Band of the Welsh Guards
The Band
The Band of The Welsh Guards was formed in 1915 in the same year as The Regiment. The band’s first instruments were presented by the City of Cardiff, an act which enabled the band to carry out its first King’s Guard Mounting on St. David’s Day, 1916. That evening, the band gave its first concert on the stage of the Royal Opera House in London, and it immediately established a reputation for the highest musical standards.
Amongst the Band’s roles, the focus is State Ceremonial events such as providing the music for Changing of the Guard Ceremonies, at both Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace and Windsor Castle.
The Band of the Welsh Guards have completed many recordings to maintain its excellent musical standards and to continue the legacy of great recordings of the Royal Corps of Army Music.
RCAM 30 Legacy Recordings
The Welshman – Peter Hannam MBE BEM
The Welshman was written in 1990, by Peter Hannam MBE BEM, for the Welsh Guards Regiment’s 75th Anniversary and is based on several well-known Welsh melodies. Peter Hannam was appointed Director of Music of the Band of the Welsh Guards in 1985 and in 1989, Senior Director of Music, Household Division Bands.
Great & Glorious – Leslie Statham MBE
Major Statham was Director of Music of the Band of the Welsh Guards from 1948 until his retirement in 1962. He was a leading British composer and arranger of Military and light music although most of his music was written under his pen name Arnold Steck. He is probably best known for composing the original theme tune to the sports TV series Match of the Day, entitled Drum Majorette. Great and Glorious is a rare example of a march written under his own name.
London Landmarks Movement 3: Horse Guards, Whitehall – Haydn Wood
Haydn Wood was a concert violinist and composer of light music. The First World War and the new radio broadcasting meant there was a ready made audience for his music. He composed composing around 200 ballad style songs, including the popular Roses of Picard. His suite London Landmarks (1946) includes the march The Horse Guards Whitehall which subsequently became the signature tune for the long-running radio show Down Your Way.