This music was written for Salvation Brass. It is declamatory in style and would fit the role of an intrada. The words associated are by a former General of The Salvation Army, Albert Orsborn, and have a very optimistic tone, consistent with the Christian faith. The chorus reads:
Jesus shall conquer, lift up the strain!
Evil shall perish and righteousness shall reign.
The tune used is Pilgrims (T.B. 548), by Henry Thomas Smart, the 19th Century English composer and organist, who also wrote another of my favourite hymn tunes, Regent Square. Keeping a steady tempo will help to preserve the dignity of the theme and also help to avoid the busier passages in the score from being rushed. As ever, articulation and dynamics require careful attention.
Kenneth Downie
