>ronald hanmer (1917-1996)

ronald hanmer was born in reigate in 1917. He has been known for perhaps half a century as a highly regarded composer and arranger for light orchestra, his output in this area alone totalling well over 500 items, including some forty of the well-remembered (by me at least) arrangements for the itma programme. hanmer studied at blackheath conservatory and was a theatre organist between 1935 and 1948. since then he has found plenty of work as a freelance orchestrator and conductor. music has been provided by him, for films, theatre (including adaptations for amateurs of musical shows - viva mexico! is an example) and radio. his orchestral tally has included potpourris, with titles like bouquet de paris, capstan and windlass, the heather and the thistle, heritage of england, the holly and the mistletoe, the oak and the rose and memories of hungary, and original genre pieces in orchestral or piano versions such as on a windy day, limelight lady, dot and carry one and fashion parade.

wind players have had particular cause to be grateful to him as many publications, useful both as instructional pieces and as concert items, have come from his pen: clarinet quartets and trios, flute trios, a cuckoo quartet (for two flutes and two clarinets), two contrasts for oboe and piano, trumpet trios, a suite for french horn and piano, direct in its appeal, and three sketches for trumpet and piano. hanmer is well respected as a composer in the brass band world, where his output ranges from light genre pieces (latin americana, brass spectacular, march with a beat, waltz with a beat, mexican fiesta and the march, over hill over dale) through solos (praeludium and allegro for trombone, cavatina and allegro for e flat horn, arioso and caprice for horn and flight of fancy, for cornet and euphonium) to more substantial works: the fantasy alice in wonderland, the four corners of the world and episodes for brass. nor have smaller brass groups been forgotten by him, as he published prelude and rondo and seven up for septet, prelude, romance and finale for brass quartet and the cornet quartet foursome fantasy.