Check out the 'Recordings' page for details of how to purchase the Bands latest CD - with details of a limited special offer!

Recordings

To mark the 40th anniversary of the Bandmaster's Keith Thomas's appointment, the Band recorded it's latest CD "Celebration".

The new CD was released on the 14th December 2007, and is priced at £6 including postage, or TWO for £10 including postage.

For the first 25 orders, a free 'Fidelity' CD will be included with the CD despatched!

To purchase, please send your name and address details, with a cheque, made payable to "The Salvation Army Maidstone Citadel Band" to:

Please also mark the envelope with 'CD' on the top left hand corner.

Celebration Sample clips:

To a God Like This

Lightwalk

Everlasting Love

Some of the information from the cover pages:

Recording 'Celebration'

The celebration of 40 years' leadership is a significant occasion for Bandmaster Keith Thomas and the Maidstone Citadel band. This recording reflects the service of the band during those years and features some of the pieces and changing styles of music during that time.

The programme commences with the Intrada, To a God Like This. This comes from the musical Hosea, which was written by the two former Generals of the Salvation Army, John Gowans and John Larsson. The music is majestic, yet offers a thoughtful expression of the mighty power of God revealed in His love for His people.

The Intrada is followed by the cornet solo, A New World, which reflects on the words by Keith Banks, a retired Salvation Army office, that emphasise the desire of Chritians to build on the foundation of God's mighty power through Jesus Christ to create a loving, caring, sharing, peaceful and happy world.

A spirit of praise to Almighty God is introduced by the march Praising My Saviour, which couples two melodies, The Old, Old Story Is True and Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine, to remind us of God's unchanging faithfulness.

Euphonium soloist, Stuart Atkinson, is a musician in the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Engineers and is one of the many fine Salvationist musicians that have grown and developed in the Maidstone Corps. The theme of the solo The Better World is the much loved song of the same name which speaks of 'music', 'angels', 'harps of gold' and 'mansions fair'. What better place could there be?!

Go Down Moses, a set of variations on a traitional American spiritual, was one of the first Festival Series pieces featured by the Band after the appointment of Bandmaster Keith Thomas. It has recently been revisited and featured on programmes by way of recognition of the two hundredth anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade. It evokes some parallels between the experiences of the slaves in the Southern States of America and the Israelites' captivity in Egypt - with their desperate plea to 'Let my people go!'

Throughout the years, the style and presentation of Salvation Army music has been evolving. The introduction of the 'big band' sound in Lightwalk was something of a landmark, and it's use of the melody Walk in the Light - "Tis religion that can give the sweetest pleasure while we live in the light of God" - was one of the earliest such compositions used by the Band in it's constant desire to present the Gospel in a contemporary manner.

Canadian Salvationist Kenneth Rawlins is not a composer widely known to British Salvationists, but his march The Ransomed Of The Lord, published in 1967, was the first such item featured by the Bandmaster. It regularly appeared as a programme opener. Its use of the tune Sagina with the words 'My chains fell off, my heart was free' not only being appropriate to the title, but being instantly recognisable and familiar to the wider church community.

In contrast, the name Kevin Ashman is widely known as an outstanding soloist, and as the principal cornet player of the International Staff Band of the Salvation Army. He is also the Songster Leader at Maidstone Corps.

Unlike the slower and quieter 'A New World' featured earlier, the cornet solo Men of Harlech uses to good effect an ancient Welsh melody, dating back to the days when the country was in danger of war with the English.

Salvationists link the tune with the words 'Soldier rouse thee, war is raging, God and fiends the battle waging', with the reminder that spirtual warfare still surrounds us and most remain in the forefront of our thinking.

The programme now takes on a meditative theme with My Comfort and Strength. The music refers to the early 17th century paraphrase of Psalm 23 from the pen of English poet George Herbert, reminding us of God's abiding care for His people. The tune of University is the musical basis of the piece, with its climatic ending of majestic praise.

Another rhythmic change, this time to Latin American style which has become increasingly popular as it has entered the repertoiré of the Band. The Latin influence is seen in the title Este Es El Diá, which translates in English as 'This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad!'

Recent years have seen the inlclusion of new songs and melodies in the modern idiom to enrich and expand the repertoiré of praise and worship songs. Everlasting Love marries together two songs on this genre; Graham Kendrick's Such Love and Howard Davies' The Wonder Of His Grace combine in this gentle and expressive testimony to the boundless love of God.

The recording concludes with another march, Celebration. The composer, Major Leslie Condon, was one of Keiths' bandsman during his years at Welling Corps! One of the most popular of Salvation Army marches the piece, and this recording, conclude with a final exhortation to 'Keep the old flag flying, flying round the world'.

Other CD's the Band have recorded were 'The Pilgrim Way' and 'Onward Pilgrim'.

The Bands previous CD recorded in 1991, and re-released on CD in 2004 is entitled 'Fidelity' contained the following tracks:

• He Lives
• Breath of God
• High Fidelity - Cornet Soloist: Kevin Ashman
• The Pilgrim Way
• Everybody Should Know - Euphonium Soloist: Stuart Atkinson
• Shall We Gather
• Charioteers
• He Found Me
• The Guardian - Trombone Soloist: Vanda Knickerbocker
• Lord Thou Art Questioning
• Motivation

Fidelity Sample clips:

Breath of God

High Fidelity