Significance

In 1932 the call was put out to the ABC to start a military band. The band’s task was to record music to play on air four times a week, and to perform live concerts for the public. By November 1933 a band was put together with 40 musicians from around Australia. The band was initially conducted by Captain H. E. Adkins, Director of the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, London. After the tour, Adkins returned to his position at Kneller Hall, and Stephen Yorke, a retired bandmaster of the Gloucestershire Regiment, was brought out to Australia to become the permanent director and conductor of the band, which he did until the band closed in 1951. During the band’s 17 year history they presented a sizable program of music. Their final concert received a standing ovation from its audience of 1500, with a teary-eyed Yorke.

Physical description

23 parts concert band instrumentation
Quick March
Key Signature: Eb Major
Boosey's March Journal No. 339

Instrumentation:
st Clarinet in Bb (Conductor written along the top)
Eb Flute & Piccolo
Oboes
1st Clarinet in Eb
2nd Clarinet in Bb
3rd Clarinet in Bb
1st Bassoon
2nd Bassoon
Alto Saxophone in Eb & Alto Clarinet in Eb
1st & 2nd Horns in Eb
3rd & 4th Horns in Eb
1st Trumpet in Eb
2nd Trumpet in Eb
1st Bb Cornet
2nd Bb Cornet
1st Tenor Trombone
2nd Tenor Trombone
Bass Trombone
1st Baritone in Bb
Euphonion
Basses
Contrabss in Bb (Treble Clef)
Drums

Inscriptions & markings

On envelope: QM153, Our Fleet Safroni, Q128, 322 (scrubbed out), 9 May 1940, 3 Mar 1941
Stamped on the reverse of each card: Australian Broadcasting Commission *Sydney*, The Property of Musical Director & Arranger Charles Godfrey