''Imperial Echoes'' (1913) is the title a piece for solo

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

by Arnold Safroni that was later adapted as a military march and became well known through its frequent use on

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and beyond.

Original composition

''Imperial Echoes'' was published by

Boosey and Hawkes Boosey & Hawkes is a British music publisher purported to be the largest specialist classical music publisher in the world. Until 2003, it was also a major manufacturer of brass, string and woodwind musical instruments. Formed in 1930 throu ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

in 1913. Its composer, George Arnold Haynes Safroni-Middleton (1873–1950), used the name Arnold Safroni for professional purposes and also composed as W.H. Myddleton.

HMV recording and ''Radio Newsreel''

In 1928 the tune was adapted as a march by James Ord Hume (1864–1932) and recorded for His Master's Voice by the Band of the Royal Air Force, conducted by

Squadron Leader Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also ...

R.P. O'Donnell, M.V.O. In 1940 the opening and closing parts of this recording were chosen to introduce and close the BBC's daily news programme ''

Radio Newsreel ''Radio Newsreel'' is a news programme produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation between 1940 and 1988. The 15-minute programme, which was eventually broadcast four times a day on the BBC World Service with a daily broadcast on the BBC L ...

'' (initially, ''Radio News Reel''), which was broadcast on both the

Home Service Home Service is a British folk rock group, formed in late 1980 from a nucleus of musicians who had been playing in Ashley Hutchings' Albion Band. Their career is generally agreed to have peaked with the album ''Alright Jack'', and has had an ...

in Britain and the Overseas Service (later the World Service). As such it became one of a group of tunes, including ''

Lillibullero "Lillibullero" (also spelled Lillibulero, Lilliburlero, or Lilli Burlero) is a march attributed to Henry Purcell that became popular in England at the time of the Glorious Revolution of 1688. Background Henry Purcell is alleged to have c ...

'' and

Eric Coates Eric Francis Harrison Coates (27 August 1886 – 21 December 1957) was an English composer of light music and, early in his career, a leading violist. Coates was born into a musical family, but, despite his wishes and obvious talent, his pa ...

' '' Calling All Workers'', that became inextricably associated with the BBC's output during the war. ''Radio Newsreel'', with its theme, continued until 1970 in Britain and 1988 on the World Service. In 1997 the BBC issued the 1928 recording on

compact disc The compact disc (CD) is a Digital media, digital optical disc data storage format that was co-developed by Philips and Sony to store and play digital audio recordings. In August 1982, the first compact disc was manufactured. It was then rele ...

as part of a compilation of television and radio themes.''World of Sound'' (BBC Worldwide Music): CD33635-2

Other versions

''Imperial Echoes'' became a regular part of the repertoire of military bands and was adopted by the Royal Army Pay Corps as its regimental quick march. As such, the tune has been recorded by a number of bands. Other versions have included a

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

interpretation by Acker Bilk and a recording on the organ of the

Blackpool Tower Ballroom Blackpool Tower is a tourist attraction in Blackpool, Lancashire, England, which was opened to the public on 14 May 1894. When it opened, Blackpool Tower was the tallest man made structure in the British Empire. Inspired by the Eiffel Tower in ...

Reginald Dixon Reginald Herbert Dixon, MBE, ARCM (16 October 1904 – 9 May 1985) was an English theatre organist who was primarily known for his position as organist at the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool, a position he held from March 1930 ...

. It is currently the official marchpast in quick time for the 3rd Battalion,

Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI, generally referred to as the Patricia's) is one of the three Regular Force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army of the Canadian Armed Forces. Formed in 1914, it is named for Princess Patrici ...

External links

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"Surfin' Safroni": biographical and other material
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References

{{authority control British military marches Canadian military marches Radio theme songs Light music compositions 1913 songs