A Birthday Celebration (Op.4)

1977/1980, 3 minutes 15 seconds

For concert band (picc, 2fl, 2ob, 3cl, bsn, 3crnts, 3hns, 3tbns, alto sax, ten sax, tuba, euph, drum kit, timps)

This work was composed in 1977 as part of the Queen's Jubilee Celebrations, and originally entitled Aufwachenmusik.

Conceived as a fanfare and postlude, it was first performed in Bassingbourn Church near Royston, Hertfordshire, on 5 June that year by the Junior Band of the Queen's Division (conductor Rodney Parker).

In 1980 it was edited by Parker and performed on December 12 in the Colston Hall, Bristol, by the massed military bands of The Regimental Band of the Royal Regiment of Wales and The Regimental Band of the Cheshire Regiment.

It was later recorded in 1981 by the Staff Band of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, and was released on the Sounds of Ceremony album, as the finale track (MM0584).

The opening fanfares, based on clashing arpeggios, lead to a spirited allegro; the celebration is confirmed by a return to the fanfare theme.

Olympic Fanfare 2012 for concert band (Op.4a)

Richard Lambert arr. Rodney Parker, 1 minute

In 2011 collaboration was resumed with Rodney Parker (now retired from D/M Band of the Grenadier Guards) – a short fanfare, Olympic Fanfare 2012, was extracted from Birthday Celebration.

You can listen to Olympic Fanfare 2012 on scoreexchange.com.

Publications

Performances

  1. 5 June 1977 at Bassingbourn church, Cambridgeshire, with the Junior Band of the Queen's Division and Rodney Parker (conductor)
  2. 12 December 1980 at Colston Hall, Bristol, with the Regimental Band of the Royal Regiment of Wales, the Regimental Band of the Cheshire Regiment and Rodney Parker (conductor)