The Cory Band will be giving the world premiere of Philip Harper's latest major composition, 'St James's — A New Beginning' this weekend.
The piece was recently announced as the set-work for the First Section National Final of Great Britain to be held at Cheltenham Racecourse in September and will form part of their programme at Regent Hall on Saturday 1st April (7.00pm)
Commissioned
The work was commissioned by St James's Church in Piccadilly in support of the Wren Project to mark the 300th anniversary of the death of the acclaimed British architect Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723).
The work is set in four parts — a musical narrative that starts with 'The Great Fire' of 1666 itself, to meeting Wren, his vision for a new city and on what it was built, and the final glory of a new London skyline dominated by the many new churches Wren designed — including St James's which was consecrated in 1684.
Look around you
His iconic London masterpiece is St Paul's Cathedral, in which he is buried with a tombstone epitaph: "Reader, if you seek his monument — look around you."
Also on their programme will be Dean Goffin's 'Rhapsodic Variations' — 'My Strength, My Tower' which is set to feature on their forthcoming 'Cornerstones' CD release as well as the fun of their 'Dr Who' set.
