This section is far from being complete but it is the basis of further research. To this end, we are asking for your help, both in providing information about the titles shown and in adding additional ones.
People from the Clay Country and their music
R S Best
Richard Best in the 1950s when headmaster at Blackwater School
Richard Best was born and grew up in Trewoon. He was an author, teacher and headmaster at a number of schools and was made a bard of Gorsedh Kernow.
An article by Cornish historian Charles Henderson in the Cornish Guardian of the 4th October 1928 seems to have inspired Newquay School Master, R S Best, to write the words for Summercourt Fair. Henderson describes the history of the fair, once known as the Long Fair because it ran over the traditional three days and dates to at least the 12th Century. He made the comment that despite its antiquity, Summercourt Fair was not honoured with a song in the way that Widdicombe Fair was. Best would have been familiar with the excitement the fair created for people living in the Clay Country and collaborated with established composer Keith Hampton to write lyrics and music. The song was subsequently recorded for DECCA records and the BBC by the famous Port Isaac Singer, Jack Collings.
Cecil Brewer
Cecil Brewer was a brass musician and musical director.
More about Cecil can be found by clicking the link.
John Brush
John Brush was a brass musician and musical director.
More about John can be found by clicking the link.
John composed the march, Park Head for St Dennis Silver Band, the location of the band’s premises. Darren Hawken, St Dennis Musical Director said, “It is very much a march written for St Dennis in the heart of the clay area. We actually played it in the Square at Bugle when we won the Royal Trophy back in 2016.”
Hugh Camps
Hugh Camps was a brass musician and musical director.
More about Hugh can be found by clicking the link.
Jonathan Lush Camps
Jonathan Lush-Camps is a brass musician and musical director.
More about Jonathan can be found by clicking the link.
Richard Gendall
Professor Richard Roscow Morris “Dick” Gendall (12th April 1924 – 12th September 2017) was a Cornish folk musician who lived his early years in St Blazey.
His song Clay Ports was recorded by Brenda Wootton with St Austell Band and Treverva Male Voice Choir for her Album Seagull. It was one of a cycle of eight songs Richard wrote about the Clay country. He called the cycle King Kaolin, and it comprised: Clay Miner, Clay Ports, Clay Train, King Kaolin, The Quiet Kiln, The Silicone Chip, St Blazey Once, Turn on the Steam.
Daniel Hall
Daniel Hall is a brass musician and composer.
More about Daniel and his music can be found by clicking the link.
Barry Hawken
Barry Hawken was a brass musician and choir member and is the current musical director of the Imerys Mid-Cornwal Male Voice Choir.
More about Barry can be found by clicking the link.
Darren Hawken
Darren Hawken is a conductor, teacher, trombonist, vocalist, pianist, organist and accompanist.
More about Darren can be found by clicking the link.
Hannah Hawken
Hannah Hawken is a brass musician, teacher and composer.
Hannah has arranged five traditional Cornish tunes for the Cornish National Music Archive including the Rescorla Snail Creep which is a part of this project.
More about Hannah and her music can be found by clicking the link.
Ford Knight
Ford Knight was a brass musician and Indian Queens Silver Band musical director.
More about Ford can be found by clicking the link.
Wilson Manhire
Wilson Manhire (1883-1940) from Molinnis, was well-known between the two World Wars. The census of the 31st March 1901 has Manhire in Cornwall, but soon after he must have been admitted to Trinity College of Music, London. The Musical Times reported that Manhire qualified at Trinity as an Associate in Music (theory) by the 1st September 1903, a Licentiate in Music by the 1st September 1905, a Licentiate in Pianoforte on the 31st July 1906, and a Fellow in Music on the 15th January 1907. He was also a Licenciate of the Royal Academy of Music. By 1915 he was also an Associate of the Royal College of Music. Between 1908 and 1925 he was a prolific writer of instructional material for piano and violin that was central to the educational programme of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. He led the Handel Festival Orchestra at the Crystal Palace and was broadcast. He was a contemporary of the singer, Maria Yelland of St Dennis. He maintained contacts with Cornwall and Maria; we have reports of him accompanying her at concerts in St Austell in 1913. Between 1926 and 1940 he also wrote many accessible arrangements of the works of classical composers. His own compositions date from 1909 to 1932. Among works referring to his Cornish background are few. They include Cornish Flora Dance (c. 1919), May Day Morning for piano (1924), In a Cornish Vale (both words and music, 1932), and The DCLI Boys (words D Phillips, 1932, based on the tune of Trelawny), were among his last original compositions. (Mike O’Connor, Ilow Kernow 5th Edition, (St Ervan, Lingham Music 2009) p 155.)
Brian Minear
Brian Minear is a brass musician and musical director.
Brian arranged the Hymn tune Trethosa for brass band and it was played by St Dennis Silver Band at the Music From The Clay Country launch.
Iain Mcknight
Photo
Iain Mcknight is a brass musician, conductor and composer.
More about Iain and his music can be found by clicking the link.
Reg Polmounte
Reg Polmounte wrote the hymn tune Treviscoe to which the words Sun of my soul, thou saviour dear are sung. Sheet music and information about this hymn will be appreciated.
Bennett Swaffield
During the 1820s the activities of the St Austell Parish Church Choir, under the direction of Bennett Swaffield, became a feature of the accounts of musical events noticed by the newspapers. No record of instrumental concerts which took place in the town has been found but the performances of the choir, both in contributing to the services and, more significantly, in giving concerts of sacred music, are the first real evidence anywhere in Cornwall of the beginnings of the amateur choral tradition which was to grow in importance as the century progressed.
Richard Trethewey
Richard grew up in Cornwall surrounded by music and developed a keen interest in the traditional music that tells the story of the remarkable history and people of this place.
He spent four years (2007-2011) studying Folk and Traditional Music on the BMUS course at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne. Richard then spent three years working primarily with adults with physical and learning disabilities before, in 2014, enrolling on a three-year master’s degree at the University of South Wales to train as a music therapist which he graduated from in the summer of 2017.
Richard is currently performing with: The Rowan Tree, Brother Sea, Didjan, Cousin Jack’s Theatre Group and as a solo artist. Richard currently works as a music therapist for Children’s Hospice South West Little Harbour as well as privately in primary schools and with clients across Cornwall.
Eddie Williams
Eddie Williams was a brass musician and St Dennis Silver Band musical director.
More about Eddie can be found by clicking the link.
Maria Yelland
Maria Yelland (1883-1972) of St Dennis gained a scholarship to the Royal College of Music in 1902, graduating in Spring 1907. The Musical Times of the 1st Jan 1908 reported that on the 4th Dec 1907 she performed with Camborne Choral Society, but by 1908 she was performing the role of Schwertleite in Wagner’s Die Valkure at Covent Garden.
She became a celebrated contralto, but throughout her career concert programmes she found time to return to Cornwall to perform. For example, the Cornish Guardian of the 3rd April 1913 reported:
“A large audience assembled at the Public Rooms (St Austell) on Thursday evening to hear the well-known Cornish contralto, Miss Maria Yelland, and other artistes. Miss Yelland was in excellent voice, and the range, power and sweetness of her voice showed all the old characteristics. Miss Yelland was assisted by Miss Mabel Manson (soprano), Mr Walter Glynne (tenor), Mr George Baker (baritone), Miss Florence Woolland (violin), and Mr Wilson Manhire (accompanist).”
The Musical Times (a monthly journal) of the 1st July 1913 reported: “Miss Maria Yelland, the Cornish contralto gave a concert in aid of the St Austell Co. D.C.L.I., T.F. and received a cordial welcome, to which she responded by singing several songs charmingly. Other contributors were Miss Mary Groser, Mr Fernley Pope, Mr Sydney Fairman, Miss Mary Hawke (elocutionist), Mr Wilson Manhire (accompanist) and St Austell Band.”
Maria married locally in 1915 and on retirement, in 1919, lived in her native St Austell.
(Mike O’Connor, Ilow Kernow 5th Edition, (St Ervan, Lingham Music 2009) p 155.)
Oscar Yelland
Oscar Yelland (1928-2007) lived in St Austell and Roche and was a popular ballroom dance teacher. In 1989 he entered a song for the Kernow Pan Celtic competitions called Cornwall for Me and in 1990 he composed the music for the White Gold Dance for St Austell’s White Gold Festival.
He may have composed other music celebrating the Clay Country or Cornwall, please let us know if you have any more information about Oscar Yelland and his music.
Music inspired by the Clay Country
An Huni a Garav (The one that I love): a tenor horn solo written by Kevin Ackford for his partner, Barbara.
Bestowal of a Century: a tenor horn concerto by Christopher Bond, inspired by the centenary of the founding of the West of England Bandsmen’s Festival in 2012. It was commissioned by Lowenna Taylor with funds from a Harry Mortimer Award and first performed by her at the christmas course of the CYBB in 2014.
Carnival King: an original brass band march written by William Rimmer for the 1926 West of England Bandsmen’s Festival (Bugle Contest).
Carnsmerry: an original brass band march written by Kevin Ackford as a test piece to mark the 75th Anniversary of the West of England Bandsmen’s Festival (Bugle Contest) in 1999 and used in 2000.
The village of Bugle grew out of the hamlets of Carnsmerry and Molinnis, two marches have been written called Molinnis Park, plus Carnsmerry, all initiated by Bugle Contest. (Phillip Hunt)
Charlestown: a hymn tune written by E S Lamplough and included in The Methodist School Hymnal.
Sheet music and information about this hymn will be appreciated.
Cornish Festival Overture: an original brass band composition written by Eric Ball to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the West of England Bandsmen’s Festival (Bugle Contest).
Cornish Morn (The Mist in the Valley): a flugel solo written by Kevin Ackford. It was inspired by the atmospheric views on his journey from St Dennis to Bodmin. Premiered by St Dennis Band in a concert at The Ship Inn, Par.
Cornwall: A hymn tune by Edgar Floyd and used in 1974 as a Class C test piece at the West of England Bandsmen’s Festival (Bugle Contest).
Fowey: a hymn tune.
Sheet music and information about this hymn will be appreciated.
Fowey River Suite: an original brass band composition written by Eric Ball and premiered by the Cornwall Youth Brass Band at Fowey in 1964.
Gwent Rhapsody: an original brass band composition written by Jon Hall for the 1977 Youth Class at the West of England Bandsmen’s Festival (Bugle Contest).
Molinnis Park: an original brass band march written by Jon Hall for the 1981 Class A at the West of England Bandsmen’s Festival (Bugle Contest).
Molinnis Park: an original brass band march written by Monty Pearce for the 2008 Youth Class at the West of England Bandsmen’s Festival (Bugle Contest).
Nanpean: a hymn tune.
Sheet music and information about this hymn will be appreciated.
Peniel: an original brass band composition written by Eric Ball for the 1976 West of England Bandsmen’s Festival (Bugle Contest). Named after the original home of the Festival on the outskirts of Bugle.
Queen of the South: an original brass band march written by William Rimmer for the 1925 West of England Bandsmen’s Festival (Bugle Contest).
Repton: a hymn tune written by David Loukes and used in 2005 as a Class B test piece at the West of England Bandsmen’s Festival (Bugle Contest).
Rescorla Snail Creep: music for a traditional dance.
Restormel: an original brass band march written by W E Moyle.
Restormel Castle: an original brass band march written by Roy Newsome in 1973 for The Cornwall Youth Brass Band.
Royal Trophy: an original brass band march written by William Rimmer for the 1926 West of England Bandsmen’s Festival (Bugle Contest). It commemorates the presentation of the Royal Trophy presented by the Duke of Cornwall in 1913.
St Austell: a hymn tune written by Arthur H Brown and included in The Bristol Hymn Book edited by Aldred Stone and others.
St Austell: a hymn tune dated 1868 and included in The Anglican Hymn Book.
Sheet music and information about this hymn will be appreciated.
St Austle: a hymn tune written by Hannibal Lugg Lyne and held at Kresen Kernow reference X 540/63.
The words of God Commends His Love is sung to this tune.
St Austell Suite: an original brass band composition written by Kenneth Downie for the BBC Listen to The Band Weekend on the 13th and the 14th June 1998 in Truro. First performed in the Hall for Cornwall by The St Austell Band conducted by Chris North on 13th June. (Phillip Hunt)
St Dennis: a hymn tune.
Sheet music and information about this hymn will be appreciated.
St Denis: a hymn tune of 1819 citation.
Sheet music and information about this hymn will be appreciated.
Time: Written by Kevin Ackford for St Dennis Silver Band in celebration of their successes in 2016. It tells the story of a journey through time gradually building before that journey ends and a new one begins, as if time has gone back.
Trethosa: a hymn tune composed by W J Russell Kessel.
Sheet music and information about this hymn will be appreciated.
Trethurgy: a hymn tune.
Sheet music and information about this hymn will be appreciated.
Wheal Martyn: an original brass band march written by Simon Dobson for Bugle Band which they performed at BBC Music Live on the 28th May 2000 at Clay Country Brass.
White Heritage: an original brass band march written by Alfred Ashpole. It relates to the China Clay tips (White Pyramids) and incorporates the iconic Cornish floral dance. It is the signature tune of St Austell Town Band and was included on the band’s 1972 record which was also called White Heritage.