A Letter Home (Cornet Solo), Jonathan Bates. Brass Band.

A Letter Home (Cornet Solo), Jonathan Bates. Brass Band.

A Letter Home was composed for Kirsty Abbotts and the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band for their opening set at the 2014 Brass in Concert Championships, held at the Sage Centre in Gateshead.

The music isn't the setting of the text, but is inspired by a select of the words of much cherished World War I poet, Siegfried Sassoon's poem of the same name.

Robert, there's a war in France;
Everywhere men bang and blunder,
Sweat and swear and worship Chance,
Creep and blink through cannon thunder.
Rifles crack and Bullets flick,
Sing and hum like hornet-swarms.
Bones are smashed and buried quick.
Yet, through stunning battle storms,
All the while I watch the spark
Lit to guide me; for I know
Dreams will triumph, through the dark
Scowls above me where I go.
You can hear me; you can mingle
Radiant folly with my jingle.
War's a joke for me and you
While we know such dreams are true!