A Day in the Life of a Knight
Here we have a most descriptive piece of writing - a story through music, by one of the brass band movement's exciting new voices. A fantastic 1st section testpiece and championship concert work:
The opening scene would depict standing on the battlements of a castle hearing the thundering hoofs of our brave Knight's horse miles in the distance. His arrival is expected, and his reputation is known across many lands. Today, he is to joust amongst mere mortal knights and compete for the hand of the fair (and local) Princess.
He vanquishes all competitors and wins the day. The scene moves to evening & court where reception and dance is to be held for our winning knight. Both Knight & Princess become the centre of attention during the dance. Their eyes only for each other.
At last, the Knight has a chance to be alone with his Princess as they steal away from the celebrations to a star-lit rampart above the castle gardens, where the Knight declares his ever-lasting love and pledges his life and honour to her. He asks her hand, meanwhile, monks pray in the below chapel hoping for union. She says yes. It is announced in court, then blown from the battlements.
Day breaks; he is brought word of evil doings back in his own land. He leaves word to the Princess that he will be back soon to take her hand. The trouble back home was a rouse to get him away from the Princes so one of the vanquished, a dark knight in yesterdays joust, has summoned a dragon to kidnap the princess for his own.
As the truth of the deception reaches our Knight he quickly returns to face the varlet that has taken his Lady. This time tis no joust, but a fight to the death with the dark knight & dragon. Our champion proves his best once again and wins the day and the hand of his Princess forever!
Phil Lawrence