Sunday Bandstand 5 January 2020

Sunday Bandstand 5 January 2020

Lieut. Colonel Charles Skinner, b: 28.9.1911, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire
d: 24.02.1978, West Wickham, Kent, was a third-generation salvationist who first learned to play the cornet at the age of seven. His father, the then bandmaster at Bishop Stortford corps, was his first music teacher.

When, on leaving school, he came to work at International Headquarters (IHQ), he had the opportunity to further his musical experience by assisting well-known London corps bands as well as the International Staff Band. He also had the privilege of touring Sweden with the Tottenham Citadel Band about this time.

He later came under the direction of Arthur Goldsmith, who gave him great encouragement with his first efforts at composition. During this time, he played the Soprano Cornet in the men’s social work band, taking part in recordings and playing solos.

A self-taught musician, Charles Skinner studied theory and counterpoint while on the train, commuting to and from the office. He was often seen bent over textbooks, for not only did he study music theory he also studied shorthand. During this time, he also learned to play the pianoforte, concertina and piano-accordion, for which instruments he showed great aptitude.

Throughout the thirties, he was submitting music for publication, particularly in The Musical Salvationist, though the brass journals were soon to benefit from his compositional skills. His first composition, ‘I love the Lord’, won a prize, and was published in 1933.

He was appointed Cadet Sergeant-Major in 1934and went on to play Solo Cornet in the Liberators’ Cadets Band.

In 1945 he was appointed to the International Music Editorial Department, as a successor to Eric Ball. He was to serve there for a total of 22 years, eight of them as Head.

He was an instructor at the Army’s first English band camp, held at Hadleigh, in 1947. He was also a guest at the Adelboden music camp in Switzerland for several years, which he greatly enjoyed.

He was a member of the International Staff Band for 25 years. This included being Deputy Bandmaster, and, later, Executive Officer. He was the first playing member of the band for 50 years to be given that appointment. He had previously been Bandmaster at Regent Hall for a short time until a sudden bout of ill health caused him to give up the responsibility; he afterwards served as Deputy to Bandmaster Ken Cook.

His musical legacy will be for the many beautifully crafted songs within our vocal repertoire but it is also important to remember that his brass compositions and transcriptions, which include the strong Tone Poem ‘Heroes of the Faith’ which is this week’s show.

Playlist 5 January 2020 

Recording Details 

Rhythm and Blues – Philip Sparke   Opening for weekly show Foden's Band MD: Michael Fowles - 2010  'Patrons' Choice III' - CD - Egon CD-SFZ154 - 2010
The Start of Something Big - Steve Allen arr: David Roberts  Rothwell Temperance Band MD: David Roberts - 2002  'The Start of Something Big' - CD - West Recording and Production - 2002
Heroes of the Faith - Tone Poem - Charles Skinner International Staff Band Of The Salvation Army BM: Dr. Stephen Cobb - 2011  'Heritage Series Vol. 3' - CD - 
The Nightingale - Harold Moss Cornet Soloist Wim van Boven (The Netherlands) with the Brighouse and Rastrick Band MD: Fritz Smienk - 1973  'Brighouse & Rastrick Band' - Vinyl - Varagram ‎– 0026 - 1973
Flying Fingers - Goff Richards Massed Bands of Birmingham School of Music, Ever Ready, Dalmellington and Yorkshire Imperial Metals MD: Major Peter Parkes - 1980  'National Brass Band Championships and Festival Concert 1980' - Vinyl - 
Valaisia Variants - Tom Davoren Valaisia Brass Band (Switzerland) MD: Arsene Duc - 2019  'Highlights from the European Brass Band Championships 2019' - CD - Doyen Recording DOY394 - 2019
Waltz from Memories of Schubert - arr: Eric Ball The Cambridge Band MD: David Read - 1980  'The Cambridge Band' - Vinyl - Top Brass Series Pye Records ‎– TB 3020 - 1980
Touch Her Soft Lips and Part from Henry V - Sir William Walton arr: Arthur Wills  Cornet Soloist David Read accompanied by organist Arthur Wills - 1982  'Music for Organ and Brass Band ' - Helios Recording CDH88005 - 1982
A Chorus Line - Marvin Hamlisch arr: Jeffrey Stone  Brass Band Burgermusik Luzern (Switzerland) MD: Ludwig Wicki - 1997  'Cinema 3' - CD - Obrasso Recording - Obrasso CD861 - 1997
Rondo - Henry Purcell arr: Jan de Haan Desford Colliery Caterpillar Band MD: James Watson - 1989  'Signature' CD - De Haske Music - DMH10006-3 - 1989
One Hand One Heart (West Side Story) - Leonard Bernstein / Stephen Sondheim  Sellers Engineering Band MD: Philip McCann with vocalists Jason McCann and Elizabeth Atkinson
Flute: Naomi Downing - 2003
 'American Landscapes' - CD - SP&S Recording DOY CD158 - 2003
Enigma Variations - Variation 14 Finale Allegro -Presto E.D.U - Edward Elgar  Black Dyke Band MD: Dr. Nicholas Childs - 2008  'Classical Dyke Vol. 1 Elgar' - CD - Doyen Recording DOY168 - 2008
Battle Ready - Roger Trigg Melbourne Staff Band (Australia) BM: Ken Waterworth - 2010   'Battle Ready' - CD - MSB ‎– MSB CD42A - 2010
Facets of Glass 1-Prelude 2- Meditation 3-Finale - Gordon Langford Brass Band De Bazuin Oenkerk (The Netherlands) MD: Klaas van der Woude - 2001  'Facets of Glass' CD - www.debazuinoenkerk.nl - 2001
Fantasia for Cornet - Martin Cordner Cornet Soloist Robert Venables with the North York Temple Band (Canada) BM: Glenn Barlow - 2013  'Kingdom Seekers' CD - NYTB - CD007 - 2013
Fantasia on British Sea Songs - Henry Wood arr: Denis Wright  Vocalist Stephanie Helliwell with the Sellers Engineering Band MD: Philip McCann - 1997  'Land of Hope and Glory' - CD - Doyen Recording DOY065 - 1997
La Russe - William Rimmer  Lexington Brass Band (USA) MD: Dr. Ronald Holz - Recorded during live concerts between 2002 / 2003  'Opus 3 - Lexington Brass Band - CD - The CD is available from http://lexingtonbrassband.com/   - 2002/2003 
By the Time I get to Phoenix - Jim Webb - Cornet Soloist Wilf McDonald  Cornet Soloist Wilf McDonald with the West Yorkshire Police Band MD: Barry Thompson - 1997  'West Yorkshire Police' - CD -  Park Recordings - 1997
The Jolly Robbers Overture - Franz von Suppé arr: Howard Lorriman Black Dyke Band MD: Dr. Nicholas Childs - 2001  'Spectacular Brass Vol. 2 - CD - Obrasso Recording CD876 - 2001
Euphonism - Philip Sparke Euphonium Soloists Riki McDonnell (New Zealand) and Mike Kilroy with the Williams Fairey Band MD: Major Peter Parkes - 1994  'Midnight Euphonium' - CD - Polyphonic QRPL 064D - 1994 
Copacabana - Barry Manilow arr: Adrian Drover Hammonds Saltaire Band MD: Morgan Griffiths - 2014  'Pursuing Horizons' - CD - 2014
Marche Lorraine - Louis Gann Grimethorpe RJB Colliery Band MD: Major Peter Parkes - 1996  'French Bon Bons' - CD - Chandos Recording CHAN 4542 - 1996
Rhythm and Blues – Philip Sparke​ Closing for weekly show Foden's Band MD: Michael Fowles - 2010​ 'Patrons' Choice III' - CD - Egon CD-SFZ154 - 2010​

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