The Retreat 2005

Richard Ruck · Post by **Richard Ruck** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 9:32 am

Managed to get to the Retreat (via the Bax) on Saturday. As the weather had been a bit dull and drizzly all day I was worried it might be a damp affair, but the sun dutifully appeared at the right time.

This was the first Retreat I'd been to for a few years, and certainly the first one with a 3.p.m. start.

A few observations :

The crowd seemed to be a good deal smaller than usual. A C.H. governor mentioned to me that the school had been trying to prevent crowds of recent Old Blues turning up and 'creating havoc'! Quite how this was achieved I'm not entirely sure, as no-one seemed to be checking up.

The marching display and general musicianship continue to be of a very high standard indeed.

The school now produces a colour programme, detailing the order of events, music played and listing the names of everyone in the band.

The Finale - this used to be the most 'serious' bit of the ceremony (apart from the drummers actually 'beating retreat').

I have to say that this was the only part of the proceedings which was a bit of a let-down. As the event now takes place in the middle of the afternoon, there was no 'Sunset' (and therefore no buglers), 'Rule Britannia' seems to have been dropped (too jingoistic?), nothing involving the chapel organ. Instead there was an 'arrangement' which seemed to contain elements of various bits and pieces, followed by Brenda's tune, for which everybody dutifully got to their feet.

Apart from that, it's good to see that the band seems to be in rude health.

Great Plum · Post by **Great Plum** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 10:08 am

Well, I decided to go to Beating Retreat and the Bax this year.

I got to CH about 1.30pm and managed to get a front row vantage point (at the back though!). The place filled up quickly - but as Richard says, I didn't think there were that many people there - although, a recent Old Blue I was with said there were more than last year!

The band, where as ever, excellent with some fine routines. I recognised most of the tunes, which was good, although I forgot how high piccolos go!! The drum splits were of a very high standard indeed - I chatted to Kat Williams (senior drummer) down the Bax and she was very pleased with how it went.

In regards to the lack of 'Sunset' or something similar - they did play the Day thou Gavest (but no organ!) and the weird version of the Last Post involving the whole band which we played when I left.

The reason behind Beating Retreat at 3pm was to make sure the children were off the site before the evening. This of course now means that most people can be at the Bax when it opens at 6pm instead of around 8.30pm when I left CH.

I walked down to the Bax with my sister and her boyfriend, and Megan Roberts down the Downs Link. We'd stopped at a bench to replenish ourselves with good quality alcopops (yuck yuck yuck!) when we heard a voice from behind the bushes shouting 'Are you Christ's Hospital kids?' For some strange reason, I shouted yes, even though I haven't been for 6 years! It transpires it was the Headmaster's gardener (who lives in the house by the Pony Pitches. He invited us round to his bbq with some leaving Grecians as he had made too much food!

Result!

By the time we got to the Bax, about 7pm, it was already fairly full. I guess there must have been upwards of 250 people there. It's a good thing I know people behind the bar!

I caught up with a lot of old friends there, and had too much to drink. Interestingly there was someone checking ID - and I got ID'd! LOL. A lot of people had bought camping gear as they had been able to camp in a field nearby in previous years but the farmer had stopped that due to damage to the field. I don't know where most people ended up but they were going to go up Sharpenhurst!

I took the last train home as I had another party to go to! It was a very good evening. My final comment would be: Hendrik, get your hair cut!!

Richard Ruck · Post by **Richard Ruck** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 5:27 pm

Sounds like you had a good time!

Actually, I thought the Bax was surprisingly quiet at lunchtime, although I suspect that most people were holding back till the evening. No waiting to get drinks, and they were served by a cheerful young bloke while 'mine host' cleared plates and glasses from the garden, sporting a very Meldrew-esque pair of beige 'slacks'.

I understand the reason for changing the time, it's just that the burgeoning 'old git' part of me thinks that there was a bit more atmosphere with a 6 o'clock start. I'm sure the buglers might miss their moment of glory, too! Oh well....

I did enjoy it all, although I'm not sure how much nostalgic feeling was brought on by the retreat itself, and how much was a result of having had the first pint of the day at 07.50.

Just as well it started at 3 p.m., I suppose......

Great Plum · Post by **Great Plum** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 8:58 am

I think there was more atmosphere at 6 - that's when my last retreat was - with Sunset et al.

Luckily I knew most of the people behind the bar in the evening, which always makes life quieter!

Apalacia · Post by **Apalacia** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 10:18 pm

Hi,

Just wanted to say that the 'Day Thou Gavest' did include Buglers, just as Sunset would have, just they played with Band accompaniament, not much that could be done...was quite warm to play for that long too.. Bax was packed. All in good spirits tho. Was my last retreat so slightly nostalgic and overprotective!

J.R. · Post by **J.R.** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 10:02 am

Interesting programme. Shame I couldn't make it.

Maybe they should re-name the event next year, bearing in mind the military significence of "Beating the Retreat".

Or is this all political correctness bollox again ?

'Bill' Bailey must be turning in his grave, God Bless 'Im !!

Nowt like an ex Royal Marine Bandmaster !

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 2:51 pm

What's this about an organ accompaniment to a piece? Never happened in the 7 retreats I played in.

One of my favourite parts of the evening was when we played "Nimrod" from the Enigma Variations. Very heart-rending, felt even more choked usually as by that time I had no lip left to play (trombone).

Then of course there comes Sussex-by-the-Sea which is the best part!

It's a shame not to have Sunset any more. It was always the knife-edge moment for us in the band as the buglers were - shall we say - never the most confident of hitting the right note. But they always gave it 100% and it didn't really matter that the first "note" was usually the first 5 notes in the harmonic series combined, heh.

J.R. · Post by **J.R.** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 10:36 am

Tim wrote:What's this about an organ accompaniment to a piece? Never happened in the 7 retreats I played in.

One of my favourite parts of the evening was when we played "Nimrod" from the Enigma Variations. Very heart-rending, felt even more choked usually as by that time I had no lip left to play (trombone).

Then of course there comes Sussex-by-the-Sea which is the best part!

It's a shame not to have Sunset any more. It was always the knife-edge moment for us in the band as the buglers were - shall we say - never the most confident of hitting the right note. But they always gave it 100% and it didn't really matter that the first "note" was usually the first 5 notes in the harmonic series combined, heh.

Never a problem for me !!

Sussex by the Sea.

Arr ! That brings back memories.

"You can tell by the smell, that it stinks like H*ll - Sussex by the Sea !!"

Richard Ruck · Post by **Richard Ruck** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 11:04 am

Tim wrote:What's this about an organ accompaniment to a piece? Never happened in the 7 retreats I played in.

One of my favourite parts of the evening was when we played "Nimrod" from the Enigma Variations. Very heart-rending, felt even more choked usually as by that time I had no lip left to play (trombone).

Then of course there comes Sussex-by-the-Sea which is the best part!

It's a shame not to have Sunset any more. It was always the knife-edge moment for us in the band as the buglers were - shall we say - never the most confident of hitting the right note. But they always gave it 100% and it didn't really matter that the first "note" was usually the first 5 notes in the harmonic series combined, heh.

I've just unearthed an old Beating Retreat programme from 1979. Here's the running order :

Bugle March - Mechanized Infantry
Quick March - Votum (arr. Clements)
Slow March - Scipio
Quick March - Marche de la LÃƒÂ©gion Ãƒâ€°trangÃƒÂ¨re

Beating Retreat by the corps of drums
'Split' solos by Gareth Tucker, drill routine by James Board.

Quick March - Under Freedom's Flag
Quick March - Invincible Eagle
Quick March - Marche Lorraine

Finale -

The Evening Hymn (played on the chapel organ by M.J.McKelvey)
Crimond
Sunset
Rule Britannia
The National Anthem

March off - Sussex by the Sea ; Auld lang syne

Bandmasters - D.G.Elliott and D.H.Clements
Band Captain - David McIlwain

It used to be a tradition that the a new march was added to the band's repertoire at each Retreat - don't know if this still happens.

eloisec · Post by **eloisec** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 3:09 pm

Tim wrote:What's this about an organ accompaniment to a piece? Never happened in the 7 retreats I played in.

One of my favourite parts of the evening was when we played "Nimrod" from the Enigma Variations. Very heart-rending, felt even more choked usually as by that time I had no lip left to play (trombone).

I remember that Nimrod very well. I think most of the leavers (who made up a huge part of the band) were all choked at that point, so much so that the piece went a bit quiet at certain points. Peter Allwood came up to me afterwards and said Nimrod hadn't gone that well ... talk about a stupid thing to say to a leaver ... emotion obviously didn't interfere with his music ...

Did you really play in 7 retreats?!

BTaylor · Post by **BTaylor** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:21 pm

I'm a member of the 7 retreat club too.

However, the first two were spent in the bugle section. I hear that the buglers don't stand on the statue any more since someone passed out and fell off.

eloisec · Post by **eloisec** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:33 pm

Yes, I remember you playing the trumpet. Remember Joe Sillett was good too, but a bit older? There was a bloke with very blonde hair who's name escapes me, and a band captain named Jeremy (?) who used to play in the Show Band with his trumpet at a very high angle. CH had loads of good trumpeters if memory serves me right.

I was enjoying the off-beats on the bassoon ... actually, I nicked the euphonium parts! Something I still do today in the band I'm in ...

Happy · Post by **Happy** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 6:03 pm

Thats Jeremy Goodwin....band captain 1991.
Bumped into him a few months back at Charing Cross.

BTaylor · Post by **BTaylor** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 11:29 am

The very blonde bloke could possibly have been Nick Scott, we were both in the year below Jez.

Quite flattered by 'good trumpeters'. Not sure Mr Elliot would agree with that opinion!

Post by **jtaylor** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 4:04 pm

Those couple of year did have a great bunch of trumpeters - don't put yourself down!

I think it always used to wind Peter Allwood up, quite how good the band was in those years......and they always got much more prestigious events that the choir or orchestra.....

J