THE STATION ORCHESTRA, conducted by JOSEPH Lewis
TOWARDS the end of ]908, Tercentenary
Celebrations of Milton's birth were held in London. At the famous Cheapside Church, St. Mary-le-Bow, close to which Milton was born, celebrations were held on his actual birthday-December the ninth. For this occasion Dr. Walford Davies wrote his now famous Solemn Melody. In its present form it consists simply of a melody given out by a Solo 'Cello, then taken up by Full Orchestra (and Organ, when one is available).
ELGAR'S Carillon was written in the early months of the war as an illustrative background for a poem in honour of Belgium by Emile ('ammaerts. The spirit of this passionate Ode celebrating the courage and sorrows of tho Belgian people is reflected in the alternating fire, dignity, and pathos of the music.
EDWARD GERMAN JONES is tho full name of a composer who is very well known to us by his incidental music for plays. It is appropriate enough that a Jones should write for a Welsh Festival a Welsh Rhapsody founded on native tunes.
The March is the Last Movement of the Rhapsody. It is founded on The Men of Harkeh, fragments
. of which tune are heard from here, there, and everywhere in the Orchestra; then the whole Tune is given out, still softly. The excitement is cleverly worked up, a subsidence for a few moments leading to a still bigger climax, when the whole Orchestra is soon glorying in the March.