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Bedford Connections

March - Bedford Congress Hall

Written during the war years whilst the composer was on military service the march was dedicated to the Bedford Congress Hall Corps of The Salvation Army and published in 1948 as number 1305 in The Salvation Army General Series Brass Band Journal. Shown on the score as cadet Ray Allen the composer has since achieved world-wide fame as Lieutenant-Colonel Ray Steadman-Allen and is the son of former commanding officers of Bedford Congress Hall Corps, Major & Mrs J. Steadman Allen who were stationed at Bedford Congress Hall in 1942.

The Bedford Congress Hall march is written in 6/8 rhythm throughout and, as all Salvation Army marches should, features a well-known melody with a recognisable Christian message. In this case, a song  once popular in  Salvation Army Sunday Schools , "I've Touched My Finger on the Golden Pen" which is featured at letter C:

"I've touched my finger on the golden pen,
The golden pen, the golden pen,
I've touched my finger on the golden pen
To write my name up there"