50th Anniversary Arrangements of ‘And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda’

In 2021, we mark the 50th anniversary of the iconic Australian song: And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda.

 

Written by Eric Bogle, the song is a well-known reminder of the devastation of war. It follows the physical and emotional toll on a young Australian serviceman. The soldier is engaged in the Gallipoli Campaign of the First World War, but being written in 1971, it also served to cast a critical light on the then current Vietnam war.

 

Over the last 50 years, the song has become a significant comment-piece focusing on the plight and sacrifice of soldiers rather than the glorification of war. It has been covered and recorded by dozens of performers including The Pogues, Joan Baez, The Dubliners, Slim Dusty and Midnight Oil.

 

In tribute of And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda, Wise Music has commissioned well-regarded composer Joseph Twist to create flexible orchestral and ensemble arrangements for performance. Twist’s orchestral and choral music, together with his work on the animated television series Bluey hold him in great demand. Twist is also remembered for his Bob Hawke Memorial arrangement of Men at Work’s Down Under, performed by Sydney Symphony Orchestra and William Barton. Wise Music is delighted to make available Twist’s arrangements of the classic And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda. 

Twist’s adept orchestration has created several arrangements suitable for various orchestras and ensembles: 

From 8 February 2021, all Twist arrangements of And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda will be available for hire from Wise Music’s hire agent: Origin Theatrical.