Fanfare For St Edmundsbury

Benjamin Britten’s Fanfare for St Edmundsbury is a short, vibrant piece composed in 1959 for three trumpets. It was written to mark the Pageant of Magna Carta held at St Edmundsbury Cathedral in Bury St Edmunds, serving as a musical announcement for each performance during the ten-day event in June.

The fanfare is scored for three trumpets in C, with each trumpet part derived from a different harmonic series based on the notes F, C, and D. This design allows the piece to be played on natural trumpets tuned to those keys, although Britten did not specifically require natural trumpets, likely because the natural trumpet tradition was only beginning to be revived at the time.

The use of separate harmonic series for each trumpet creates a rich, multitonal texture reminiscent of classical trumpet writing. While modern valved trumpets are commonly used today, the piece retains the distinctive character of the natural trumpet sound. Britten also suggested placing the trumpeters as far apart as possible to enhance the spatial effect, even when performed indoors.
Musically, the fanfare is structured around three solo verses. Each verse has a unique character: one is lively with a 6/8 rhythm, another is bold and martial, and the third features smooth, flowing arpeggios.
When the three trumpets play their verses together at the end, the sound initially seems chaotic, but as the long notes overlap, a sense of harmony emerges, culminating in a powerful, unified chord.

The piece lasts around four minutes and demonstrates Britten’s skill in creating distinct brass sounds while adding a theatrical, spatial dimension.
Britten’s Fanfare for St Edmundsbury is a beautifully crafted and spatially imaginative work that creates a unique and dramatic musical experience, and testament to the composer’s creativity and sensitivity to sound and space.