After
some careful thought and deliberation I have decided to comment upon
the RMBS Annual Reunion and enjoin others to consider my evaluation
of the changes that have occurred in the RMBS in recent years—-and
which I believe are the root cause of why so many were unhappy with
the recent event.
The purpose of the RNSM/RMSM was essentially to train boys as musicians
to provide bands for HM ships and during training our barrack rooms
(with 8 in a room) prepared us for the close living conditions on
board ship. The very spartan and confined mess decks on ships were
very similar but, with the added attraction of shore leave in foreign
ports, these same living quarters forged close friendships and engendered
a tolerance of others: their personal quirks and idiosyncrasies, religions,
politics and their humour——but above all a legacy of some
lasting memories, and we older people need our memories like our pension!!
Can we really expect the modern RMB musician to appreciate how the
older ex-RMBs feel about memories and reunions? There is no single
serving member who has served a commission on a ship. They all largely
remain in the UK and are essentially musical civil servants. We all
appreciate and comment upon the raised standard of musical performance
in recent years but I would politely suggest that though this noticeable
improvement is welcome, the lack of sea-service and central drafting,
whereby musicians could serve in many different bands, is at the expense
of the resultant unified camaradie and esprit that older bandies experienced
from our living conditions—both in barrack rooms (and not private
cabins) and on mess decks—and the general movement of musicians
from band to band. The situation now is akin to the old ‘group
band’ format.
The suggestion has already been posited on this site by others: that
we have the church service in Portsmouth Cathedral followed by the
reunion in the RMA, where previous buffet meals have been exemplary
and which has a fully functional and well-stocked bar. This would
mirror the annual reunion in Deal on Sept 22nd these past few years
(organised by Willi Watson) which has been hugely successful and expands
each year, with the Memorial Service at 0800 followed by breakfast
in the RMA and from 1200, drinks and lunchtime buffet at the Plough
Inn, Ripple.
Best wishes to all,
Adrian (laid up in my
armchair, immobile for 16 days with acute gout!!)
