The Royal Canadian Artillery Band presents Britain’s most elite military band at a free concert in the Arden Theatre on Sept. 14.
The Band of the Household Cavalry, based in Windsor, is famous worldwide for its musical breath and ceremonial pageantry. The horse mounted orchestra is front and centre at state ceremonial events such as The King’s Birthday Parade, opening of parliament, state visits, Remembrance Day observances, coronations and any event of national importance.
Numbering 60 plus musicians on its home turf, it is the United Kingdom’s largest military band that performs while mounted on regal black horses. However, on its three-stop mini tour of Alberta, only 50 musicians from the ensemble perform and the horses remain in England.
“This is a great opportunity to hear one of the great ensembles live. It’s not often we have special ensembles that perform at a very high calibre. And it’s free. All you have to do is register,” said Sgt. Matt Jaffray, RCA Band oboist and spokesperson.
The concert will feature a variety of music played by the RCA Band and the cavalry band in unison or broken up into smaller ensembles. The two-hour event will deliver a variety of music played on drums, trumpets, brass and woods.
Adding a touch of elegance and tradition, the cavalry band is slated to showcase its State Trumpets, long silver trumpets with attached banners that herald a fanfare.
The band has travelled to Alberta in part because there is a British base at Canadian Forces Base Suffield near Medicine Hat, and their visit is a gift to both soldiers and civilians.
“This is a great opportunity for two countries and two bands to perform together. They are very progressive and sound great, and they supplement our band with music we cannot play by ourselves,” Jaffray said.
The concert will have a mix of music that ranges from regimental marches and movie music to modern Canadian compositions and more traditional British works.
Canadian composer John Estacio’s technically challenging Frenergy is one of the program highlights.
“It’s an older piece with fast notes. It’s very exciting with different sections playing with frantic energy,” Jaffray said.
Both bands join forces for John Williams Olympic Fanfare composed for the 1968 Los Angeles Olympics.
“It was played non-stop at the Paris Olympics and it’s front and centre on people’s minds.”
Riverdance is slated to perform in Edmonton and the two bands are going to provide a preview of the Irish troupe's repertoire.
Two regimental marches are also planned along with Samuel Barber’s March Commando, a project for wind instruments.
And the cavalry band introduces James Curnow’s Where Never Lark or Eagle Flew. It was inspired by High Flight, a poem written by a young American volunteer pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. John Gillespie Magee flew high performance spitfires, but died in a mid-air collision at 19.
The two bands also play Sunrise at Angel’s Gate. This resplendent work was created after composer Philip Sparke’s first experience watching the sun rise over the Grand Canyon's magnificent rock formations.
“This music explores the vastness of the Grand Canyon. It’s hopeful and as a musician you get to be expressive. And the nice thing about the concert is that it’s a mix of different music and the ensembles are finding a middle ground."
The concert takes place on Saturday, Sept. 14 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Arden Theatre. To register for free tickets visit tickets.stalbert.ca.
