented,

complete with biographical citations, which varied from 10

to 30 years.

A retiring collection and sales of CDs raised £155 for

Care4Casualties, the regimental benevolent fund.

All visits are enjoyable, but this one was of particular interest

since it was the first to a Reserve band rather than a Regular

band. Such is the level of commitment and organisation that,

frankly, one really would not see any difference!

Jim Davies and Terry Hissey

A presentation of new Colours is always a great opportunity

to hear military music used for one of its original purposes –

to inspire soldiers on parade. The PWRR’s 25th Anniversary

Reunion and Colours Presentation at Kent County Cricket

Club, Canterbury, on 23rd September proved no exception.

Under Lieutenant Colonel R W Hopla, The Band of the

PWRR and members of the Band of The Queen’s Division

provided the following accompaniment to the proceedings.

The PWRR Cadets march on was, appropriately, to Children

of the Regiment (Fucik). Cavalry Brigade (Trad.) marked the

arrival of Brigadier Oliver Stokes MBE (late PWRR),

Colonel P T Crowley and Sergeant Johnson Beharry VC,

COG. The cadets were then inspected to The Great Escape

(Bernstein), Family Guy (Murphy) and New York, New York

(Kander), and marched off to National Emblem (Bagley) and

the regimental marches The Farmers Boy/Soldiers of the

Queen (Trad./Stuart).

The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions PWRR marched on to On The

Square (Panella). The Royal Salute was the Danish National

Anthem as HM Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is the

Colonel in Chief of the PWRR. Sadly, she was unable to be

present as planned, so her place was taken by her Danish

Ambassador to the United Kingdom, HE Lars Thuesen.

Fittingly, the first piece played for the Inspection was Queen

Margrethe II Parade March (Stein) followed by Slaves

Chorus from ‘Nabucco’ (Verdi) and La Rejouissance

(Handel). The Old Colours were then marched off to the

regimental slow march Minden Rose (Bandmaster C Gray)

and Auld Lang Syne (Trad.).

The New Colours were marched on and consecrated. The

march past in slow time was to Royal Standard (Young),

Minden Rose, and Golden Spurs (Rhodes), then in quick time

to Officer of the Day (Hall), The Farmers Boy/Soldiers of the

Queen and Glorious Victory (Kendall). The regiment

marched off to The Middy (Alford) and regimental quick

marches. The Presentation of Colours was over, but the

musicians’ day wasn’t.

An afternoon musical display brought the Band of the PWRR

and members of the Band of The Queen’s Division back,

augmented by Drummers from the Regimental Association,

the Pipes and Drums of the London Scottish Regiment and

the Fifes and Drums of the Danish Royal Life Guards. An

international gathering!

Music included The 79th’s Farewell to Gibraltar

(Macdonald), By Land and Sea (Alford), Colonel Bogey

(Ricketts), a bagpipe medley, Highland Cathedral

(Roever/Korb) and Scotland The Brave (Trad.).

The Fifes and Drums of the Danish Royal Life Guards, in

their review order uniform of bearskin headdresses, dark blue

tunics and light blue trousers, gave a marching display with

Danish flute tunes. Perhaps understandably, our reporter was

unable to put a name to any of these!

All in all, the day proved yet again that army musicians are

adept at providing a diverse range of music that can not only

inspire soldiers, but all who hear it.

Mike Boxall from information supplied by Phil Havell

PRESENTATION OF COLOURS

Buglers played with the band during the march Bab El Mandeb by

J Ord Hume. (Photo: Jim Davies)

BRANCH VISIT


The Programme After reading the descriptions of the first Edinburgh Military Tattoo in the last edition of the Journal, some of you may have been

left asking “Apart from Music for the Royal Fireworks, what else did the bands play?” This listing of the 1950 Programme, shown

by kind permission of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, goes some way to answering that question.

Programme

1. Page from the Past

A Pageant scene depicting the Installation of General George,

The Duke of Gordon, as Governor of Edinburgh Castle in

1828.

2. Reveille

Brigade of Guards Detachment, Drums and Pipes of 1st

Battalion The Gordon Highlanders, Trumpeters of the Royal

Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons)

3. ‘With Measured Tread’

Drill display by a detachment from the Brigade of Guards, the

soldiers having just completed their recruit training.

4. ‘Bring on the Tartan’

The Pipes and Drums of the following Regiments:

• 1st Bn. The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)

• 7th/9th Bn. The Royal Scots (TA) ‘The Dandy Ninth’

• 1st Bn. The Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow

Regiment)

• 1st Bn. The Gordon Highlanders

• 2nd Scottish General Hospital RAMC (TA)

In command: Bugle-Major A. Cowan, 1st Bn. The Highland

Light Infantry; Pipe-Major W. Denholm, 1st Battalion The

Royal Scots

Music selected from:

Retreat March: The Green Hills of Tyrol

Slow Marches: Lord Lovat’s Lament; Skye Boat Song

Quick Marches: Blue Bonnets over the Border; Bonnie

Dundee; Barren Rocks of Aden; The Black Bear; The

79th’s Farewell to Gibraltar; Corn Riggs are Bonnie

5. The Symbol of Scotland

Highland Dancing by 1st Bn. The Highland Light Infantry

(City of Glasgow Regiment) accompanied by the Massed

Pipes and Drums

6. ‘She Shall Have Musick’

The Mounted Band of The Life Guards (under the Director of

Music, Major A. Lemoine)

The Life Guards Regimental Slow March Trad.

March: Coburg Trad.

Quick March: Imperial Echoes Safroni

A Fanfare for a Ceremonial Occasion Ketelbey

Auld Lang Syne Trad.

7. Pomp and Circumstance

The Massed Bands of:

• The Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons

• 9th Queen’s Royal Lancers

• 1st Bn. The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)

• 1st Bn. The Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow

Regiment)

In command: Bandmaster C.A. Holt, ARCM, The Royal

Scots Greys

Music selected from:

Slow Marches: Road to the Isles; Garb of Old Gaul;

Lament for Maclean of Ardgour

Quick Marches: The Great Little Army; On the Quarter

Deck; Colonel Bogey

Selection: Handel’s Largo

8. Scotland the Brave – Finale

God Save the King

A postcard showing the finale of the 1950 Tattoo, from Colin Dean’s collection

THE EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO 1950


Musicians’ Characteristics?

The Kneller Hall archives contain an unpublished

autobiography by Lieutenant Colonel George Miller MVO,

MBE, Director of Music, Grenadier Guards (1921-1942) and

previously, the 1st Life Guards. In it, Lt. Col. Miller makes

some interesting observations about how particular

instruments seem to produce different sorts of players. Here

are the relevant extracts:

“There will probably be a great deal of controversy, even

incredulity, about this observation which I am tempted to

make after forty odd years close association with wind-

players of all kinds! My contention is that certain instruments

compel human characteristics, or more accurately, human

expression, which remain with the performer for life.

My late revered parent was wont to affirm that he could

always identify a bassoon-player! Apparently, a bull-dog

expression develops after years of devotion to the 'clown of

the orchestra'! French-horn enthusiasts, although their

countenances may not betray them utterly, yet, they have

certain bodily appearances which betoken hours spent in a

static position with a thin-lipped and set mouth. On the other

hand, trombone players usually seem lusty and athletic men,

perhaps inclined to gesticulate!

My oboists were nearly all of a type: gentle and fastidiously

careful, and indeed does not the instrument demand it? A

distended lung with so little wind escaping through the tiny

aperture of the double reed compels suspended animation,

and a good executant is invariably temperate in human

indulgence, particularly smoking.

The heavier brass instrumentalists are usually recruited from

men who have discovered that the formation of their mouths

and more particularly their teeth, is better suited to a larger

cup. These good fellows are not so easily differentiated but

most are signalised by full lips and a robust physique.

This brings me to perhaps the most popular performer, the

trumpet and cornet soloist. Like most stars he may be

recognised by self-assurance and a good deal of originality;

his physical characteristics are a good mouth, level jaws and

even teeth. I also noticed that the better players were very

abstemious, taking care to smoke cigarettes in a holder.

The vast body of clarinet players, as single-reed players, are

not easily identified, yet the observant outsider may detect a

little anxiety in the care of fingers and hands. As the '1st

Violins' of the military band one discovers more individual

musicianship amongst them than in the rest of the band.

If certain instrumentalists are a 'race apart', much more so

does this apply to drummers! Many years ago, I remember a

colleague quoting from an advertisement he had just read in

a theatrical paper announcing: "Drummer wanted for

orchestra, sane if possible.”

There can’t be many trumpet players today “taking care to

smoke cigarettes in a holder”, and surely all band

percussionists are now completely sane, but one can’t help

wondering how far Lt. Col. Miller’s other observations still

hold true!

(Extracts from an original article by Colin Dean in The Kneller

Hall Trumpeter, the newsletter of The Friends of the Museum

of Army Music. More information about the Friends can be

obtained from: Friends of the Museum of Army Music, RMSM,

Kneller Hall, Twickenham, TW2 7DU or from their website:

www.armymusicfriends.co.uk)

FROM THE ARCHIVES

ADVERTISEMENT

http://www.armymusicfriends.co.uk/


Mit Blut und Eisen - German Military Music from Waterloo 1815 to Wipers 1915There are those who believe that German marches should

only be recorded by German bands and this belief might deter

them from buying this album. I have collected performances

of German marches on LP, tape, CD and video formats for

many years and have a large collection. It is my firm opinion

that such people are doing themselves a disfavour.

It would be unreasonable to expect the

band culture of one country to reproduce

exactly the performance of another, and

sensibly the Band of the Honourable

Artillery Company under Major Keeley

does not attempt to do so.

There is a particular sound to the British

military band and, at its best, it can bring

out depths in a German piece that might

not have been apparent in its native land

(the wonderful rendition of Action Front

at the Centenary Royal Tournament by the

tri-service massed band was an excellent

example of this).

The HAC band already has good experience in the German

genre from its album ‘Reutel 1917’ and they do not

disappoint here. There are 27 pieces on this ‘Mit Blut und

Eisen’ CD giving an excellent mix.

There is old and young, slow and quick, old standards and

obscure pieces – indeed some pieces have been specially

arranged (and one specially composed) for the album. This

may even be the only recording of some of them. Each piece

is described in great detail in an accompanying booklet, as is

the band, the Director of Music and the outline of German

military music history “from Waterloo to Wipers”. The

booklet is reason alone for buying the CD for the true

enthusiast.

The album is a first-class historical introduction to

instrumental German military music for non-mounted troops,

while at the same time producing some real jewels for those

of us who thought we had heard all of its treasures.

Highlights for me? Duppeler Morgenrot (Sunrise at Duppel,

the battle against the Danes depicted in the recent TV series

1864 where the Prussians left the trenches to the sounds of

massed bands) particularly suits the British style. Kriegers

Lebewohl was actually played at Trooping the Colour and has

been recorded by the Coldstream Guards. In this version from

band parts belonging to a Hamburg Regiment, a Hamburg

song is substituted for the original trio. In a more languid

vein, the Aufstellungsmarsch suggests the glamour of the turn

of the century Edwardian/Wilhelmine

period.

In the German Service, marches to be

played on the parade ground or when

marching past were to be selected from

the AM or later HM manuals. Each march

here is given its appropriate number from

the manual. Happily, selection has not

been confined to the manual, and one

must marvel at the strict, though

sometimes possibly arbitrary standards

that kept some of these out. The

marvellous Bismarck March is one of

these and has a real swagger.

This is the third CD of German marches produced by a British

Army band in recent years, a trend that I hope will long

continue. There is still much of interest in the German back

catalogue for bands to explore.

Although many of the marches have battle honour, Royal or

other culturally specific titles that limit their appeal, there are

some very good ones with generic military titles that would

sound far better on parade than some of the standards that are

trotted out a bit too often by our bands. The spirited With

Bombs and Grenades would definitely lift the men’s feet, and

Pro Patria would cheer up the concert hall.

In conclusion, I must say a word of great appreciation to Tony

Dean who works tirelessly to promote and preserve German

military music and is here rightly honoured with his own

march – Für Tony. This is a great CD and good value.

Ian Smart

Editor’s note: Ian is a co-author of: 'Tunes of Blood & Iron:

German Regimental & Parade Marches from the Age of

Frederick the Great to the Present Day' published by Helion

& Company, 2014.

The Royal Corps of Signals 1982-2017

MARCHING AND WALTZING/Major G Turner

D Richards LP DR 59 (1983)

Out of the Blue/Dance of the Three Old Maids/The Beacon/Merry

Widow Waltz/The World is Waiting for the Sunrise/The Butterfly

Musette/Geordie Patrol/The Contemptibles/English Ayres/The

Cheerful Signaller/Pink Lady Waltz/The Picador/The Beautiful

Colorado/The Rotarians.

REGIMENTAL SILVER/Major G Turner

Droit LP DR 67, tape CDR 67 (1984)

Officers Dinner Call/Roast Beef/Marche Militaire No 1 (Schubert)/

The Impresario Overture/A Strauss Bouquet/Elizabethan Serenade/

Lehar Melodies/When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again/

Hogmanynia/The Argonaut/Tipsy Trombones/Introduction and

Allegro Spiritoso/Tambourin/Post Horn Galop/Begone Dull Care/

Loyal Toast – God Save the Queen.

THE OLD BRIGADE/Major G Turner

Droit LP DR 68, tape CDR 68 (1985), CD TRCD 213 (2001)

The Old Brigade: Soldiers of the Queen-MacDermott’s War Song-

Old Soldiers Never Die-I Want to Go Home-Soldiers of the Queen/

Songs of the Western Front: It’s a Long Way to Tipperary-Oh It’s a

Lovely War-Mademoiselle from Armentieres-Take Me Back to

Dear Old Blighty / Songs of the First World War: Good-Bye-Ee-

DISCOGRAPHY

CD REVIEW


Never Mind-Bluebell-Comrades-Here We Are Again-Pack Up Your

Troubles/Till the Boys Come Home-They Were Only Playing

Leapfrog-If You Want to Find the Sergeant-Goodbye Dolly Gray-

There’s A Long Long Trail A-Winding-Keep the Home Fires

Burning/Hymns from the Front: The Church’s One Foundation

(Fred Karno’s Army)-What a Friend We Have in Jesus (When This

Lousy War Is Over)-When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder (When The

Stew is on the Table)/The Vanished Army/The Contemptibles/The

British Legion/By The Left!/Songs of the ‘40s: Wish Me Luck As

You Wave Me Goodbye-Yours-Lilli Marlene-We’re Gonna Hang

Out The Washing On The Siegfried Line-Bless ‘em All-The White

Cliffs of Dover/Marching Memories: The Army, the Navy and the

Air Force-Kiss Me Goodnight Sergeant Major-On the Road to

Mandalay-In the Quartermaster’s Stores-There’ll Always Be an

England/Salute to The Allies-Sarie Marais-Aupres de Ma Blonde-

Allouette-Waltzing Matilda/The Yanks Are Coming-This is the

Army Mr Jones-The Yellow Rose of Texas-She’ll Be Comin Round

the Mountain-Over There/We’ll Meet Again-I’ll Be Seeing You-

We’ll Meet Again/Evening Hymn & Last Post.

LISTEN TO THE BAND/Major G Turner


Listen to the Band/Zelda/Blue Interlude/Bubble & Squeak/Sinatra

in Concert/Ptarmigan/The Prince/The Mountains of Mourne/Jalopy/

Serenade (Drigo)/Three in a Mood/Dance of the Tumblers/Here’s to

the Next Time.

MASTERS OF THE MARCH Vol 1: LEO STANLEY & RODNEY

BASHFORD/Lt Colonel R B Bashford & Major G Turner


Stanley: Alamein/With Might and Main/March of the Commandos/

The Partisans/Guard of Honour/The Mechanical Horse/Swift &

Sure/Great Occasion. Bashford: Marche Militaire (Les Grenadiers)/

Foxhunter March/Splice the Mainbrace/Tyrol Troop/The Galloping

Major/The Queen’s Company/Cavalry Walk-Cavalry Ride-Cavalry

Trot/The Light Division/Inkerman March.

A SIGNAL TO GERSHWIN/Captain D F Wall

Droit LP DR112, tape CDR 112 (1988)

Strike up the Band/Summertime/I Got Rhythm/Nice work if you can

get it/But Not For Me/American in Paris/Swanee/Foggy Day in

London Town/They Can’t Take That Away from Me/Man I Love/

Fascinating Rhythm/Rhapsody in Blue.

KEEP THE HOME FIRES BURNING: SONGS OF WORLD

WARS 1 & 2 /Captain D F Wall

Droit tape only CDR 111 (1988)

Tipperary/Pack up Your Troubles/Mademoiselle from Armentieres/

Take me Back to Dear Old Blighty-Good-Bye Dolly Gray/Oh! What

a Lovely War/Comrades/Here We Are! Here We Are! Here We Are

Again!-I Don’t Want to be a Soldier/No More Soldiering for Me/Old

Soldiers Never Die/The Soldiers of the Queen-Never Mind/Leap

Frog/Good-Bye-ee/Rolling Home-We are Fred Karno’s Army/The

Moon Shines Bright on Charlie Chaplin/The Army of Today’s

Alright/Keep the Home Fires Burning-There’s a Long, Long Trail-

Run, Rabbit Run/Yours/Bless’em All/Praise the Lord & Pass the

Ammunition-Roll Out the Barrel/Lilli Marlene/We’re Gonna Hang

Out the Washing on the Siegfried Line/The White Cliffs of Dover-

This is the Army Mister Brown/The Yellow Rose of Texas/She’ll be

Coming Round the Mountain/Over there/Allouette/Waltzing

Matilda -The Army, the Navy, & the Air Force/Kiss Me Goodnight

Sergeant Major/Quartermaster’s Store/There Always be an

England-I’ll be Seeing You/We’ll Meet Again.

THE SIGNALLER/Major D F Wall

Bandleader CD BNA 5114, tape BND 65114 (1995)

Begone Dull Care/The Signaller/Swift & Sure/HRH The Princess

Royal/On Richmond Hill Baht’at/Donkey Serenade/Lassus

Trombone/Vimy Ridge/The Master/Jubilee Overture (Sparke)/

Londonderry Air/Largo al Factotum/Blandford Suite (Hill)/Nessum

Dorma/Rondo for Horns (Mozart)/Carnival of Venice/Concerto for

Drum Set/Farandole (Bizet)/The History of the Royal Corps of

Signals (narrator Major David Wall): The White Helmets Fanfare

(Boulding)-Venus (Holst)-British Grenadiers-Wings-Zulu-Mars-

Begone Dull Care-Jupiter.

WE'LL KEEP THE HOME FIRES BURNING (Songs of World

War I & II)/Major D F Wall

Bandboy CD BB 10 (2000)

Track listing as for “Keep the Home Fires Burning” above plus The

Signaller/God Save The Queen (instrumental).

CUTTING EDGE/Captain P L Murrell

Plantagenet CD PMRD 9422 (c2001)

The Earle of Oxford’s Marche/King Cotton/Semper Fidelis/Thin

Red Line/Moorside March/Things to Come March/American

Salute/ Arnhem/Royal Ceremony/Midway March/Strike up the

Band/In a Sentimental Mood/Moonlight Serenade/Take the “A”

Train/Satin Doll/Route 66/Basie Straight Ahead/Hayburner/The

Cutting Edge.

Re-issued c2003, WO1 Andrew Booth is listed as conductor.

MARCHING & PIPING/Major P L Murrell

Soundline CD SLB 4028 (2002-2003); Silva Screen SILCD 4128

(2008)

Atholl Highlanders-Bugle Horn-Killaloe/Vimy Ridge/She Moves

Through the Fair-Rocking the Baby-Irish Washerwoman-The

Eavesdropper/Spirit of Pageantry/Amazing Grace/Bond of

Friendship/Highland Cathedral/Hands Across the Sea/My Home-

Highland Cradle Song-Skye Boat Song-79th Farewell to Gibraltar-

Happy We’ve Been Together/Step Lightly/St Patrick’s Day-Garry

Owen/Invincible Eagle/Oft in the Stilly Night/White Helmets

March/A Highland Kingdom-Dark Island-Itchy Fingers-The

Clumsy Lover/HRH Princess Royal/Begone Dull Care/Scotland the

Brave-Black Bear-Highland Laddie.

With Pipes & Drums Royal Corps of Signals.

A SIGNALS BANDSTAND/Captain R G K Booth

SRC CD SRC 127 (2007)

Fanfare & Flourishes/The Bond of Friendship/The Force of Destiny

Overture/Out of Africa/The Carnival of Venice/Erin Shore and

Paddy’s Leather Breeches/Gaelforce/Blue Devils/Strike Up the

Band/Carnival (Sparke)/The White Helmets March (Stember)/New

York (East Coast Pictures) (Hess)/Concerto for Trumpet

(James)/Shine As The Light (Graham).

VIVA MUSICA!/Captain D Barringer

Music House Productions CD MHP 1509 (2009)

Young Pheasants in the Sky/The Magic Flute/Over the Rainbow/

Cartoon (Hart)/Band of Brothers/Sing, Sing, Sing/The Purple

Pageant/Champions Theme/Star Wars/The Western Front

(Marshall)/Pavanne (Faure)/It’s Alright with Me/Parade of the

Wooden Soldiers/Fields of Gold/Viva Musica! (Reed)/Evening

Hymn-Last Post (Gray)/Begone Dull Care.

A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE/Captain D Barringer

Music House Productions CD MHP 1010 (2010)

Dashing Through the Snow/Anno Domini/Have Yourself a Merry

Little Christmas/A Frosty Sleigh Ride/The Christmas Song/The

Chipmunk Song/Ukrainian Bell Carol/Good Swing Wenceslas/O

Holy Night/Scherzo from Christmas Suite (Barker)/Frosty the

Snowman/Nativity from The Dove Descending/Santa

Baby/Fantasia on A Christmas Greeting/Twelve Days of

Christmas/Silent Night/The Most Wonderful Time of the Year/Auld

Lang Syne/ Christmas!

The recordings of regimental marches made by the band

under Majors Gordon Turner and David Wall will be the

subject of a future discography.

Additions and corrections welcome.

Phil Mather


DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Date Band / Organisation Event Location / (time)

DECEMBER 2017

Friday 1 Royal Air Force, Central RAF In Concert Tour Cliffs Pavilion, Westcliff-on-Sea (19 30) Friday 1 Royal Marines, CTCRM Seafarers UK Concert Colston Hall, Bristol (14 30) Saturday 2 Royal Marines, Plymouth Christmas Concert Plymouth Pavilions (18 30)

Saturday 2 Duke of Lancaster’s Regt Concert St Chad’s Church, Kirby (19 00)

Saturday 2 Hampshire Constabulary Concert Community Centre, Hayling Island (19 30)

Saturday 2 Royal Marines, Plymouth Concert Plymouth Pavilions (19 30)

Sunday 3 Royal Air Force College RAF Charitable Trust Concert Theatre Royal, Norwich (19 00) Sunday 3 RAF Assoc. Concert Band Christmas in the Air Concert Victoria Methodist Ch, Weston-s-M (15 00)

Sunday 3 Royal Marines CTCRM Seafarers UK Concert Colston Hall, Bristol (14 30)

Sunday 3 Royal Marines, Plymouth Concert Princess Theatre, Torquay (19 30)

Sunday 3 Hampshire Constabulary Concert Garrison Church, Aldershot (19 00)

Tuesday 5 Royal Marines Collingw’d Seafarers UK Concert Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone Tuesday 5 RMSM Kneller Hall Mayor’s Charity Concert York House, Twickenham (19 00)

Tuesday 5 Royal Marines, Portsm’th Christmas Concert Festival Theatre, Chichester (19 30)

Wednesday 6 Household Division Scarlet and Gold Concert Cadogan Hall, London (19 30_ Wednesday 6 RM Assoc. Concert Band Christmas Concert Portsmouth C of E Cathedral (19 30)

Wednesday 6 Royal Marines, Portsm’th Christmas Concert Festival Theatre, Chichester (19 30)

Thursday 7 Royal Air Force College Christmas Concert Whittle Hall, RAF College Cranwell

Thursday 7 RAF Assoc. Concert Band Carols by Candlelight Court de Wyke School, Claverham

Thursday 7 Royal Air Force Regiment Esprit de Corps Concert Winston Churchill Hall, Ruislip (19 30)

Thursday 7 Royal Marines, Portsm’th Christmas Concert Festival Theatre, Chichester (19 30)

Thursday 7 Household Division Scarlet and Gold Concert Cadogan Hall, London (19 30_ Friday 8 Royal Marines Collingw’d Seafarers UK Concert Assembly Hall, Worthing Friday 8 Royal Air Force College Christmas Concert Whittle Hall, RAF College Cranwell

Friday 8 Royal Marines, Portsm’th Christmas Concert Festival Theatre, Chichester (19 30)

Friday 8 Household Cavalry Household Cavalry Foundation Concert Ely Cathedral (19 30)

Friday 8 Royal Marines, Portsm’th Christmas Concert Festival Theatre, Chichester (19 30)

Saturday 9 RBL Central Christmas Concert St George’s Church, Deal (19 00)

Saturday 9 Royal Air Force College Christmas Concert Whittle Hall, RAF College, Cranwell

Saturday 9 Royal Marines, Portsm’th Christmas Concert Festival Theatre, Chichester (19 30)

Saturday 9 IMMS Quarterly Meeting Kneller Hall, Twickenham (14 00)

Sunday 10 Household Division Christmas Concert Guards Chapel, Wellington Bks (11 00) Sunday 10 RMA Concert Band Milton Glee Club Concert Guildhall, Portsmouth (15 00)

Sunday 10 Household Division Christmas Concert Guards Chapel, Wellington Bks (18 00) Sunday 10 King’s Division Royal British Legion Concert Gorton Monastery, Manchester (19 00)

Tuesday 12 Royal Marines Seafarers UK Concert O2 Guildhall, Southampton (19 30) Wednesday 13 Royal Air Force Regiment Charity Concert Millfield School, Street, Somerset (19 30)

Wednesday 13 Scots Guards Commandant’s Parade RMA Sandhurst, Camberley (10 45)

Thursday 14 Household Cavalry Charity Concert Guards Chapel, Wellington Bks (19 00) Thursday 14 RM Assoc. Concert Band Christmas Reception Royal Marines Museum, Eastney (15 00)

Thursday 14 Royal Marines, Plymouth RN & RM Charity Concert Roebuck Theatre, Torpoint (19 30)

Thursday 14 Royal Marines Collingw’d Millennium Hall Concert Series HMS Collingwood, Fareham (19 30) Friday 15 Royal Marines Collingw’d Millennium Hall Concert Series HMS Collingwood, Fareham (19 30) Friday 15 RBL Central Christmas Concert St John Evangelist Ch, Norwood (19 30)

Friday 15 Scots Guards Sovereign’s Parade RMA Sandhurst, Camberley (10 45)

Saturday 16 Royal Marines Collingw’d Millennium Hall Concert Series HMS Collingwood, Fareham (19 30) Sunday 17 RAF Waddington Volunt’r Christmas Concert Terry O’Toole Theatre, Lincoln (15 00)

Sunday 17 RAF Assoc. Concert Band Carol Service Victoria Church, Weston-s-Mare (16 00)

Tuesday 19 Brass/Wind Quintet Christmas Recital Guards Chapel, Wellington Bks (13 10) Thursday 21 RMSM Bandmasters’ Concert 4 St Mary’s Church, Fratton (19 30) Thursday 21 Royal Marines CTCRM RMA Charity Concert Exmouth Pavilion (19 30) Saturday 23 RAF Assoc. Concert Band Carols at Bristol Airport Bristol Airport (ad hoc basis)

JANUARY 2018 Thursday 18 Royal Marines Concert Season St Mary’s Church, Fratton (19 30) Thursday 25 Scots Guards Household Division Concert Series Guards Chapel, Wellington Bks (19 00)

Saturday 27 RMSM Young Musicians Concert St Mary’s Church, Fratton (19 30) Sunday 28 Royal Marines Rotary Club Charity Concert The Anvil, Basingstoke (15 00)

FEBRUARY 2018

Thursday 1 Royal Marines A Night at the Museum Royal Marines Museum, Southsea (19 30) Thursday 22 Royal Marines Concert Season St Mary’s Church, Fratton (19 30) Thursday 22 Countess of Wessex’s SO Household Division Concert Series Guards Chapel Wellington Bks (19 00)


PLEASE NOTE: Events are shown in good faith, but dates and times are subject to change. Please check www.imms-uk.org.uk

and www.military-music-events.co.uk for further details and updates.

Despite the difficulty of

knowing which bands

will be appearing where

on London Poppy Day,

Colin Dean caught the

Band and Drums of The

Royal Gibraltar Regiment

at London Bridge station

on 2nd November, under

his old chum Bandmaster

Richard Burton.

(Photo: Colin Dean)

The Band of The Royal

Artillery, conducted by

Captain Neil Skipper,

played as The King’s

Troop, Royal Horse

Artillery, went into

action. The occasion was

the Royal Gun Salute on

14th November for the

birthday of HRH The

Prince of Wales.

(Photo: Colin Dean)

MARCH 2018 Saturday 3 IMMS Annual General & Quarterly Meetings Kneller Hall, Twickenham (11 00)

Thursday 8 Welsh Guards Household Division Concert Series Guards Chapel, Wellington Bks (19 00)

Friday 9 Royal Marines (massed) Mountbatten Festival of Music Royal Albert Hall, London (19 30) Saturday 10 Royal Marines (massed) Mountbatten Festival of Music Royal Albert Hall, London (14 00) Saturday 10 Royal Marines (massed) Mountbatten Festival of Music Royal Albert Hall, London (19 30) Friday 28 RMSM RM Young Musician of the Year 2018 Royal Marines Museum, Southsea (19 30)

Date Band / Organisation Event Location / (time)

If this Journal is undelivered, please return to Hon. Treasurer, 32 Claremont Avenue, HERSHAM, Surrey KT12 4NS

On 31st March 1917 the first draft of uniformed members of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps arrived on the Western Front.

Formed to free experienced soldiers from the rear areas for front line service, the WAACs were beginning the story of women’s

service in the British Army which continues to this day.

This centenary year of women's army service also marks 25 years since the disbandment of the Women's Royal Army Corps, formed

in 1949. Director of Music, Major Ena Forster, lead the band on for the last parade at Guildford in 1992. (Photo: Vic Hilsdon)

Treat yourself to one, or more, of these IMMS goodies! To order, fill in the table below, add your name and address, then cut out

and post, with a cheque made out to ’IMMS UK Branch’ for the Total Cost, to: Ron Shooter, IMMS UK Branch, 21 The Uplands,

Bricket Wood, St Albans, AL2 3UW.

If you order more than one book, these will be carefully packaged and posted separately. Please note that the P&P costs are for

postage to the UK only, so if you need postage outside the UK please contact Ron for a postage quote before ordering.

Item Price

(including P & P)

No. Required Cost

IMMS pin badge (brooch pin back) £6.50

IMMS pin badge (butterfly pin back) £6.50

IMMS men’s necktie (Navy blue) £12

IMMS men’s necktie (Royal blue) £12

IMMS cufflinks £18.50

IMMS ladies’ scarf £18.50

Book: Music Programmes from the Sovereigns’ Birthday Parades 1864-2008 (+ supplement to 2013)

£10

Book: The Music Makers - A photographic record of the bands of the British Army in 2015

£20

Book: Jiggs – A biography of Lt. Col. C H Jaeger OBE £20

Total Cost

Please send my order to:

Name: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…

Address: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………… Post Code: ………………………………...

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ISSN2050-4926 INTERNATIONAL MILITARY MUSIC SOCIETY … Journal 114.pdf · 4 IMMS UK (Founder)...

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Transcript of ISSN2050-4926 INTERNATIONAL MILITARY MUSIC SOCIETY … Journal 114.pdf · 4 IMMS UK (Founder)...