William Alwyn: Fanfare for a Joyful Occasion

I have always enjoyed the Fanfare for a Joyful Occasion since first hearing it on the Chandos release (CHAN9093) back in the early 1990s with Richard Hickox and the London Symphony Orchestra. It made an immediate impression then, and it still does. The work, which was commissioned by the Nottingham Youth Orchestra, was dedicated to the well‑respected percussion player Jimmy Blades (1901-99). Mary Alwyn (Doreen Carwithen) has written that her husband often consulted Blades “on the complexity of writing for these instruments in the modern symphony orchestra,” and that insight alone helps explain the piece’s distinctive sonority.

It is hardly surprising, then, that the Fanfare employs a battery of percussion including marimba, vibraphone, and glockenspiel. The score also calls for four horns, three trumpets, three trombones and a tuba, a compact but potent ensemble that gives the piece its punch. While sometimes described as 'flashy,' this is not a criticism, but rather an apt description of its extrovert nature, with brilliantly lit music, driven by rhythm and by Alwyn’s sheer delight in colour.

It opens with a brilliant fanfare section that may recall Walton and his ‘royal’ marches – be they for Henry, Richard, George, or Elizabeth. Yet the swagger does not last long. The mood soon dies down and soft, chiming sounds from the tuned percussion create an atmosphere that is almost Malcolm Arnold‑esque in its wistfulness. From here the music builds steadily through a long crescendo with brass and percussion combining in an increasingly insistent surge that drives the work towards a loud, even deafening conclusion.

The Fanfare had its first performance cancelled because of Blade’s indisposition, but was eventually premiered on 13 November 1964, at the Birmingham Town Hall, with Stanley Adams conducting the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Blades later explained that “... this fine work proved no ‘joyful occasion’ for me!” for “at the first performance the three percussionists were to be myself and my brothers, Tommy and Chris, but I was laid low with an attack of the shingles…”

Whether this is a 'great' work is for each listener to determine. What can be said with certainty is that it is impressive, noisy, and consistently interesting — a compact showcase of Alwyn’s craftsmanship, his ear for colour, and his ability to make even a ceremonial miniature feel purposeful and alive.

Listen to William Alwyn's Fanfare for a Joyful Occasion on Richard Hickox and the London Symphony Orchestra on YouTube, here.