Imperial Echoes
Encyclopedia
Imperial Echoes is the title a piece for solo piano by Arnold Safroni
that was later adapted as a military march
and became well-known through its frequent use on BBC
radio
during the Second World War and beyond.
in 1913. Its composer, George Arnold Haynes Safroni-Middleton (1873-1950), used the name Arnold Safroni for professional purposes and also composed as W.H. Myddleton.
R.P. O’Donnell, M.V.O. In 1940 the opening and closing parts of this recording was chosen to introduce and close the BBC’s daily news programme Radio Newsreel
(initially, Radio News Reel), which was broadcast on both the Home Service
in Britain and the Overseas Service (later the World Service
). As such it became one of a group of tunes, including Lillibullero
and Eric Coates
’ Calling All Workers
, that became inextricably associated with the BBC’s output during the war. Radio Newsreel, with its theme, continued until 1970 in Britain and 1988 on the World Service.
Imperial Echoes became a regular part of the repertoire of military bands and was adopted by the Royal Army Pay Corps
as its regimental quick march. In 1997 the BBC issued the 1928 recording on compact disc
as part of a compilation of television and radio themes.
Arnold Safroni-Middleton
George Arnold Haynes Safroni-Middleton, also known as Count Safroni was a British composer, director, violinist, harpist, writer and amateur astronomer. For several works he used the pseudonym William H...
that was later adapted as a military march
March (music)
A march, as a musical genre, is a piece of music with a strong regular rhythm which in origin was expressly written for marching to and most frequently performed by a military band. In mood, marches range from the moving death march in Wagner's Götterdämmerung to the brisk military marches of John...
and became well-known through its frequent use on BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
during the Second World War and beyond.
Original composition
Imperial Echoes was published by Boosey and Hawkes of LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1913. Its composer, George Arnold Haynes Safroni-Middleton (1873-1950), used the name Arnold Safroni for professional purposes and also composed as W.H. Myddleton.
HMV recording and Radio Newsreel
In 1928 the tune was adapted as a march by James Ord Hume (1864-1932) and recorded for His Master’s Voice by the Band of the Royal Air Force, conducted by Squadron LeaderSquadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
R.P. O’Donnell, M.V.O. In 1940 the opening and closing parts of this recording was chosen to introduce and close the BBC’s daily news programme Radio Newsreel
Radio Newsreel
Radio Newsreel was a news programme produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation between 1940 and 1988. The programme, which eventually had four 15-minute international editions as well as a nightly 30-minute domestic version , broadcast in the BBC Light Programme, was composed of taped...
(initially, Radio News Reel), which was broadcast on both the Home Service
BBC Home Service
The BBC Home Service was a British national radio station which broadcast from 1939 until 1967.-Development:Between the 1920s and the outbreak of The Second World War, the BBC had developed two nationwide radio services, the BBC National Programme and the BBC Regional Programme...
in Britain and the Overseas Service (later the World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
). As such it became one of a group of tunes, including Lillibullero
Lillibullero
Lillibullero is a march that sets the words of a satirical ballad generally said to be by Lord Thomas Wharton to music attributed to Henry Purcell. Although Purcell published Lillibullero in his compilation Music's Handmaid of 1689 as "a new Irish tune", it is probable that Purcell hijacked the...
and Eric Coates
Eric Coates
Eric Coates was an English composer of light music and a viola player.-Life:Eric was born in Hucknall in Nottinghamshire to William Harrison Coates , a surgeon, and his wife, Mary Jane Gwynne, hailing from Usk in Monmouthshire...
’ Calling All Workers
Music While You Work
Music While You Work was a daytime radio programme of continuous live popular music broadcast in the United Kingdom twice daily on workdays from June 1940 until September 1967 by the BBC, initially in the Forces / General Forces Programme, and after the war in the BBC Light Programme and, in the...
, that became inextricably associated with the BBC’s output during the war. Radio Newsreel, with its theme, continued until 1970 in Britain and 1988 on the World Service.
Imperial Echoes became a regular part of the repertoire of military bands and was adopted by the Royal Army Pay Corps
Royal Army Pay Corps
The Royal Army Pay Corps was a former corps of the British Army responsible for administering all financial matters. It was amalgamated into the Adjutant General's Corps in 1992....
as its regimental quick march. In 1997 the BBC issued the 1928 recording on compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
as part of a compilation of television and radio themes.