Feelings About The Broads

[MaceSwinger]

I wasn't sure where to post this, so apologies if it would be better suited elsewhere.

For those that don't know, my trade within "the mob" is a musician. By trade, I am a percussionist in, as well as the Drum Major of, the British Army Band Sandhurst (BABS...as much as HQ hates us call ourselves that). For a while I've considered having a pop at arranging a suite of music inspired by the Broads, probably in 3 to 5 movements. And that is where I'd love some input from you fine ladies and gentlemen...

I know how certain areas in Broadland make me feel, from the bustle of Wroxham/Hoveton, GY and Oulton Broad to the more peaceful surroundings of South Walsham, to the almost frontier feeling of the Upper Thurne. What I'd love to know is if there are any areas within Broadland that stir up strong feelings for you, and what those feelings are.

The only part I wouldn't write from scratch would be Great Yarmouth. Personally I strongly dislike the place and the yacht station and frontage to me seems a little depressing so it wouldn't be fair to try and write something nice for it  to that end, that movement will be a reworking of the old folk song "Yarmouth Town". If you don't know it then I thoroughly recommend the Bellowhead version. It's a saucy shanty about a tavern owners daughter and her...shall we say "liaisons" with the local sailors.

I hope that all makes some sense, and I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Even if I never get round to finishing it (which is likely) then at least we'll have had quite a good natter about it!

[Smoggy]

I could do some sounds for gt.yarmouth in 3-5 movements.......

I'll do 2 more later.

[MaceSwinger]

2 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

I could do some sounds for gt.yarmouth in 3-5 movements.......

I'll do 2 more later.

My feelings exactly...that's why I'm stealing an old sea shanty

[JennyMorgan]

Alan Smethurst, Vaughan Williams and Benjamin Britten, all of which might provide some inspiration. I found this masterful picture the other day, just needs being set to music. 

Perhaps drum and bass, the boom and the beat provided by the infernal exhaust of one of Brooms finest on tick-over.

[marshman]

So where is the picture of Pete?

[JennyMorgan]

3 minutes ago, marshman said:

So where is the picture of Pete?

Belaugh I think.

[Vaughan]

If I were to describe a trip down the Yare, with the falling tide, starting at first light on Surlingham Broad and going down river through the bustle of Reedham Bridge and then on to the windswept expanse of the Breydon marshes, I would think of something on the lines of Dawn and Siegfried's Rhine Journey, from Wagner's opera Gotterdammerung. The French horn solo could almost be imagined as a bittern, booming in the reeds.

I invite members to look it up on Youtube, and see what you think.

[Vaughan]

31 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

34 minutes ago, marshman said:

So where is the picture of Pete?

Belaugh I think.

Or Buxton, on the way up river from Coltishall?

[JennyMorgan]

Vaughan's idyllic and to be recommended journey to the sea is lacking in reality, namely a stop off at The Red House for breakfast, a mid morning pint at Reedham Ferry and a lunchtime pint at Burgh Castle! 

[JennyMorgan]

8 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

Or Buxton, on the way up river from Coltishall?

Could well be, it's very many a long year since I last went above Wroxham, at least by boat. Far too many other boats for my taste, reminds me of the M25 at Lakeside so I tend to go to starboard at Thurne Mouth!

[SwanR]

What a fascinating topic.

Firstly MaceSwinger how wonderful to be a musician. I grew up with a passion for music that I keep to this day. I am a lapsed clarinettist as are probably a lot of other people who never pursued their hobby after leaving school.

And JM what a beautiful picture.

As for a piece of music for the Broads ... I have one overriding thought .... the tranquility and bird song ... the owl in the trees at Womack Water and the cuckoo calling across the fields of the Waveney while moored at North Cove.

 

[Vaughan]

4 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

off at The Red House for breakfast, a mid morning pint at Reedham Ferry and a lunchtime pint at Burgh Castle! 

Not forgetting Surlingham Ferry, Coldham Hall and the Beauchamp Arms.

Perhaps that is why Maceswinger is suggesting 3 to 5 movements?

[JennyMorgan]

20 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

Not forgetting Surlingham Ferry, Coldham Hall and the Beauchamp Arms.

Indeed, at least with two of the three. Never felt particularly drawn to Bo-Chump for whatever reason. 

[Ray]

26 minutes ago, SwanR said:

the tranquility and bird song ... the owl in the trees at Womack Water

Another vote for Womack, some of our most idyllic memories are of the wildlife and sundown on a wild mooring just after turning off The Thurne. 

[YnysMon]

That would be wonderful MaceSwinger. My abiding memory of the first day of our first trip on the Broads around 2015’ish is of the distinctive sounds of the Broads.

We’d picked up our boat (Wood Violet from Hunter’s Yard...no engine, so nothing to get between us and the sounds of nature).  We managed to get under ‘that bridge’. As we emerged from the line of bungalows to the north of the bridge we had a perfect gentle SW wind, the sound of the water chucking under our bow, wind hissing gently through the reeds and birdsong. Perfection.

[Smoggy]

With all those movements heading down the yare I'd recommend a stop off by a pumpout too.

 

[marshman]

Vaughan - you have reminded me! I think its almost certainly Buxton! Its definitely not Belaugh as that stands on a small hill!!

[JennyMorgan]

14 minutes ago, marshman said:

Its definitely not Belaugh as that stands on a small hill!!

Just referenced my ‘Sun Pictures of the Norfolk Broads’ and lo and behold, it is on a hill, at least it was during the 1890's!

[AndyTBoater]

Hiya - I am no musician and this could almost be an impossible thing to achieve but...

I have always thought that music could be produced using the actual landscape of an area.  Hard to explain but it makes sense in my head.

Imagine a picture or landscape (or even better a video) with an overlay of musical paper. Now imagine that notes are placed where interesting things on the picture cross the musical lines. 

My initial thoughts years ago where to use something like a New York skyline as it has lots of up and down points in it. The Broads would equally be as good/ rubbish (delete as you see fit)

Anyway. Imagine it no longer because here it is. My Overture to Opus 1 in nine notes.

 

 

And thats it really. Find a really good panoramic view of somewhere and add lines and dots at interesting points (top of tree, mast on boat etc.

It may be a bit avante garde as music goes but may give the basis of a melody or something. I bet Beethoven used to do it exactly like this.

I am offering you a 100% share in this idea for a place in the orchestra playing one note on a triangle or something.

Andy T Musician

 

 

 

 

[Wussername]

2 hours ago, JennyMorgan said:

Alan Smethurst, Vaughan Williams and Benjamin Britten, all of which might provide some inspiration. I found this masterful picture the other day, just needs being set to music. 

Perhaps drum and bass, the boom and the beat provided by the infernal exhaust of one of Brooms finest on tick-over.

Surely this is an early painting of the church at the river green, Thorpe St Andrew, showing the original course of the river Yare before the New cut.

Andrew

[JennyMorgan]

18 minutes ago, Wussername said:

Surely this is an early painting of the church at the river green, Thorpe St Andrew, showing the original course of the river Yare before the New cut.

Possibly based on an old picture but I suspect that the painting itself is relatively modern, I shall have to do some delving. 

[Chelsea14Ian]

So many ,but living in London.Its always  a joy being on the boat.

Stopping at Berney Arms waiting  for the tide,crossing  to the Northern broads. The sound of the many birds,on the Yare.Water lapping on the boat and a dark clear skys watching the stars

[Meantime]

For the peace, tranquility and serenity you cannot beat the section between Beccles and The Locks. Sitting in the garden of The Locks Inn on a Summers day is like a step back in time, a bygone era. Has an almost medieval feel about the place at times. Much of the Waveney as you head down from Beccles to Breydon seems like it has never changed. The swing bridge invokes images of industrialisation. 

A rather strange one, but The White Horse Upton always reminds me of gangsters. I'm sure I read somewhere that The Krays accountant bought a place in the village and made the pub his local when up that way lying low for a while from the troubles back in London. I read that for many years the locals never knew his past which only surfaced in more recent times.

 

[SwanR]

47 minutes ago, AndyTBoater said:

Imagine a picture or landscape (or even better a video) with an overlay of musical paper. Now imagine that notes are placed where interesting things on the picture cross the musical lines. 

That is a very interesting idea. I love it. 

[Lulu]

I love mooring at at Paddys Lane and listening to the masts clinking away opposite Cox’s boatyard.  Also during the summer I spent a happy afternoon listening to the sound of the reeds swishing at Womack Dyke