Men O’ Brass in Bath - 1970

Original Score, Bath Festival Overture, January 1970

Bath Festival Overture for Harry Mortimer’s “Men O’ Brass”

George Odam, my composition tutor from Bath, was commissioned to write a new work for Harry Mortimer's Men O' Brass. It was entitled Bath Festival Overture for Brass Band and first performed as part of the Bath International Festival in 1970.

When I first met George in 1977, freshly arrived in Bath for a BA Music course, he played a recording of it for me ...... I was impressed at how modern it sounded for brass band music.

Recently George noticed that I was working on a new brass band piece myself, and he mentioned it again. Immediately intrigued, I asked if I could transcribe it using the Dorico music notation software. He said yes, and I received the original score in the post last weekend. Although I have scheduled work for March, I couldn't resist trying out the first few bars! Watch this space ........ much more to come.

Harry Mortimer
Men O’ Brass, 1970