Follow the Colours
"Follow the Colours" is a
History
In January 1907 William Henry Ash, grandson of pioneer dental manufacturer
At Elgar's request, his score was arranged for military band by Capt. Arthur J. Stretton,
The full orchestral score was presented by Elgar to the Worshipful Company of Musicians on 14 June 1910.
Its first wartime performance was at the Royal Albert Hall, London, on 10 October 1914, following much publicity. It was at a concert in aid of the Queen's "Work for Women" Fund, and supported by singers Dame Clara Butt and Kennerley Rumford, with the Queen's Hall Orchestra and singers of the Royal Choral Society. It was the first concert in a series to be performed at 22 locations throughout the UK.
Such was its pre-war success that in 1914 it was republished by Novellos in a version (in key D) with piano accompaniment, with fewer introductory bars and the third verse omitted. There were few performances after 1915.
Tragically the author, William de Courcy Stretton, lost four of his five sons, Capt Alexander Lynam (M.C.), Capt William Stapelton, Able Seaman Conrad (Royal Australian Navy) and 2nd Lt John while fighting for the British Empire during the First World War.[5]
Music
The impression is of cheerful optimism, a fine cheerful tune and chorus cleverly livened by cross-rhythms: but we must remember that it was written before the real horrors which Elgar later recalled more sensitively with For the Fallen. The coming of the war had made its sentiments inappropriate.
The chorus generally reinforces the solo singer in the second and fourth lines of each verse, and joins in the refrain.
The accompaniment is for full orchestra, and is an example of brilliant but sensitive writing for the large percussion section, which consists of three timpani, side drum, triangle, bass drum and cymbals.
Lyrics
FOLLOW THE COLOURS
1.
- Thousands, thousands of marching feet,
- All through the land, all through the land ;
- Gunners and Sappers, Horse and Foot,
- A mighty band, a mighty band.
Refrain, after each verse:
- Follow the Colours, follow on,
- Where’er they go, where’er they go ;
- Loyal the hearts that guard them well,
- ’Twas ever so, ’twas ever so.
- March, march, march !
- ’Twas ever so, ’twas ever so.
- Roll the drums, and blow the fifes,
- And make the bagpipes drone ;
- Glory for some and a chance for all,
- Till we come again to our own.
2.
- England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales
- Send forth their sons, send forth their sons ;
- Children of Empire seas beyond
- Stand to their guns, stand to their guns.
3.
- What's in the wind now, what's toward ?
- Who cares a bit, who cares a bit ?
- Marching orders, we're on the way
- To settle it, to settle it.
4.
- Some will return, and some remain,
- We heed it not, we heed it not ;
- Something’s wrong, to put it right ’s
- The Soldier’s lot, the Soldier’s lot.
- William de Courcy Stretton
Recordings
- "The Unknown Elgar" includes "Follow the Colours" performed by Stephen Holloway (bass), with Barry Collett (piano), and male voice chorus.
- John Ireland - Orchestral Songs and Miniatures With a collection of the music of Ireland, two songs by Elgar are included: Follow the Colours and A War Song, performed by Roderick Williams (baritone), BBC Concert Orchestra/Martin Yates
References
- ^ Minutes of Court meeting 29 January 1907
- ^ Minutes of Court meeting 30 April 1907
- ^ No known relation of Capt. William de Courcy Stretton
- ^ It is a tradition for the Kneller Hall band to be conducted by student bandmasters at their Spring concerts
- ^ "De Courcy Stretton Family". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- Kennedy, Michael, Portrait of Elgar (Oxford University Press, 1968) ISBN 0-19-315414-5
- Moore, Jerrold N. “Edward Elgar: a creative life” (Oxford University Press, 1984) ISBN 0-19-315447-1
- Young, Percy, Elgar O.M., A Study of a Musician, London, Collins, 1955
External links
- Follow the Colours: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Manuscript score of "Follow the Colours" on the website of the Worshipful Company of Musicians
Website: ftcmag.com.br Followthecolours.com.br