Armistice 100 Concert
To mark the occasion of the centenary of the end of World War 1, Verwood Concert Brass presented a special concert on Saturday 13th October 2018.
There is more information about the theme of the concert contained in the concert programme which appears in the photo album (link at bottom of page)
The scene was set with a fabulously decorated stage bedecked with poppies and images of the silent soldier set behind sand bags and barbed wire. Many thanks to Sally Mullins and Gill Graves for all their handiwork.
The concert opened with standard bearers from the Ferndown branch of The Royal British Legion marching on to The British Legion March. The standards were lowered as principal cornet player, Emma Graves, played the Last Post followed by Grant Parrott of the British Legion reading of the Ode of Remembrance to mark the beginning of a minute’s silence. Following Reveille, Grant Parrott then read Philip Larkin’s poem “MCMXIV (1914) whilst the band played “We Shall Remember Them”. The poignant and moving playing continued with Graham Carter on tenor horn playing “A Time For Peace” but the music got livelier later in the programme with the “March – The Bombardier” and the fabulous music from the film “Lawrence of Arabia”.
The Training Band opened it’s set in lively style to with the full on “On The Wings Of Glory” in recognition of the Royal Flying Corps which was to become the RAF in 1918. Then it was audience participation time with singalongs to “Waltzing Matilda” and “Bless ‘Em All”.
The second half of the concert opened with Verwood Town Band playing Vaughan William’s “Sea Songs”. As conductor, Emma Button explained, this composer was strongly influenced by the time he spent serving during WW1. Then back to a poignant and moving piece, this time “In Flanders Fields” featuring wonderful playing by Archie Musselwhite on flugel horn and principal cornet player, Jane Bray. They closed their set with upbeat music from the film “Oh! What A Lovely War”.
The last part of the concert by the Verwood Concert Brass Band opened with the “Royal Air Force March Past” to mark the RAF’s centenary year. This was followed by percussionist, Paedar Townsend, taking over the conducting duties from Kevin Smith to conduct the band in a debut performance of his own special composition “Fanfares in Remembrance”. A fantastic piece which featured ‘calls and answers’ from cornet players Emma Graves and Rick Hewin from off stage.
The most upbeat piece of the evening was reserved for the cornet trio of Steve Rowland, Trevor White and Will Cainen who played “12th Street Rag” which was surprisingly written in 1914. Whilst the concert was to reflect WW1, unfortunately it was not the war that was to end all wars, and so the power of music that followed through into the second World War was recognised in the wonderful and iconic music of Glenn Miller with the band playing a medley of favourites called “Miller Magic”. Keeping with the medley theme it was back to audience participation time with some further WW1 singalongs. The audience were enjoying Kevin’s warm up session so much they carried on singing “It’s A Long Way To Tipperary” way after the band had stopped! With load applause and shouts of “More!” the band played out the concert with “Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines”.
Verwood Concert Brass will be taking part in Verwood’s Remembrance Sunday Service and Parade on 11th November.
We say “Thank You” to the First World War generation who served, sacrificed, and changed our world and to all others in other conflicts that made the ultimate sacrifice.
We Shall Remember Them.