RGJRA In the News

The Bands of the Household Division, which take part in all the great state and ceremonial occasions, form one of the great iconic images of our nation.  As a precursor to the ceremony of Trooping the Colour, the Massed Bands will be showcasing their music and pageantry on the historic setting of Horse Guards Parade by performing a Military Music Spectacular in the presence of Royalty on Wednesday 12th June and Thursday 13th June 2013 starting at 8pm; the event will finish at approximately 9.30pm.

This Military Music Spectacular will be a magical extravaganza of military pomp and ceremony and an opportunity for everyone to experience close up an unforgettable evening of British pageantry at its very best. It will feature five elements of the musical forces of the Household Division: the State Trumpeters, the Mounted Bands of the Household Cavalry (including the stately drum horses), the Corps of Drums (drums and flutes), the Pipes and Drums and the Massed Bands of the five regiments of Foot Guards.

The special guests this year will be the ever popular Bands and Bugles of The Rifles (Light Division), in their green uniforms, marching at their traditional pace of 140 paces to the minute.

The event will incorporate the centuries’ old custom of Beating Retreat which is steeped in history but now a far cry from its origins when a Drummer would beat a signal to mark the end of the soldier’s working day.

There will be traditional parade marches as well as Tchaikovsky’s epic Marche Slave as the massed bands march across Horse Guards Parade in slow time.

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Vitoria in 1813 which paved the way for the final defeat of the French Army of Napoleon at Waterloo two years later.  To celebrate this action, in which many of the regiments that will be on parade took part, the Massed Bands will perform the music composed by Beethoven to commemorate the battle, also known as Wellington’s Victory.  This will incorporate the portrayal in music of the approach of the opposing armies, the battle itself and the final celebration of victory, with the Guns of The King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, the muskets of the Napoleonic Association and a spectacular display of fireworks.

To end the evening all troops will assemble on the parade ground and the bands will play a rousing rendition of Ode to Joy from Beethoven’s Choral Symphony.

Tickets are available from……… http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk    & The Guards Museum on Birdcage Walk. Box Office: 0844 8472435

Website: http://www.guardsbeatingretreat.com

DWM