Following the critically acclaimed BBC2 programme 'Black Classical Music: The Forgotten History', which revealed the composers and musicians of colour whose contribution to our nation's musical heritage has been sadly neglected, 4BR has tried to find out a little bit more about the story of a work by a black composer featured at the National Championships.

The date may though come as a bit of a shock — as it was in fact at the turn of the century.

The 20th century.

Hiawatha

A selection from Samuel Coleridge Taylor's celebrated cantata 'Hiawatha' arranged by Charles Godfrey was used as the test-piece at the 1902 National Championships at The Crystal Palace — just two years after he had finished the trilogy.

Unfortunately an initial scan through contemporary newspaper reports and brass band publications does not say if the composer, born in Holborn in August 1875 to a doctor from Sierra Leone and an English mother, attended the event, but the work certainly made a huge impression on many of the estimated 80,000 people who made the trip to hear the bands perform.

The day after the contest on Saturday September 27th 1902, 'The People' newspaper printed a report of what it called the 'Principal Event of the Day' for the magnificent challenge trophy valued at 1000 guineas.

Beautiful cantata

"The contest took place during the afternoon in the Concert Hall, the test piece being Coleridge Taylor's beautiful cantata, 'Hiawatha',"it said.

A Sunday journal newspaper called 'The Referee' referred to the piece as being "a clever arrangement by Lieutenant Charles Godfrey of themes from Mr. Coleridge Taylor's 'Hiawatha', which the Sheffield Daily Telegraph also said was played with 'astonishing proficiency'.

A few days later they reported that the contests were "attended by over 70,000 people, and taken part in by almost 3,000 bandsmen, representing some 88 bands gathered from all parts of England and Wales, but mainly from Yorkshire, Lancashire, and the Northern counties."

Greatest enthusiasm

The correspondent added: "It was the Concert Hall, however, that the greatest crowd and the greatest enthusiasm were to be met.

Enthusiastic followers the bands crowded the hall throughout the day, following the playing 'scores' provided at a cheap rate of Coleridge Taylor's 'Hiawatha' arranged by Lieut. Godfrey."

The eventual winner was Black Dike as they were then named — who according to the reporter were "a popular winner"(they were awarded a maximum 140 points) and who "were distinctly above all the competitors. Even the untrained layman's ear could detect the superiority."

4BR has been in contact with Black Dyke who still have the original parts and score in their Queensbury bandroom library. The selection is believed to have been arranged by Godfrey from a choral score.

Unfortunately, at present there is no confirmation that Samuel Coleridge Taylor attended the event, whilst the 1902 contest programme does not actually mention the test piece at all (although this was the case at the time).

The question of any racial connotations surrounding this cannot be confirmed or denied either at this time — although the 1902 contest programme itself makes for somewhat uneasy reading in respect to the nature of some of the musical 'attractions' on show.

He left a wife and young children — one of whom, a son, was called Hiawatha4BR

Further research

A copy of the Brass Band News newspaper for November 1902 is missing from the archives at the University of Salford, so further details cannot as yet be established, whilst 4BR has been unable at present to access a copy of British Bandsman for the same dates.

However, it is believed Samuel Coleridge Taylor did not make any money from having his work performed. He is said to have sold the rights to 'Hiawatha' for a flat fee of £25 15s.

It was however performed the very next year in the Grand Shield contest, but after the Second World War it fell out of fashion. It is believed it was last played in a brass band contest in 1937.

The composer died in 1912 of pneumonia after collapsing on the platform of West Croydon station. His popularity as a man was shown at his funeral — with a cortege said to be three miles long. However it certainly did not equate to financial success.

Genius

His death was marked with small entry in British Bandsman that said, "he did not inherit his genius"and "that he put down his thoughts to paper with great rapidity".

He left a wife and young children — one of whom, a son, was called Hiawatha.

4BR will however try to find out more about a remarkable man and musician, as well as more about the work itself in the coming weeks.

An excerpt of the work can be heard on Black Dyke's CD recording 'Jewels in the Crown'. It was recorded in 1903.