The Churchill Society
London.
Beauty is to Art - as Honesty is to Honour
At the composer's suggestion she placed the orchestral score into the care of the Trust, where it lay unknown for 19 years.
The composer also presented Churchill College Cambridge with an identically bound edition in 1974.
In 1994 the composer took the gift and copyrights back and presented Lady Churchill's leather and gilt bound orchestral score, complete with the copyright in perpetuity, to
THE CHURCHILL SOCIETY
London.It was the Cambridge College edition which the composer took back after 19 years of neglect and which he sent to the Prague Conservatoire of Music in 1993. The quality of the work was immediatley recognised and led to the work's first performance by the Czech National Orchestra in conjunction with Radio Prague and Cszeke TV on VE Day 1995 in Prague.
The composer believes that the Trust and the Society should merge. . . . and will do so . . . in years to come. THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCHILL MUSIC
Movements marked Green indicate they are not available as Audio Excerpts on the society's web Page but of course they are included on the double CDs and Tape Cassettes.
The composer's design for the first performance.
________________ 1. CRADLE DAYS. . . . subtitled "A tribute to Mrs Everest".
A musical portrayal of Blenheim Palace, where Churchill was born, and of an awakening child taken into the care of his nanny, Mrs Everest, to whom Churchill remained devoted all her life. The music ends with a lullaby and the child falling asleep. (A 6 minute movement.).
2. NURSERY DAYS. . . . at Little Lodge Dublin. (January 1877 - February 1880)
A portrayal in music of the boy Churchill, playing with his toy soldiers and dreaming of the day when he would be a great General like his ancestor.
(3.5 minute movement).
3. SAD DAYS AT ST GEORGE'S SCHOOL.
A short piece portraying his hatred of this preparatory school and the unhappy times he spent there.
(He was sent there in 1882 just before his eighth birthday - he left in the summer of 1884)(2 minute movement).
4. HARROW.
(He commenced at the school in April 1888 and left in 1893)
A re-harmonised and choral arrangement of the Harrow School Song. Soloist Sylva Kroupova.
5. PEERING AT LIFE AROUND A CORNER.
A short piece depicting his mood during his convalescence after a youthful accident. "For a year I peered at life around a corner". My Early Life by WSC page 33.
(1 minute movement).
6. THE CHURCHILL MARCH. (He went to Sandhurst on the lst September 1893)
An ORCHESTRAL MARCH commemorating his cadetship at Sandhurst College. (A 7 minute movement).
7. THE MALAKAND FIELD FORCE. subtitled "Men and Mountains". (September 1897)
The music portrays the punitive expedition awakening to Reveille on the North West Frontier. (4 minute movement).
8. THE BATTLE OF OMDURMAN. (September 1898)
Cavalry charge and the young Churchill's grief at the plight of the injured. (6 minute movement).
9. THE ARMOURED TRAIN.
(December 1899) Incident in the South African Boer War.
N.B.
This piece has never been performed and is not included on the CDs and Tape Cassettes. (10.17 minute movement).10. THE BLENHEIM ROMANCE. (August 1908) Winston proposes to Clementine Hozier in the classical pavilion by the lakeside in Blenheim Park.
A 6.5 minute movement.
11. SEASCAPE. subtitled . . The Lord of the Admiralty at the Spithead Review. (1911).
(August 4th 1914 until November 11th 1918) THE SOLDIER'S PRAYER: Soloist Vladimir Okenko My God, to Thee do I implore;
Oh, take away my fear.
That in this night of terror and fright;
I beg, I pray, You keep near to me:
God, hear my prayer.
Forgive me Lord, for sins long past,
For deeds of hurt and thoughtlessness:
If Thou should'st spare me yet to live,
I will love Thee.In this the hour of my despair,
Oh, come and give me strength.
That in the agony of this war,
I'll feel and know Thy presence,
Comforting me.
Steel my heart to bravely endure,
These days of sorrow and nights of fear;
Nor let me an act of cowardice do,
And I'll love Thee.INTERVAL THE CHARTWELL SUITE. Four pieces for Orchestra. 13. Spring Dawn
14. Summer"s Day
15. Autumn Mists
16. Winter's Night
THE SECOND WORLD WAR.
(September 3rd 1939 to VE & VJ Day 1945.)
17. In Defeat Defiance
18. In War Resolution
19. In Victory, Magnanimity
20. In Peace GoodwillAfter the last fanfares have sounded from high in the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral, Big Ben Strikes 11 am and the congregation stands in silence in memory of all those who suffered and died, and remain standing to the end of the work.
The first performance was televised by Czeske TV and broadcast by Radio Prague on VE DAY 1995..
The story of PDF THE CHURCHILL MUSIC.
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