Cory Band, which is renowned as the best brass band in the world, joined forces with Bratton Silver Band as part of their 160th anniversary project at Devizes Corn Exchange on Sunday 22nd September.
Bratton Silver Band have been awarded funding from the Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants Fund and from the Brass Bands England Norman Jones Trust Fund towards its 160th anniversary project. The funding is supporting the commissioning of a three movement piece of music about the ‘Lost village of Imber’ near Bratton.
The band reports, “During the morning, 50 players from Bratton Silver Band participated in a workshop session with the composer and principal players from Cory Band. In the afternoon the Cory Band presented an amazing concert in which Bratton Silver Band joined to play three pieces including a wonderful premiere performance of the second movement ‘The Lost Village of Imber’ music.
“Christopher Bond, composer of the music has been described as “one of his generation’s most exciting compositional voices for brass” and his work has been broadcast both locally and nationally on BBC Radio 2, 3 & 4, and ClassicFM.
‘Hope’ the first composed movement begins mysteriously and this sonorous, atmospheric opening aptly depicts the desolate village of Imber, a glockenspiel adding to the eeriness and apprehension of residents as they prepare to leave their homes to make way for the village to become a military training ground for American troops preparing for the D-Day landings. Interaction between the solo cornet and solo horn reflects the anguish felt by the villagers who are to be parted. Amidst this is the Church of St Giles, a symbol of ‘hope’ for villagers who one day wish to return, portrayed in the most beautiful of melodic passages before the music returns to the apprehension of the villagers facing eviction and their sadness at losing their rural way of life
The completed three-movement work will receive its premiere performance at the Festival of Brass at the RNCM – Royal Northern College of Music by Cory in January 2020.”
