Laurence Reginald Ward Johnson was born in 1927 in Hampstead, north London, and studied at the Royal College of Music, where his tutors included Herbert Howells and Ralph Vaughan Williams. His first orchestral works were published while he was still a student. National Service took him into the Coldstream Guards, where he served for four years, playing the French horn in the regimental band on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace.
Hmm. You couldn’t be a bandsman on National Service.
From the same paper’s obituary of Julian Bream:
In 1952 he was called up for National Service, signing on as a regular soldier with the Pay Corps for three years because it was the only way to become an army musician.
The musical training in the Army is – or at least was – absolutely cracking. Partly because if you already had command of the instrument (pretty likely first step) it was four years of playing near all day every day. While being paid and fed – something a lot of starting out musicians don’t get. You may or may not come out as a great musician but you’ll certainly be a well practised and experienced one.
They are paid more than squaddies too. Although advancement was much slower. A sergeant once explained that a bandsman could stay a private or l/ cpl for 20 years and retire on a senior officer’s pay. Their “real” job in the Army is as stretcher bearers, which must be difficult playing your tuba while lugging some 16 stone fusilier around.
Laurie Johnson – along with John Barry and Barry Gray musically shaped my childhood.
Progression through the ranks is also capped, in the Navy at least, at WO – can’t have those pesky triangle bashers getting any of the good jobs.
You are totally correct though Tim that British military bands turn out a good number of very competent musicians precisely because playing is their full time job, coupled with excellent tuition. They also produce the occasional star player; Mark Upton is a good present day example.
I seem to recall someone (might have been Humphrey Lyttelton, but I think a clarinettist in any case) saying that, while he wasn’t an army musician, he took his clarinet with him during conscription and just spent his personal time playing scales and exercises. He was surprised how much better a musician he was on regaining his freedom and forming a new band.
Pendantry alert
I think I said “officer” in my post. I meant NCO of course.
National Service was 2 years 🙂
“In October 1950, in response to the British involvement in the Korean War, the service period was extended to two years;”
While at school in the Middle East as a young boy I well remember the day the Royal Marines band came to play, along with the Bahrain Defence Force band.
The BDF played first – they were about the standard of a decent school band, though very slovenly in their dress etc. A few lit up fags (not in the way Omar Mateen did it at the Pulse nightclub all those years later) in the longer gaps between numbers.
The RM band then came on, in approx 90F heat, and played in the full sun for 45 minutes in full dress uniform without missing a note.
I particularly remember my dad pointing out the drum major who stood at the front with his mace, completely motionless and barely blinking, throughout.
To be fair they are commandos and even if it’s not quite the Paras that’s still quite impressive.
It’s always fun asking a non bandy booty what instrument he plays. They do tend to flash. You then always follow up with an apology and ask what is their favourite flavour of crayon.
@BiW
I seem to recall someone (might have been Humphrey Lyttelton, but I think a clarinettist in any case)
Humph’s instrument was the trumpet. He could (famously) be heard playing it on newsreels of VE night (possibly from the top of a lamppost).
Sorta musical, but otherwise O/T;
https://www.reuters.com/business/hipgnosis-songs-fund-says-adviser-refuses-drop-call-option-2024-01-23/
Acker Bilk learnt to play clarinet while doing his National Service.
He’d have been in the same intake as my dad. Bilk was in the RE and served in Egypt, my dad was in REME in Libya ( he learnt carpentry ) .
Yes, but he also played clarinet.
I don’t suppose that there is much demand for pianists in a marching band? Maybe I could play the keytar.