KNELLER HALL
150 year Anniversary by Jack Kopstein
On August 1st 2007 Kneller Hall the Royal Military School of Music celebrated 150 year anniversary. The official magazine of the Corp of Army Journal Fanfare said No historic gathering of Army Musicians would be complete without a reminder of what happened at Scutari during the Crimean war His Royal majesty George, Duke of Cambridge was presented a grand review of the Allied Forces by the general Staff. It was the day of Queen Victoria's birthday.
Authors *Gordon and Alwyn Turner reported the events which led up to the greatest debacle in British ceremonial history. The Massed bands of the British Army struck up the national anthem God Save the Queen and the result was deeply embarrassing. The bands not only played the anthem in different keys, but also there were several special arrangements!
Scutari was the defining moment in the history of Army music in Great Britain because the Duke of Cambridge recognizing the deep problem ordered that a military school of music be organized . It was therefore on January 5th 1857 that the legendary hall which had been the home of Sir Godfrey Kneller was established as the Royal Military School of Music and the the first Colonel Henry Stephans was appointed Commandant.
On August 1st 2007 several hundred invited attendees were welcomed to the gala concert which featured four guest bands in a massed band concert. They included the band of the Grenadier Guards -Major B Wassell director of Music, The band of the Corps of Signals , Captain RGK Booth Director of Music. The band of the Rifles Captain M Purvey Director of Music and the band of the Corps of Engineers, Captain B Miller Director of Music. The concert was directed for the most part by Lt. Colonel SJ Smith who is the Principal Director Music for the Army.
The Programme of Music
National Anthem .Jacob
Music ..Miles
Echoes ..Johnson
Kneller Hall Concert march .Walters
Kneller Hall Slow march ..
Young HRH The Duke of Cambridge Arnold
Cockaigne Overture Elgar
Fanfare and Soliloquy for band .Sharpe Sing Sing
Sing Sing Sing Primo
You raise Me up .Lovland and Graham
Fanfare and Celebrations ..Clarke
At the Close of the day ..Sharpe
The Corps of Army Music march ..Burton Royal Military School of Music march arr Roberts
The School also received accolades from the Burrough of Richmond who were presenting the Royal Military School of Music FREEDOM OF THE CITY this year. Here in part is the article which was in the local newspaper:
Attenshun! Richmond Council Leader, Cllr Serge Lourie, took to the parade ground last week. He was Inspecting Officer at the passing out parade at the Royal Military School of Music at Kneller Hall which, along with the Corp of Army Music, is to receive the Freedom of the Borough in 2007. Nine young recruits from the schools Foundation Course went on parade and will now join the armys professional bands. After the inspection, Cllr Lourie spoke of his pride at the recruits achievements and looked forward to the ceremony, next September, when the Council will award the Freedom accolade. The honour will be bestowed during the year marking the schools 150th anniversary. Cllr Lourie said: We are proud that you have been here in our borough for 150 years and hope you will stay another 150, and we look forward to celebrating the event by giving you the Freedom of the Borough next year. Cllr Lourie went on: I should like to congratulate those of you who have completed your training and become fully-fledged members of the army community. Im also delighted to see so many of your family members here. Their pride is well deserved. I should also like to say how much we appreciate and value the contribution you are all making to the community. You are all soldiers and musicians and make a great contribution in both capacities. At a time when British troops are on active service in Iraq and Afghanistan in a very public way, we realise how much we owe you. Cllr Lourie added that military music was one of the great unifying elements in this country adding that the Royal Military School of Music has had the highest reputation for 150 years. The reputation is deserved and you will clearly carry on this tradition. Major Mike Taylor, the schools Adjutant, said: The passing out parade was an excellent event and we are thrilled to be receiving the Freedom of the Borough, which reinforces our close links and historical association with the Borough of Richmond upon Thames.
*Major(ret) Gordon Turner is the editor of the IMMS band Internationl Alwyn Turner is a Internationally known newspaper man. Their works on British military music is an authoritative series of books on the subject and their book "The Trumpets Will Sound" is the history of the Kneller Hall.