The Dambusters March

Eric Coates was born in 1886 in Nottinghamshire. Coates enrolled at the Royal Academy of Music in London, studying viola and composition. From 1910 he played in the Queen's Hall Orchestra under Henry Wood, becoming principal violist in 1912, "... which post I held for seven years," he said, speaking in a 1948 BBC radio interview, "until, I regret to say, I was dismissed through sending deputies to take my place when I was conducting my works elsewhere. Henry Wood little knew what a great help he had been to me by dispensing with my services, for from that day I never touched my viola again and was able to devote all my time to my writing."

His music, with its simple and memorable melodies, proved particularly effective for radio theme music, and By the Sleepy Lagoon is still used to introduce the long-running radio programme Desert Island Discs.

This is The Dambusters March, composed in 1955. He was unwilling to write the entire score when asked by the film's producers, but warmed to the idea of writing a signature march around which the rest of the film's score was based - in fact, he submitted a piece that he had recently completed, so the March was not itself composed with the film in mind.

Coates died in Chichester in 1957 aged 71.

My arrangement starts on the dominant on the pedal and gradually builds to fullish organ to mixtures, before the segue to the Choir with Swell and Solo coupled with lots of 4' tone, octave couplers and tremulant to achieve a theatre organ effect. The main theme is then played on the Great Trumpet accompanied by the right hand on the Swell, before being repeated again on the Great Diapasons. Back to the tremulants for the repeat, building to a final crescendo to full organ for the final treatment of the Theme, interspersed with highlights on the Ubertuba.

This was recorded on Armistice Day, where we remember those who gave their lives in conflict. This is my tribute to them and I hope you enjoy it.