ANZAC Day To Be Commemorated

ANZAC Day To Be Commemorated

The youth of New Zealand have been helping veterans commemorate ANZAC Day in increasing numbers and no more so than 2005 when 30 musicians from the National Youth Brass Band of New Zealand perform two concerts one in Wellington and another in Auckland.

Under Musical Director Kenneth Young the band will perform an especially composed piece by New Zealand composer Dwayne Bloomfield of Christchurch. Inspired by the book Gallipoli -The New Zealand Story by Christopher Pugsley and the painting The Battle of Chunik Bair by Ion Brown, Bloomfields’ “Behold the Narrows from the Hill” depicts many of the battles at Gallipoli, tells the story of the journey to ANZAC Cove and the anguish at being shelled by their own artillery (see full story below)

“The National Youth Brass Band will also feature music written during the war years as well as up to date compositions many by New Zealand composers” says spokesman Owen Melhuish.

Guest soloist is recent immigrant Alexandra Kerwin on Soprano Cornet. Alex is a recent winner of the British Open Solo Championships, has played in many winning bands in the UK, including a highlight with Black Dyke Band first placing at the British Nationals in 2004. Alex is playing with The Trusts Waitakere Brass of Auckland where her husband Simon is the Musical Director.

The National Youth Brass Band moves into rehearsals from Sunday 17th April in Upper Hutt before its first concert in Wellington.

THE STORY OF ANZAC

Thurs 22nd April St Andrews on the Terrace 6.00pm Door Sales Only

Monday 25th Holy Trinity Cathedral Auckland 2.00pm Book at any Postshop or http://www.redtickets.co.nz or 0800 000 575

Behold the Narrows from the Hill (2001)

Dwayne Bloomfield

After reading Gallipoli – The New Zealand Story by Christopher Pugsley, Bloomfield was immediately inspired by the events that took place, and began writing Behold the Narrows from the Hill. Bloomfield was also inspired by the painting the Battle of Chunik Bair, 8 August 1915 by Ion Brown.

The composer writes:

The work begins by depicting the ANZAC Cove today with the shoreline and landscape overlooked by the monument. The flugel sounds a haunting solo to tell us the earth hides a story and is stained with blood. The euphonium and soprano continue to unearth the secrets of the land. The Adagio builds as the souls from the marked and unmarked graves rise to tell their story.

The Presto deciso takes us back to the beginning of their story, with the coming of the war, the rush to enlist and the build up of the troops. The Giocoso depicts the camaraderie and sense of adventure shared by the New Zealand soldiers.

The Andante largamente takes us to Egypt where we share one of their marches through the desert. The Lento lacrimoso takes us to the trenches, before the assaults on Chunick Bair. The Presto marcato sounds the call to battle and the Feroce depicts the assault itself. The Misterioso sounds the disbelief at how easily the hill is taken and the Largamente as the narrows are seen for the first time.

The Andante furioso depicts the soldiers’ anger at being shelled, apparently by their own artillery, and the anguish at the lack of reinforcements. Despite desperate efforts the hill is lost. The flugel brings us back to the present day. The final section, Largo sonoro depicts the return of the veteran to the battlefield, and as those who hold memories disappear from the earth, a bass drum fades away, but sill beats for those who saw the narrows from the hill.

© Scoop Media