The Harrogate Band recently helped to celebrate the music of a little known composer whose work is played more times a week on radio than just about any living British writer.

Barwick Green

The band played a major role in the famous Barwick in Elmet ‘Maypole Festival’ celebrations, leading the parade of the Maypole Queen through the village before performing an outdoor concert by the UK’s largest maypole itself.

During their programme they performed Arthur Woods’ maypole dance, ‘Barwick Green’, part of his ‘My Native Heath’ suite, which was originally written by him for the village. Today the tune is better known as the theme to the BBC Radio 4 soap opera, ‘The Archers’.

Self taught

Arthur Woods was born in 1875 and came to live in Harrogate in 1882. By the age of sixteen he had become the lead flautist, pianist and deputy conductor of the Harrogate Municipal Orchestra, and self taught, he later became a staff composer for Boosey & Hawkes.

During his time there he composed many works, including ‘Barwick Green’ for which sadly, he is now primarily remembered, although he did compose some orchestral and stage works of note. He died in 1953.

Today the tune is better known as the theme to the BBC Radio 4 soap opera, 'The Archers'4BR

New composers

Harrogate MD, MD Craig Ratcliffe told 4BR: "It was fantastic to celebrate this Harrogate composer and his most famous work.

It also made us determined to look at ways we can support local composers to write brilliant, interesting music for brass band."