ELSIE GRIFFIN (Soprano)
ROBERT EASTON (Bass)
THE WIRELESS Orchestra
Conducted by JOHN ANSELL
THIS Overture has the special interest for us in England that it belongs to a work which in its way forestalled our Lilac Time — an opera on the life of Schubert in which some of his own music was introduced, notably five of the songs. It was one of the light operatic pieces of which Supp6 composed more than 160 for the Vienna stage of his own day, and met with real success on its appearance.
The Overture will bo recognized as being genuine Suppe music, with very little relation to Schubert's melodies. Although by no means so well known as other Overtures of his, notably the favourite ' Poet and Peasant,' it has much of the same natural happy melody, and formed a fitting prelude to a work which was throughout in light-hearted vein.
BRAHMS' Hungarian Dances must be well known to countless listeners who have very little interest in the rest of his work. He was not a Hungarian himself, but the verve and rhythm of their dances and folk songs interested him keenly all his musical life. And he made use of them in many ways in his own works. It is supposed that his interest in them was first aroused when, as a young man, he went on tour with the Hungarian violinist Remenyi, and that may well be true.
GOUNOD'S Opera Mireille, which in English we call Mirella, was produced in Paris in 1864, and en-' joyed quite a popular success. It has fallen into something like oblivion, and now only its melodious Overture is at all well known. The opera tells of the course of true love running far from smoothly, and ending in the lovers' union too late. Mirella and her sweetheart, Vincent, find each other and win consent to their wedding, only for her to die in a mystic ecstasy. The tragic end of the story would hardly be guessed from the Overture. It is full of thoroughly bright and tuneful music.