The apparent simplicity of God Be In My Head with its repetition of the key phrase suddenly gives way to very effective harmonic sophistication on the word ‘heart’ that lays the path for the twilit ambience of the final phrase. H Walford Davies was a composer and musical director at the University of Wales as well as Organist at among others Temple Church where his student Leopold Stokowski (later one of the leading conductors of the 20th century) assisted him. Davies is best remembered for this work and for the march ‘RAF March Past’. Davies also did much to educate the public about serious music through radio programmes and his writings.

Solemn Melody was originally scored for Organ and Strings and later adapted by the composer for full Orchestra. There also exists a concert band arrangement and one for solo Organ. H. Walford Davies was a composer and musical director at the University of Wales as well as Organist at among others Temple Church where his student Leopold Stokowski (later one of the leading conductors of the 20th century) assisted him. Davies is best remembered for this work and for the march ‘RAF March Past’. Davies also did much to educate the public about serious music through radio programmes and his writings.

Walford Davies' most famous tune Solemn Melody arranged as an anthem for SATB Choir and Organ by H.A. Chambers.

Music for the perfect wedding day... religious service civil ceremony & reception-Whether it be a traditional white wedding in church or a contemporary civil ceremony in non-religious surroundings everyone wants their wedding day to be perfect. The pieces in the Confetti and Cake volume will help wedding couples and choirs alike choose the most appropriate and effective music for any occasion.There is music that caters for all tastes and abilities offering plenty of balance and variety. Pieces range from very simple to the somewhat more complex. Standard sacred repertoire (Bach Gounod Mozart Walford Davies etc.) is followed by some contemporary church anthems one (by Will Todd) written specially for this book; favourites such as theperennial Flower Duet appear alongside other enticing non-religious music; finally we have some secular romantic love songs (Jerome Kern Swingle numbers and even some G&S!) which cannot fail to capture the mood of the day. Sing these either at the ceremony itself or perhaps later at the reception.There are notes at the end of the book which provide very brief background information: eg texts (with translation where appropriate) dates and approximate timings so the ceremony can be planned meticulously.Whatever the circumstances and size of your choir there will be a something within this volume that will suit you. But more than that the versatility of the Concerts for Choirs series is such that it can be used as an invaluable resource for choral material whatever your requirements.

The Tune in E is Thalben-Ball’s own invention. In the Style of John Stanley almost certainly refers to the many works Stanley wrote for Organ that start with a slow short introduction followed by a Trumpet voluntary as in Tune in E.John Stanley was a contemporary of Handel’s who often came to the Temple Church to hear him play. Stanley directed many of Handel’s oratorios and continued to direct performances at Covent Garden of oratorios of other composers after Handel’s death.George Thalben-Ball succeeded Sir Henry Walford Davies in the position of Organist of Temple Church and remained there for nearly sixty years. In the 1920’s he led the choir to international famewith a recording of Mendelssohn’s Hear My Prayer and continued to make many recordings with them. His Elegy for Organ is a popular piece in the repertoire and was played at the funeral of Diana Princess of Wales.

Davies (1869-1941)played the or­gan at the Tem­ple Church in Lon­don and was a com­pos­er and mu­sic­al di­rect­or at the Un­i­ver­si­ty of Wales. Solemn Melody has been arranged here by John E. West.