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Only when it is played by an orchestra or a big band, in my view, is justice ever done to the Jamaica National Anthem. When one listens to the richness and sheer beauty of the music that was composed by Robert Lightbourne (with important alterations to Lightbourne’s music made prior to independence by Jamaican orchestra leader Eugene Mapletoft Poulle), a single vocalist with a piano or small band always leaves me frustrated.
(By the way, the words were written by Rev. Hugh Sherlock, with important adjustments made by Mrs. Christine Alison Poulle, and the original piano music was arranged for big band/orchestra by Major Joe Williams of the Jamaica Military Band. All of this was done in time for our 1962 independence.)
You can therefore guess the delight I feel whenever I hear a rich, full-orchestra version of our beautiful anthem, “Jamaica, Land We Love.”
Here’s a beautiful orchestra performance as played in Beijing in 2008: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gtNAMsWEmQ
(By the way, the words were written by Rev. Hugh Sherlock, with important adjustments made by Mrs. Christine Alison Poulle, and the original piano music was arranged for big band/orchestra by Major Joe Williams of the Jamaica Military Band. All of this was done in time for our 1962 independence.)
You can therefore guess the delight I feel whenever I hear a rich, full-orchestra version of our beautiful anthem, “Jamaica, Land We Love.”
Here’s a beautiful orchestra performance as played in Beijing in 2008: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gtNAMsWEmQ