Eastern Daily Press 10th
August 2001
Town & Country News
September 2001
Stalham's music man celebrated
For 50
years veteran conductor Gerald Thirst was the driving force behind the Stalham
Brass Band.
Now to honour the memory of the 84-year-old bandleader, who died last
year, the band has produced a tribute CD and cassette.
‘Celebration’ is a collection of 17 hymns specially recorded at St. Mary’s
Church in Stalham.
A booklet detailing the history of each hymn accompanies the music, which also
has a foreword written by the Bishop of Norwich the Rt. Rev. Graham James.
The CD and cassette also contain a 10-minute recording of the world’s longest
serving bandleader, who was awarded the MBE. for his services to music, talking
about his life.
His son, Dr. Tim Thirst, who took over as director of music when his father
stood down in 1998, said the band had pressed ahead with the recordings, which
began shortly before his father’s death, as a tribute to his achievements.
His father first joined the band as a boy and was appointed its ninth bandmaster
in 1948.
"It’s a celebration of his time with the band, his MBE. and his
life," he said.
"We have had quite a few people waiting for it, not only supporters, but
also those who like church music.
"The recordings have been produced in-house using digital technology and a
second CD and cassette is due out in the autumn.
There are also plans to produce a Christmas Lessons and Carols Service CD.
"It’s not only the music," Dr. Thirst said. "Some of the
intention is to produce a CD for people who can’t get out and we are trying to
make it so they can sing along."
And he said that if the CD’s proved a commercial success, it could finance a
collection of secular tracks.
"Hopefully this will make some money for the band so that we can produce
more CD’s of non-church music, where we have to get a performance licence for
everything." he said.