Army

Beating Retreat Officially Launched in London

Representatives of the Massed Bands of the Household Division gathered on Horse Guards Parade yesterday afternoon in front of packed crowds for the official launch of Beating Retreat.

Musicians from the Band of the Irish Guards, positioned on the roof of the historic Horse Guards building, and dressed in their finest State Ceremonial uniform, played a selection of music from the sunset musical spectacular.

Beating Retreat is the ideal precursor to the ceremony of Trooping the Colour. The Massed Bands of the Household Division will showcase their music and pageantry on the historic setting of Horse Guards Parade by performing a sunset musical spectacular in the presence of Foreign Dignitaries and British Royalty on Wednesday 11th June and Thursday 12th June 2014.

The Bands of the Household Division, which take part in all the great state and ceremonial occasions, form one of the great iconic images of our nation. This Beating Retreat will be a magical extravaganza of pomp, ceremony, heart stopping horsemanship, gunfire, precision drill and fireworks. It will feature five elements of the musical forces of the Household Division: the State Trumpeters, the Mounted Bands of the Household Cavalry (including the stately drum horses), the Corps of Drums (drums and flutes), the Pipes and Drums and the Massed Bands of the five regiments of Foot Guards. This year we also welcome the Bands of the Troupes de Marine and the Légion étrangère to share our WWI and D-Day commemoration as well as reinforce our strong traditional links with France.

Invariably described as ‘truly spectacular’ ‘epic’ and ‘London at its finest’ the Household Division Beating Retreat cannot be seen anywhere else in the world and is a not to be missed premier event on the London social calendar.

Beating Retreat refers to a military drum call that can trace its origins to 16th Century England and was first used to recall nearby units to their garrison. Over the centuries that followed it developed into a musical ceremonial event that is practiced throughout the Commonwealth but it is at its most spectacular in the magnificent surroundings of Horse Guards Parade in Central London.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, and the 70^th anniversary of the Battle for D-Day. To commemorate these events, in which many of the regiments that will be on parade took part, the Massed Bands will perform contemporary music from the period, the rousing “O Fortuna”, and Holst’s “Mars the Bringer of War”. A Veteran who served at D-Day will be joined by re-enactors in a visual tableau of his experiences. In a grand finale, the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery will perform their Musical Drive with teams of six immaculately groomed horses drawing First World War era guns in fast paced, heart stopping choreographed manoeuvres. The entire massed company of musicians will play “War of the Worlds” and “Star Wars” as the Parade Square is lit up by fireworks and the roar of gun fire.

The salute takers are on the Wednesday evening His Excellency Bernard Emié, French Ambassador and on the Thurs evening HRH The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William.

Starting at 8pm; the event will finish at approximately 9.30pm. Tickets are priced between £15 and £40.