Cyril Jenkins, born in Swansea on October 9, 1889, was 88 when he died at Hove on March 15, 1978. He is associated with the brass band world, no fewer than four of his major works having been test pieces: Coriolanus at the National (1920), Life Divine (National 1921), Victory - National, (1929) and Saga of the North (Open, 1965).

Life Divine remains popular even to this day, Coriolanus is not often played and the remaining two hardly ever. They were among the first major original works to be commissioned for the brass band movement's major championships. They earned criticism at the time for being of technical, rather than musical, interest - but the fact that they are still occasionally programmed in concerts (up to 40 years ago) answered some of that criticism. Coriolanus has not been a set test contest piece since 1992 and whilst as an own choice it did well for many years, it has only been chosen four times since 1994.

The story goes he originally titled  Life Divine for A Comedy of Errors. However, that title was almost rejected by Herbert Whiteley, who was the editor of the British Bandsman (1906–1930) and had long worked to get serious composers to write for brass bands. 

Whitley thought the title was frivolous and somewhat inappropriate to the participating bands in the competition - who had their full share of playing the demanding work... Jenkins agreed to change the title of the work to something more appropriate (at least in Whiteley's opinion) Life Divine . A good title that matches the tone poem's dignity, many would probably say!

In the 1920 contest at the Crystal Palace the winning band was St Hilda Colliery Band MD: William Halliwell. In second place was Lincoln Iron Works MD: William Halliwell and in 3rd place was Irwell Springs MD: J.A.Greenwood.

We are featuring a massed bands performance of Coriolanus in 1990 with Harry Mortimer conducting. This is a contest piece that you don't often here these days and is one brass band's pieces of forgotten music.