In 1901 the Company held a competition for a new March to be played during the Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra the following year. A prize of 50 guineas was awarded to the eventual winner, Mr Percy Godfrey (1859-1945) Click Here for full details.
However, the Company also retains a number of the unsuccessful entries to this Competition, all of which had been submitted without the composer being identified. A title or 'motto' identified the actual composition and a sealed envelope was provided by the applicant which contained the Composer's name and address.
The envelope and note shown above is from Sydney H. Nicholson referring to his competition submission entitled, Virtus Sola Nobilitas.
Sir Sydney Hugo Nicholson MVO (1875-1947) was a Choir Director, Organist and Composer. Born in London, he was educated at Rugby School, Oxford and the RCM. He was organist at Westminster Abbey (succeeding Sir Frederick Bridge CVO) from 1919 until 1928 at which point he founded the School of English Church Music, which in 1945 became the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM). Nicholson was knighted in 1938 and died at Ashford, Kent. He was buried at Westminster Abbey.
Photographs of the autograph manuscript score of his Orchestral March submission for the competition are presented below. Click on the image to expand and scroll through - click on Go to link to enlarge each page further.
One of the rules of entry was that a piano arrangement of the March should also be provided. The one presented by Sydney Nicholson is shown below. Again, click on the image to expand and scroll through - click on Go to link to enlarge each page further.
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