NEWENT Orchestra will be performing a brand-new piece of music during a special concert on Saturday (June 3) which reveals some of "the myths of May Hill".

‘Forces of Nature’ offers music lovers of all ages a chance to relax in the “beautiful” St Mary’s Church and soak up the sounds of a full symphony orchestra conducted, for the first time in public, by Tobias Lazenby.

Bill Anderton composed ‘The Treasure of May Hill’ and the work will be narrated by Newent-based actor, Phil Hemming. 

Bill said: “This is something I’ve been working on for three years or so and it’s very exciting to have it’s opening this weekend. I approached Phil about narrating the piece and he was delighted to. There are hopes that it can be developed into a musical play.”

Its orchestral overture is based on an old pipe and tabor Morris dance, whistled by Mr William Henry Watts in Tewkesbury in 1908 and recorded there by Cecil Sharp. 

Bill added: “The myth centres on buried treasure and incorporates the town council, the local inns, the taxman and a storm.”

Bill has blended a concert featuring musical depictions of nature’s power and glory and says that “many of the composers are a force of nature too!”

Included is ‘The Hebrides Overture (Fingal’s Cave)’. Composer Felix Mendelssohn, and his friend Karl Klingemann, travelled to the wild Hebrides islands and he was inspired by Fingal’s Cave on the island of Staffa.

‘Night on a Bare Mountain’, by Modest Mussorgsky, depicts a witches’ Sabbath on the Bald Mountain near Kiev. 

A spokesperson says: “It’s a wild and terrifying party but when the sun comes up the witches vanish.”

‘Clarinet Concerto in A Major, Adagio’ by Mozart sees the composer as the force of nature himself. 

Percy Whitlock’s ‘Ballet of the Wood Creatures’ beautifully captures the post-Mendelssohnian vein of Sullivan, German, Coates and Quilter, giving full rein to his melodic gift.

To close the first half, organist Cynthia Merriman performs ‘Symphony No. 3, Finale’ by Camille Saint-Saens, with its powerful conclusion: “I gave everything to it I was able to give. What I have here accomplished, I will never achieve again.”

Bill said: “We are so proud that a small town like Newent is able to produce a full scale symphony orchestra of such a high quality. 

“We are delighted to have been joined by conductor Tobias Lazenby who has injected a new energy into our playing and transformed the orchestra into something very special.”

Newent’s ‘The Secret Gallery’ has organised an exhibition of paintings of May Hill by local artists to decorate the foyer of the church during the concert.

The concert starts at 2.30pm and tickets are £10 on the door, 16s and under free. 

There will be refreshments during the interval.