Charge of the Light Brigade

Charge of the Light Brigade was commissioned by the Foden’s Youth Band in 2012. It tells the story of a battle in the Crimean War, where six hundred members of the light cavalry were sent to attack an Artillery Battery. However, due to miscommunications, they were sent to the wrong Artillery Battery, past the original target. The 600 soldiers then found themselves being attacked on two sides because of the error. 156 men lost their lives and another 122 were wounded.

The piece follows the structure of the poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. The fanfare that starts the piece is the exact same used at the battle. The presto is the advance of the Light Brigade towards the Russian guns. The slow passage is a hymn for the men that lost their lives and the finale symbolises the triumphant return of the men that survived, and how the memories of the horrific battle that took place linger on in their minds.

Also available to purchase in print from

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Instrumentation:
Brass Band

Percussion (4 players):
Timpani (four drums)
Drum Set
Tam-tam, Bass Drum, Chinese Cymbal, Suspended Cymbal
Suspended Cymbal, Snare Drum, Triangle, Temple Blocks, Wind Chimes, Cymbals, Tenor Drum, Tam-tam