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1PD19 Historic Grenadiers
THE BAND OF THE GRENADIER GUARDS
Raised in 1656, the Grenadier Guards title being taken following the 1815 Battle of Waterloo when the regiment defeated the Grenadiers of the French Imperial Guard.
Drums and fifes provided the only "music" in those early days. A separate "band of music" was formed, which by 1783 consisted of two each of oboes, clarinets, horns and bassoons. Trumpets, serpents and Turkish Music (bass drum, cymbals and tambourine) had been added by 1794. In the 19th century, newly invented instruments were added, so that by 1848 the band consisted of 2 flutes, piccolo, 3 Eb clarinets, 8 Bb clarinets, 3 bassoons, 4 French horns, a family of trumpets, 1 althorn, 3 trombones, 2 ophicleides and drums. Added later in the century were cornets, bass saxhorns, euphonium and saxophones.
Directors of Music have included Dan Godfrey (1856-1896) who took the band on a North American tour in 1872. Under Lt Colonel George Miller (1921-42) the band performed throughout the UK and toured South Africa (1931) and Australia & New Zealand (1934-5). Since then there have been many overseas engagements, including tours of North America, North Africa, Europe and the Far East.
The present band consists of 49 musicians, many of whom additionally play strings or piano and from this number can be formed a parade, concert and dance band, orchestra, fanfare trumpet teams and an recreated 18th century band.
The band has always participated in State and Ceremonial events. It was one of the first military bands to broadcast back in 1922 and has made many recordings on 78rpm, LP and CD.
GEORGE JOHN MILLER MVO, MBE, LRAM, psm
The Miller family contributed a father (1826-1886) who served as Bandmaster 63rd Regiment; his son (1853-1928) who retired as Director of Music, Royal Marine Light Infantry (Portsmouth Division) Band in 1917 and grandson to military music, all of them confusingly named George John Miller. The conductor on this recording is the third George Miller, the grandson, born in 1877. He enlisted into the 4th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps in 1896 and in 1898 was appointed Bandmaster 1st Battalion Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, serving in India, Ceylon and South Africa, before returning to the UK in 1903 to form the Royal Artillery (Portsmouth) Band. In 1907 Miller was appointed Bandmaster 1st Life Guards and commissioned Lieutenant, Director of Music in 1919. He transferred to the Grenadier Guards in 1921, was promoted Captain in 1927 and Major in 1934, where he remained until his retirement in 1942 as a Lieutenant Colonel and the appointment of Senior Director of Music, Brigade of Guards. He died in 1960.
The vast majority of Grenadier Guards Band 78rpm output under Miller was on the Columbia label with only a handful recorded for Decca. The twenty-two Columbia tracks here were recorded between 1926 and1940. Miller's recordings covered the gamut of military band repertoire of the time, including a number of unusual items newly available from the USA (Harry Alford's The Old Frog Pond recorded here being an example). Miller's band was considered to be technically excellent and was noted for playing with great precision and attention to dynamics.
THE MUSIC
1. Colonel Bogey on Parade (Kenneth J Alford) from DX939 recorded 18/4/39 [Listen]
This 1934 March Fantasia is made up of excerpts from ten of Alford's (then Director of Music Royal Marines Plymouth Division Band) marches plus part of his pastoral fantasy The Smithy (complete with whistling effects!).
2. Sparks (Kenneth J Alford) from DB1865 recorded 8/1/39 [Listen]
Nothing is known of the title's origin of this 1923 xylophone solo. Alford was at this time Bandmaster 2nd Bn Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders before transferring to the Royal Marines in 1927.
3. The Old Frog Pond (Harry Alford) from DB597 recorded 14/7/31 [Listen]
Harry LaForrest Alford (1875-1939) was for many years one of America's best known band arrangers. The Old Frog Pond portrays the chirping of crickets and the honk of the old bullfrog.
4. Teddy Bears Picnic (J Bratton) from DB1755 recorded 24/1/38 [Listen]
Teddy Bear's Picnic, written in 1907, is American musical comedy's producer/composer John Bratton's (1867-1947) best-known work, gaining fame in the UK when recorded in 1932 by Henry Hall. It has been recorded many times since by various singers and musical groups.
5. The Policeman's Holiday (Montague Ewing) from DB1755 recorded 24/1/38 [Listen]
Born (and died) in London, Montague Ewing (1890-1957) became well known as a pianist, composer/arranger of songs and light music, Policeman's Holiday being one of his most popular works.
6. The Golliwog's Cake Walk (Claude Debussy) from DB1741 recorded 19/10/37 [Listen]
Claude Debussy (1862-1918) studied piano and theory at the Paris Conservatory, leaving in 1884 to persue a composing career. Golliwog's Cakewalk forms part of his Children's Corner Suite, arranged here for military band by Royal Marine Bandmaster Frank Winterbottom.
7. Marche de Fauves (Gabriel Pierne) from DB1741 recorded 19/10/37 [Listen]
This very attractive piece is from Pierne's 1923 ballet Cydalise et le Chevre-Pied (fauves being half men/half goat). Pierne (1863-1937) was also a composer of operas, orchestral works and piano pieces, but only his March of the Little Tin Soldiers now remains well known.
8. Marche Lorraine (Louis Ganne) from 9386 recorded 28/2/28 [Listen]
Gustave Louis Ganne (1862-1923) was one of the leading composers of light music in France during his lifetime. Marche Lorraine, written before the Great War, had became a highly emotive piece of music in France; more so after patriotic words were later added. Lorraine (with Alsace), in the northeast part of France, had been a German/French political pawn for centuries, being in German hands 1871-1918. Marche Lorraine began as a piano piece, part original composition/part Lorraine folk song based, written for a Gymnastics Festival in Lorraine's capital Nancy.
9. Marche Pompeuse (William Becker) from 4455 recorded 05/1927 [Listen]
Nothing is known of William Becker save that he was of German origin. Marche Pompeuse appears to have been written around 1907, the military band version not appearing until the mid 1920s.
10. Le Regiment de Sambre et Meuse (Joseph Rauski) from 5474 recorded 05/1929 [Listen]
Joseph Rauski (1837-1910) served as a French Army bandmaster, composing this march in 1876. Into it, he incorporated a melody from a very popular song Sambre et Meuse by the composer Robert Planquette. Rauski changed the song into a quick march, added his own material, and entitled it Le Regiment de Sambre et Meuse.
11. Amparito Roca (Jamie Texidor) from DB1712 recorded 20/7/37 [Listen]
Jaime Texidor Dalmau (1884-1957) was a Spanish army bandmaster for thirteen years until 1920. He then conducted various town bands including the Banda Municipal de Baracaldo (1928-1957). Here he set up his own music publishing business, composing over 500 pieces of music but is now only known by this one piece Amparito Roca (said to be the name of a young lady).
12. Light of Foot (Carl Latann) from DB32 recorded 17/12/29 [Listen]
Carl Latann (1840-1888) was born in Thuringia. As well as being known as a composer/arranger of band music, he conducted various bands including those of the Wilhelmshaven navy base from 1871, a Netherlands militia band from 1884 and then the Freinwalde (near Berlin) municipal band from 1888.
13. Dawn of Freedom (Adolf Lotter) from 4029 recorded 27/5/26 [Listen]
Prague born musician Adolf Lotter (1871-1942) moved to London in 1894 and joined the Queen's Hall Orchestra and was for 32 years principal bass player. He became music editor for Boosey & Hawkes where he wrote/arranged a large number of pieces for band and orchestra.
14. With Sword and Lance (Hermann Starke) from DB32 recorded 17/12/29 [Listen]
German army musician Hermann Starke (c1870-c1920) wrote at least 800 works, including a number of marches. This march was the first prizewinner in Hawkes 1900 march composition contest.
15. King Cotton (John Philip Sousa) from 4455 recorded 05/1927 [Listen]
Composer of 136 marches, John Philip Sousa (1854-1932) wrote this march for the Atlanta Cotton States & International Exposition of 1895.
16. Invincible Eagle (John Philip Sousa) from DB1158 recorded 28/2/32 [Listen]
Most likely a reference to the American eagle, this march was dedicated to the Pan-American Exposition held in Buffalo in summer of 1901.
17. Washington Post (John Philip Sousa) from DB1915 recorded 30/11/39 [Listen]
Written for a children's essay awards ceremony in June 1889, sponsored by the Washington Post, then a struggling newspaper, this march was first performed by Sousa conducting his US Marine Band. It became an overnight sensation and made the newspaper internationally famous.
18. Marching Through Georgia (Henry Work) from DB1955 recorded 30/8/40 [Listen]
Henry Clay Work (1832-1884) wrote many songs which are still known today, Grandfather's Clock being one. The 1893 arrangement played here is by the second George Miller, late Royal Marines, and is made up of Marching Through Georgia and The Swanee River.
19. Siamese Patrol (Paul Linke) from DB1712 recorded 20/7/37 [Listen]
Theatre music director Paul Lincke (1866-1946) the "father of German musical comedy" wrote a number of national characteristic pieces of which Siamese Patrol is one, many of these being composed for scenes in his musical comedies.
20. Jungle Drums Patrol (Albert W Ketelbey) from 9411 recorded 27/2/28 [Listen]
Albert Ketelby (1875-1959) studied music in Birmingham and London and aged twenty-two found his first job as a theatre orchestra conductor. He composed over 200 descriptive pieces, such as Jungle Drums Patrol and In a Persian Market, many of which were arranged for military band.
21. Hail To The Prince (George Miller) from DB154 recorded 3/5/29 [Listen]
Another work by the second George Miller, this march was written for the Investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1911 and incorporates Rule Britannia in the trio section.
22. Home Guards (J. Welsh) from DB1955 recorded 30/8/40[Listen]
Home Guards March may well have been a reference to Britain's Home Guard which in July 1940 changed its name from that of the Local Defence Volunteers, the march being recorded shortly afterwards in August 1940. Joseph Ferdinand Welsh, who is known to have written a number of other marches, is thought he lived in London in the 1920s and very possibly had a South African connection. He died in 1955.
Philip Mather
Editor International Military Music Society UK Branch Newsletter
(C) 2008
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