This piece, as the title suggests, is the second Epitaph I have written, the first being Epitaph (for Hillsborough). ’2nd Epitaph – Across the Water’ was written for the Fountain City Brass Band, who are from the USA, to perform on D-Day landing beaches in Normandy, France.

 

The title has a double reference point – the water between the UK and France, across which many troops (from the UK and the USA amongst others) travelled in the Normandy invasions, and also the water between the UK (the home of the composer) and the USA (the home of the band).