Concert Band
Centennial Salute
Grade 3 | 8 Mins
Centennial Salute was commissioned by Llandudno Town Band, from North Wales, to celebrate their centenary in 2010. Funds for the commission were made available by the Welsh Arts Council and the first performance, conducted by the band’s musical director, Clive Wolfendale, took place in Venue Cymru, Llandudno on 3rdSeptember 2010.
The piece is, by definition, celebratory in nature and opens with a stately fanfare, first on the low brass and then taken up by the whole band. This gives way to a contrasting lyrical theme which develops until it is played together with the fanfare to complete the opening section. A lively and heavily syncopated Vivo follows in traditional march style, complete with a ‘bass strain’ and trio. After the original march theme returns, a climax leads back to a reprise of the majestic opening, which brings the piece to an appropriately triumphant close.