Loughborough Concert Band

This is always a solemn concert and the weather underlined the day’s mood: cold and damp but still – no pegs needed. As in other years, the people of Loughborough came in droves. Everyone shrugged off the wet and the cold, pulled on wellies, huddled under umbrellas and zipped up waterproofs to listen to the service.

This year we were reminded of the particular and unique importance the word home has for all of us and the challenges faced by those service wo/men who, having spent months or even years longing to be back there, then somehow have to adjust.

The music in the first half reflected the mood of solemnity and reflection with pieces such as Scipio, (Handel) Highland Cathedral (Korb and Roever) and the desperately mournful Prelude to the 49th Parallel (Vaughan Williams). The second half was rather more stirring featuring The British Legion March (Bidgood) Quick March ‘Sea Songs’ (Vaughan Williams) and Colonel Bogey (Alford). A few members of the congregation remained to hear us play but the weather was definitely against lingering.