Psalm 68 Old Version is to music by Thomas Clark of Canterbury (1775-1859), from his Second Set of Psalm Tunes, 1807. Clark wrote a few tunes named after Spanish places: Trafalgar (1807), Corunna (1808), Madrid (1809). The words we sing are the beginning of Psalm 68 in the Old Version (Sternhold & Hopkins, published ca. 1562), and are by Thomas Sternhold (ca.1500-1549), Groom of the Bedchamber to Henry VIII:

Let God arise and then his foes will turn themselves to flight...

With Wellington we'll go. The tune is well known as The Nutting Girl, and had various words through the nineteenth century. We are grateful to our friends, Hautbois, for bringing this song to our notice. It tells the story of the Battle of Salamanca (July, 1812). Please join in the chorus:

And with Wellington we’ll go, we’ll go, with Wellington we’ll go

Across the main and o’er to Spain to fight our daring foe.

Strathfield Saye (sic). The tune Helmsley was adapted by Thomas Olivers from a street song about 1760, and has been popular ever since. It was quite common for Psalm tunes to be named for the places where the music was sold, and Benjamin Flight's company had seen fit to rename it in the barrel organ book which accompanied the Stratfield Saye organ given by the Duke in or soon after 1835. The words were written first by John Cennick of Reading (1718-1755) in 1752, altered by Charles Wesley and by Martin Madan (1726-1790) who published tune and words in the Locke Hospital Collection of 1765. Here the words are as given in the organ book, where there is the same chorus for each verse.

Lo! He comes with clouds descending,...

Cambridge New tune is by Dr. John Randall, and found widely in printed books and MSS. It is on the barrel organ in Avington. The words are from the New Version of the Metrical Psalms (Tate & Brady, 1696):

False witnesses with forged complaints against my truth combined...

Non nobis Domine. This and the next three items were sung at the dinner in Winchester on 12 March 1821 by the singers of Winchester Cathedral directed by Dr. Chard. Non Nobis Domine was sung as a grace. The text is Psalm 115 verse 1, and the music is a canon made in Elizabethan times from an earlier motet.

Glorious Apollo. Words and music were written in 1787 for the Glee Club by Samuel Webbe Snr. (1742-1816). The Noblemen and Gentlemen's Catch Club, of which the Prince of Wales was a member, traditionally sang it to end their evenings.

Peace to the souls of the heroes. John Wall Callcott (1766-1821) was a keen composer and singer of glees. This text is from Fingal (1762) by "Ossian", alias of James Macpherson (1736-1796), who claimed to have discovered and translated ancient epic Gaelic texts, but is generally thought to have written them himself.

When Britain on her sea-girt shores. This glee was composed by Thomas Arne (1710-78). Our setting is the 19th century transcription by Sir Henry Bishop (composer of Home Sweet Home) from the Ashton archive in the British Library, no earlier version being extant.

Drink old England dry was collected by George Gardiner on 16 July 1906 in St. Denys, Southampton, from Mr. George Blake, thought to be then 78 years old. The song is widespread, and our first verse comes from Haxey, Lincolnshire, the others from Gardiner. Please join in the chorus.

Owslebury Lads. James Stagg of Winchester sang this to George Gardiner and to H.E.D.Hammond in 1906 when he was about 68. John Paddy Browne included it in his book, Folk Songs of Hampshire. Please join in the chorus:

O the mob, such a mob, you've never seen before,

And if you live a hundred years, you never will no more.

At the harvest home. This catch appears towards the back of John Hullah's Manual. Hullah (1812-84) produced a comprehensive set of educational materials for teaching sight-singing based on a fixed doh. He steadfastly opposed the ultimately successful tonic sol-fa with a movable doh, promoted by John Curwen (1816-80). Had he been more flexible, Hullah would have been better acknowledged for his undoubted commitment and contribution to improving the skills of musicians at all levels.

Here in cool grot. Garret Wesley (1735-81) became Earl of Mornington in 1760 for his musical and philanthropic achievements, and in 1764 became Professor of Music. His popular double chant is on the Strathfield Saye barrel organ. This, his most famous glee, sets words by William Shenstone (1714-63).

St Swithin's. This tune, not yet found elsewhere, is No.24 in the larger Stratfield Saye barrel organ book, which attributes it to "H. Hendy". He could be Henry Hendy, a composer of glees and anthems, whose first published work dates from 1849. The words are Psalm 71 New Version:

In thee we put our steadfast trust, Defend us, Lord, from shame...

Wellington. Thomas Costellow (fl.1775-ca.1815) was clearly an enthusiastic patriot. His Selection of Sacred Music, 1818, contains his compositions Nelson and Wellington on facing pages. The Grand Salamanca March and Waltz in honour of Lord Wellington's Victory was composed for easy piano, and judging by the engraving errors, probably rushed into print to catch the market. The words he set to Wellington are by Samuel Stennett (1727-95), and were quite popular, being set to 7 different tunes from 1793 to 1820:

My captain sounds th'alarm of war...

Lord Wellington's March. A keyboard manuscript of this march, composed by HRH Princess Charlotte of Wales (1796-1817), is in the Wellington archive, from which we arranged it for our band. Princess Charlotte was a favourite of her grandfather, George III.