Rossendale musician unearths music played during royal visit of 1913 (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Rossendale musician unearths music played during royal visit of 1913

2:41pm Friday 1st February 2013 in News

A LIFELONG musician has unearthed a brass band march fit for a king — and is hopeful it can be given a royal rendition later this year.

Seventy-one year-old Arthur Glover, right, was intrigued when he discovered some faded sheet music, without a composer’s name or title, and just the date ‘1913’ scribbled in pencil.

Arthur, of Joe Connolly Way, Waterfoot, was intrigued as this July marks the centenary of King George V and Queen Mary’s visit to Rossendale.

Further research has revealed that the former Irwell Springs Band performed on the day, and may well have used the same sheet music for their honoured guests.

A multi-instrumentalist, Arthur made a modern arrangement of the score and enlisted the support of the world-famous Black Dyke Band to record it. Now he is keen to ensure that the 100th anniversary of the Royal visit is not forgotten and his brass band march can receive a formal airing.

Arthur said: “It was tucked away among some old piano scores I bought from a stall at Todmorden’s Thursday market. The score was handwritten in ink. There is no composer or title, just the date 1913 written in the top left-hand corner of the first page.”

Black Dyke, based in the Yorkshire village of Queensbury, is said to be willing to perform Arthur’s ‘Royal Visit’ at any anniversary gathering.

The Leeds-born musician’s own career stretches back more than 55 years, when he was recruited as a member of the Durham Light Infantry Band. He went on to study at the Royal College of Music and performed with the Coldstream Guards Band.

Arthur is in the process of donating the original manuscript to Bacup Natural History Society and he is also eager for it to be performed by the 2nd Rossendale Scout Band, based in Bacup.

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