Foden's Band
Encyclopedia
Foden's Band is a brass band
from Sandbach
in Cheshire
. The band derives its name from the Foden
manufacturer of trucks in Sandbach. Foden's Band are one of the top brass band
s in the world; regularly appearing at the top of the “World of Brass - World Rankings”
near Sandbach
in Cheshire
formed its own band having been let down in its attempt to secure the services of the nearby town band to feature in the celebrations marking the relief of Mafeking in the Boer War
. After a couple of years the village band was wound up, but from that base local industrialist Edwin Foden formed the Fodens Motor Works Band. For a few years the new band had modest ambitions, but in 1908 a fundamental reorganization took place and, by the following year, it had achieved Championship Section status, a prestigious position that has been maintained ever since.
On 9 Nov 1933, the band appeared in the Lord Mayor's Show
in London, billed as the Band of Foden Motor Works.
In 1955, the musical director, Harry Mortimer
, formed the Men O'Brass, whereby selected members of the band combined with other players from the Fairey Band
and Morris Motors Band. In January 1983, the band was sponsored by Overseas Technical Services Ltd. from Harrow
, being renamed the Foden OTS Band.
In July 1986, it was sponsored by the Britannia Building Society
to become the Britannia Building Society Foden Band, which became the Britannia Building Society Band. In September 1997, the band was sponsored by the Antoine Courtois
company of France
, to become the Fodens Courtois Band. In November 2004, the band was sponsored by Richardson Developments of Oldbury
. Since 2008 the band has been without sponsorship and is currently known as the Foden's Band.
and Queen Mary
, in 1938 at Windsor Castle
for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth
, and most recently in 1983 where the band had the honour of playing for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace
.
The band has won the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain twelve times.
In 2008 the band won the 156th British Open Championships. It was the 11th time that the Foden's Band had triumphed at the contest.
2009 has seen further success for the band with a record breaking 4th consecutive triumph at the North West Regionals, victory at the Cambridge International Masters and then winning the Brass in Concert Championships at the Sage Centre in Gateshead in November.
Recent contest highlights in 2010 have included 6th at the English Nationals, 4th at the British Open, 9th at the National Championships and most recently 3rd at Brass in Concert
Solo Euphonium: Glyn Williams
Soprano Cornet: Richard Poole
Trombone: John Barber
Tenor Horn: Lesley Howie
Flugel Horn: Helen Williams
Baritone: Natsumi Inaba
Eb Bass: Stuart Baglin
Bb Bass: Matthew Wade
Brass band (British style)
A British-style brass band is a musical ensemble comprising a standardised range of brass and percussion instruments. The modern form of the brass band in the United Kingdom dates back to the 19th century, with a vibrant tradition of competition based around local industry and communities...
from Sandbach
Sandbach
Sandbach is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The civil parish contains four settlements; Sandbach itself, Elworth, Ettiley Heath and Wheelock....
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. The band derives its name from the Foden
Foden Trucks
Foden Trucks was a British truck and bus manufacturing company which has its origins in Sandbach, Cheshire in 1856. PACCAR acquired the company in 1980, and ceased to use the marque name in 2006.-History:...
manufacturer of trucks in Sandbach. Foden's Band are one of the top brass band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
s in the world; regularly appearing at the top of the “World of Brass - World Rankings”
History
Origins
The origins of the band go back to 1900 when the village of ElworthElworth
Elworth is a village and a suburb of Sandbach, Cheshire, England approximately one mile to the east. Elworth has a church, several pubs and a few shops. It also has the railway station serving Sandbach and is on the railway line between Crewe and Manchester. There is a canal running to the...
near Sandbach
Sandbach
Sandbach is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The civil parish contains four settlements; Sandbach itself, Elworth, Ettiley Heath and Wheelock....
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
formed its own band having been let down in its attempt to secure the services of the nearby town band to feature in the celebrations marking the relief of Mafeking in the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
. After a couple of years the village band was wound up, but from that base local industrialist Edwin Foden formed the Fodens Motor Works Band. For a few years the new band had modest ambitions, but in 1908 a fundamental reorganization took place and, by the following year, it had achieved Championship Section status, a prestigious position that has been maintained ever since.
Fred and Harry Mortimer years
Conductor Fred Mortimer (1880-1953) led Fodens for 27 years from around 1927 until is death in 1953. During that time they won the national championships eight times, and according to Mortimer, had been broadcast around 250 times.On 9 Nov 1933, the band appeared in the Lord Mayor's Show
Lord Mayor's Show
The Lord Mayor's Show is one of the longest established and best known annual events in London which dates back to 1535. The Lord Mayor in question is that of the City of London, the historic centre of London that is now the metropolis's financial district, informally known as the Square Mile...
in London, billed as the Band of Foden Motor Works.
In 1955, the musical director, Harry Mortimer
Harry Mortimer
Harry Mortimer OBE was an English composer and conductor who specialised in brass band music.Born in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, his father was conductor Fred Mortimer . Fred taught Harry and his brothers Rex and Alex to play the cornet, and also composition. Later he was taught by William Rimmer...
, formed the Men O'Brass, whereby selected members of the band combined with other players from the Fairey Band
Fairey Band
The Fairey Band is a brass band based in Heaton Chapel in Stockport, Greater Manchester.Its name comes from Sir Richard Fairey and the Fairey Aviation Company, famous in later years for the Fairey Delta 2 aircraft - the first aircraft in level flight to exceed 1,000mph, and had an important...
and Morris Motors Band. In January 1983, the band was sponsored by Overseas Technical Services Ltd. from Harrow
London Borough of Harrow
The London Borough of Harrow is a London borough of north-west London. It borders Hertfordshire to the north and other London boroughs: Hillingdon to the west, Ealing to the south, Brent to the south-east and Barnet to the east.-History:...
, being renamed the Foden OTS Band.
In July 1986, it was sponsored by the Britannia Building Society
Britannia Building Society
The Britannia is a financial services institution and trading name of the Co-operative Bank Plc in the United Kingdom.Before the merger with the Co-operative, Britannia was a mutual building society, with headquarters in Leek, Staffordshire...
to become the Britannia Building Society Foden Band, which became the Britannia Building Society Band. In September 1997, the band was sponsored by the Antoine Courtois
Antoine Courtois
The Antoine Courtois company was founded in Paris in 1789. The company's current name comes from the name of one of the founder's children who created the brand name in 1803. The company has been a leading manufacturer of brass instruments ever since, particularly saxophone, trumpet, cornet,...
company of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, to become the Fodens Courtois Band. In November 2004, the band was sponsored by Richardson Developments of Oldbury
Oldbury, West Midlands
Oldbury is a town in the West Midlands in England. It is a part of the Black Country and the administrative centre of the borough of Sandwell.-Local government:...
. Since 2008 the band has been without sponsorship and is currently known as the Foden's Band.
Honours
The band has been ordered to play by Royal Command on three occasions: in 1913 for King George VGeorge V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
and Queen Mary
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
, in 1938 at Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
, and most recently in 1983 where the band had the honour of playing for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
.
The band has won the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain twelve times.
In 2008 the band won the 156th British Open Championships. It was the 11th time that the Foden's Band had triumphed at the contest.
2009 has seen further success for the band with a record breaking 4th consecutive triumph at the North West Regionals, victory at the Cambridge International Masters and then winning the Brass in Concert Championships at the Sage Centre in Gateshead in November.
Recent contest highlights in 2010 have included 6th at the English Nationals, 4th at the British Open, 9th at the National Championships and most recently 3rd at Brass in Concert
Contesting Honours
- British Open Brass Band Championships - 11 Wins: 2008, 2004, 1964, 1928, 1927, 1926, 1915, 1913, 1912, 1910, 1909
- National Championships of Great Britain - 12 wins: 1999, 1958, 1953, 1950, 1938, 1937, 1936, 1934, 1933, 1932, 1930, 1910 (barred 1935).
- North West Regional Championships - 16 wins, including: 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1989, 1988
- Brass in Concert Championships - 6 Wins: 2009, 2000, 1998, 1990, 1988, 1987.
- All England Masters - 7 Wins: 2009, 2007, 2002, 1995, 1994, 1991, 1990.
- English National Championships - Winners 2006
- European Championships - Winners 1992
Musical Directors
The band's current conducting team is:- Bramwell ToveyBramwell ToveyBramwell Tovey, OM is an English-born Grammy Award winning conductor and composer. His musical roots are in The Salvation Army. He was educated at Ilford County High School, the Royal Academy of Music and the University of London. His formal music education was as a pianist and composer...
- Michael Fowles (Associate Conductor)
Current Principal Players
Principal Cornet: Mark WilkinsonSolo Euphonium: Glyn Williams
Soprano Cornet: Richard Poole
Trombone: John Barber
Tenor Horn: Lesley Howie
Flugel Horn: Helen Williams
Baritone: Natsumi Inaba
Eb Bass: Stuart Baglin
Bb Bass: Matthew Wade
Audio clips
- Largo Al Factotum - famous pieceLargo al factotumLargo al factotum is an aria from The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini, sung at the first entrance of the title character; the repeated "Figaro"s before the final patter section are an icon in popular culture of operatic singing...
by Gioachino Rossini conducted by Nicholas Childs September 1999
Video clips
- Armagh 2008 playing title music from The Children of SanchezThe Children of SanchezThe Children of Sanchez is a 1961 book by American anthropologist Oscar Lewis about a Mexican family living in the Mexico City slum of Tepito, which he studied as part of his program to develop his concept of culture of poverty...
film.