Shropshire bridge and band star on Radio 3
The traditional sound of a Shropshire brass band provided the background for a BBC presenter’s walk along the River Severn.
The music of the Jackfield Brass Band filled the Gorge yesterday morning as they marched across the Iron Bridge as part of Petroc Trelawny’s breakfast programme on BBC Radio 3.
During the broadcast, Petroc spoke about the history of the Ironbridge Gorge and its role in the industrial revolution.
He said: “We wanted to reflect all aspects of the Severn, from tiny young river to broad sweep flowing to the sea – and Ironbridge and its industrial heritage is key to that story.
“Shropshire and the Severn seem so important to each other – and we are delighted to have reflected that.
"As well as The Gorge we are celebrating Shropshire’s great engineer, Thomas Telford, its great scientist Charles Darwin and its great poet A.E. Housman. We are thrilled to be in the county.”
The Jackfield Band played Ron Goodwin’s Aces High from the Battle of Britain suite and Robert Brown Hall’s Death or Glory.
The broadcast also included Ralph Vaughan William’s version of On Wenlock Edge, based on a poem from A. E. Housman’s A Shropshire Lad.
The band said: “It was an absolute pleasure performing on BBC Radio 3’s Breakfast Show feature Along the Severn.
“A great morning experience performing on the Ironbridge for BBC Radio 3’s show.”
The programme was part of a series about the River Severn which has been being broadcast this week.
On Monday Petroc visited Blaen Hafren Falls in mid-Wales.
Today’s show was broadcast from Tewkesbury Abbey, from the spot where the Avon and the Severn rivers come together.
The week is part of a wider season on BBC Radio 3 called Along The River.
