E-flat Tpt., 7 B-flat Tpt. (5–7 opt.), 2 Ten. Tbn., 2 B. Tbn. (2 opt.)

Ceremonial fanfare

The autograph of this fanfare is headed, ‘Written for the entrance of H.M. The Queen at the N.A.T.O. Parliamentarians’ Conference, London, June 1959.’ As the title implies, this was a high-powered international occasion celebrating the tenth anniversary of the creation of NATO, which was held in the imposing surroundings of Westminster Hall in the Palace of Westminster. The piece is a mere 16 bars long, but even so has two tempo directions; its harmony is based on Walton’s favourite piled-up thirds, creating sevenths, ninths, and elevenths in profusion. Its abrupt but very effective modulation to end on a D major chord at the close was presumably made to provide a dominant pivot into the National Anthem (usually performed in G), though this is not stated in the score. The anthem was doubtless played in Westminster Hall on 5 June by the State Trumpeters who had performed the fanfare.