Clerk’s Notes June 2025

I was recently approached by Freeman David Barzilay about whether I might consider writing a piece of music to commemorate the incredible life of Donald Campbell and Bluebird K7. What an opportunity, I thought, to contribute in my new career from the experience I gained in my old career.

From the start I was fascinated by Donald Campbell’s thrilling yet tragic story. The key for me was that the music must be a standalone piece, something triumphant yet evocative. As I have mentioned before, I always try and strive to create emotion in music and allow the listener to embark on a sensory journey of their choosing and to do this, the composer needs to ensure there is enough in the music to elicit the various feelings people have – it’s not a group think art, it is individual.

I wanted to portray this story, somewhat emblematic of programme music of the romantic period. Known as romantic music and often described as individualistic, emotional, dramatic, and attempting to render an extra-musical narrative, reflecting broader trends within the movements of romantic literature, poetry, art, and philosophy. Romantic music is often ostensibly inspired by (or else sought to evoke) non-musical stimuli, such as nature, literature, poetry, super-natural elements, or the fine arts. It includes features such as increased chromaticism and moves away from traditional forms. A well-known example is Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf.

Before the advent of cinema music transcended the mathematical structures of Bach and his contemporaries and entered into the world of human feeling and emotion. Hence, why I wanted the music to be standalone, describing the events of Donald Campbell’s life and of course his tragic death.

I started with a structure for the piece and came up with an idea to make it a suite of three individual movements, that could be performed in their entirety or singularly. The normal form for something like this would be an opening movement, setting the scene then a slow, reflective second movement and finally a third movement that would encapsulate the themes and material from the first two into a rousing finale.

Luckily, the mission that David had set me tied into this format very well.

The first movement would feature the lead up to the fateful day of Campbell’s final attempt at the record and also the actual event itself. The second movement would cover the tragic consequences of the crash and the third movement would be a triumphant reflection on what he achieved in his life.

First movement – Coniston and the crash

Starting on Coniston Water on the morning of the attempt, the music sets the scene of a peaceful environment with birds singing and the calmness of the waters. After this we enter the preparation phase for the attempt and after a short moment of peace and calm, tuneful relaxation the music becomes more frantic and dissonant, until we are inextricably forced through driving rhythms towards the catastrophic crash, easily identified with a cacophony of chromatic and powerful chords. This then tails off into more sedate and reflective ending to the movement.

Second movement – Elegy

As described above this is very much the tragic, reflective and emotionally charged movement that may remind people of those epic, cinematic scores that really tug on the heart strings. There is a central theme that relates to Donald Campbell, almost a motif that appears throughout the music in a sensitive and peaceful way. Not much more can be said, it is very much all exposed in the music.

Third movement – Bluebird march

One of the magical aspects of creating music is to create it for a specific occasion, when the composer can really immerse themselves in what the music is there for, what it looks and sounds like in a performance. This was no different for me as David had said the desire was to have Bluebird at the Lord Mayor’s Show this year and he wanted some of the music to accompany the Coachmakers’ entry and be played by a regular military band.

The third movement then is a march (of course it is!) that is shaped around the themes and motifs from the first and second movements. It is high in musical intensity with a constant march tempo. I wanted to ensure the main theme is played at the moment Bluebird will round the corner at the Bank of England, just as it comes into view of the Lord Mayor; music for effect to wow an audience (I hope this is the case!).

Well, that is a short resumé of the Bluebird Suite, thank you for allowing me to write about the creative process, I hope you have enjoyed reading it.

You will hear the third movement at the Lord Mayor’s Show played by one of our prestigious military bands. Once the project is released you will be able to hear the full score.

You will be pleased to know that already, the music has contributed to our Company – the original signed score raised £310 at the Fundraising Banquet’s silent auction earlier this month.

Company events:

The Coachmakers’ Carriage Driving and Coachmaking Awards Dinner ‘Coming Home’ 2025

Pewterers’ Hall – 10th July 2025 6.30pm-10.45pm

Members may be aware that the Coachmakers’ Company used to own a Hall of our own, sadly it was destroyed in a WWII air raid in 1940. The Hall was situated in Noble Street just off London Wall, and on the corner of Oat Lane.

Accordingly, we have chosen the Pewterers’ Hall for our summer Audit Court dinner, and the Master’s last dinner, with a ‘Coming Home’ theme. On the corner of Noble Street and Oat Lane, members can view two blue plaques, one commemorating Coachmakers’ Hall, the other Scriveners’ Hall.

There are very few tickets left for this magnificent evening that reflects our history and connections to the site of Pewterers’ Hall.

Tickets are on sale at: https://www.coachmakers.co.uk/event/summer-court-dinner-2025/

Lord Mayor’s Appeal Abseil Challenge

The Master Coachmaker is taking on the thrilling challenge of the Lord Mayor’s Appeal Abseil Challenge on Friday 4th July 2025.

Taking on the dizzying height of The Leadenhall Building, also known as the ‘cheese grater’, the 47th floor (215m) abseil will be a momentous occasion in which the Master seeks to raise the sum of £500 for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, ‘A Better City for All’, supporting our two inspiring charities – Homewards, a Royal Foundation project and MQ Mental Health Research – both deliver ground breaking programmes and find solutions to some of London’s most pressing societal issues.

You are kindly invited to help raise money for these very worthy causes; indeed, The Master did also say, you may wish to donate more to have the ropes unattached!

Please click here to add your support.