On 20 July 2013, the Enfield Citadel Band (Bandmaster Jonathan Corry) gave its fifth annual summer concert at Broxbourne Civic Hall, with the theme “Music from the Movies”. Special guests for this year’s concert were the acclaimed vocal quartet ffourtissimo.
The Enfield Citadel Band started the concert with Star Wars (John Williams, arr. Ray Farr). Following introductions, ffourtissimo sang their first set, which included two well-known works from the classical repertoire, O Fortuna from “Carmina Burana” (Carl Orff) and Ave Maria (Charles Gounod).
The band next presented items which are associated with action films. These included Mission Impossible (Lalo Schifrin, arr. Alan Fernie), Skyfall (Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth, arr. Philip Sparke) and Soul Bossa Nova (Quincy Jones, arr. Duncan).
Another group of vocal items followed, with ffourtissimo returning with Now Is the Month of Maying (Thomas Morley) and Habanera from “Carmen” (Georges Bizet). Soloist Susanne Dymott sang another song from Bizet’s “Carmen”, Seguidilla, arranged by Bandmaster Corry.
The final item of the first half was the highlight of the evening. The Salvation Army Lass is a 15-minute silent film made by the pioneering American director D. W. Griffith, released on 11 March 1909. Dorothy Gates, music editor for the USA East Territory and composer-in-residence of the New York Staff Band, has composed a new brass band score for the 104-year-old film. The world première of this combination was given at this concert.
The second half began with the trombone feature I Will Follow Him (Stole/Roma/Plante, arr. Goff Richards) and The Elephant (Camille Saint-Saëns, arr. Peter Graham). ffourtissimo returned for a third set, this one featuring songs from the well-loved movie song writer Howard Arlen, including Get Happy (Summer Stock) and Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
The quintessential film composer of the past forty years is John Williams. The band next presented two more of his compositions, Born on the 4th of July and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (arr. Frank Bernaerts). ffourtissimo returned for its last set, which included One Day More (Alain Boublil & Jean-Marc Natel/Claude-Michel Schönberg) from the musical “Les Miserables” and, in contrast, Don’t Stop Me Now (Freddie Mercury). The band finished with another Williams item, Theme from “Schindler’s List (arr. Frank Bernaerts).
Following a devotional thought, the concert ended with William Walton’s extensive musical picture, Henry V – Battle of Agincourt.
Source:
Enfield Citadel Band web site, PDF version of concert program
The Salvation Army Lass, IMDB