S.P.Q.R. Guy Woolfenden

S.P.Q.R. was commissioned as part of the Warwickshire County Council centenary celebrations and the first performance was given by Warwickshire County Wind Band on September 18th 1988.
The standard of the Roman legions often carried the letters S.P.Q.R: Senatus Populusque Romanus The Senate and People of Rome.
Among the lasting monuments of the Roman occupation of Britain is the amazing system of roads that still exist across the country and S.P.Q.R. attempts to juxtapose and contrast the ancient and indissoluble links between rural and urban Warwickshire and the might of ancient Rome.
The Fosse Way (opening movement) bisects the county of Warwickshire from south-west to north-east with many major towns adjacent to this mighty thoroughfare, whilst in the middle movement Notturno reflects on the River Avon becoming a tributary to the Tiber and in the last movement, the Fosse Way joins the Via Appia: All roads lead to Rome!