Royal Command

Well, it's been a while folks. So, here's a brand new piece on my home organ. I'm deeply indebted to Kevin Grunill who gave me the sheet music copy from the archive at the Astoria Centre, Barnsley.

Back in my youth the BBC issued some LPs of broadcast recordings "At The Cinema Organ". One of those track has stayed with me - my old friend Bryan Rodwell at the Gaumont Coventry Compton playing "Royal Command". The piece was written in 1948 by "The Bishop", John Howlett, who was organist at the Odeon Leicester Square -and a fine classical musician and composer too.

My version steals some of those classic Rodwell sounds - the big Comptonesque march theme then the classic Rodwell melody line on the trio. First time round that melody is quite refined, but on the reprise it's full krumets and couplers!! Even brought a tingle to my ageing spine!

The piece is played on my home console, a Rodgers 33E using Hauptwerk and the Paramount 341 sample set - many of those sampled ranks were actually played by Bryan back in the day!

Enjoy!!