Tippett and the Salvation Army
Following the death of the composer, the following memories of Sir Michael Tippett by Major George Twitchen appeared in The Salvationist, 31 January 1998. An edited version is reproduced here by kind permission. Visit the Salvationist website also at: During the 1950s, the composer lived in the Sussex village of Wadhurst. In those days, Wadhurst Corps had a fine bandmaster in George Mallion. George worked in the wet-fish and poultry trade and was popular with his customers, who included Sir Michael. Every Christmas George took his band carolling 'by appointment' to many of his well-to-do customers, finishing at Sir Michael's house, where refreshments were laid on. After playing outside, the bandsmen were invited indoors to play in the large oak-panelled hallway. George Mallion invited Sir Michael to conduct but he graciously declined, saying he preferred to listen from the top of the stairs, where he heard the band to best effect. Asked to choose a favourite carol Sir Michael nominated 'In the Bleak Mid-winter' by Gustav Holst, a close personal friend and associate of Sir Michael at Morley College, London.
Over coffee and mince pies in the drawing room Bandmaster Mallion asked Sir Michael if he would consider writing some music for The Salvation Army. The result was the tune 'Wadhurst', composed to accompany John Campbell's words 'Unto the Hills' (No 767 in our current song book). The arrangement was published in the July-August 1958 issue of The Musical Salvationist.
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