Tredegar's Heritage Lottery Fund Project continues to make progress, with the Welsh band preparing to record the first batch of original works and arrangements this coming week that will feature on two special 'Heritage' CDs.

Each track represents a significant social, cultural or musical link to the band within the wider context of the brass band movement of south-Wales and the UK, with one of the tracks linking to the earliest part of their contest history.

1879 Eisteddfod

'Worthy is the Lamb' and 'Amen' from Handel's 'Messiah', was performed in winning the Merthyr Tydfil Eisteddfod title in 1879 — just three years after the band was constituted.

Meanwhile, Schumann's suite 'Romantique' was the test-piece played on their debut at the famous Crystal Palace contests in London in 1929.

Two works by the Tredegar born composer TJ Powell will also be included. The first is a triple tonguing cornet solo called 'Burbling Brook', which will be performed by Dewi Griffiths, alongside the concert overture 'The Glory of Victory', written for the band to play as part of the VE Celebrations in 1945.

Town link

Meanwhile, another concert work, 'The Diamond Cross' from the early 1920s by composer JA Greenwood, was played at the town's Bedwellty Park bandstand 1947 — and recalls an important social link to the Welsh town, where such concerts featuring the band have been held annually for over a century.

The 1947 performance saw a youthful Band President Brian Buckley as principal cornet under the direction of his father Con Buckley, and thanks to his research for the project, saw it unearthed in the band library and subsequently performed in concert at the same venue in July this year with Brian in attendance.

'Worthy is the Lamb' and 'Amen' from Handel's 'Messiah', was performed in winning the Merthyr Tydfil Eisteddfod title in 1879 — just three years after the band was constituted4BR

Junior Band link

Finally, an unpublished work by renowned brass band adjudicator William Relton, entitled 'The Youth of Monmouthshire' will also be featured.

It is being recorded with permission of the composer to pay tribute to the success of the pioneering Tredegar Junior Band, which became double Butlins Youth Champions in 1974 and 1975.

Written in 1971, it was played by the band in winning the Monmouthshire County Youth Contest under the direction of conductor John Childs.

On completion, the CDs will be made available free of charge to visitors to the bandroom, supporters and linked organisations to the project.