at Queen's Hall, London
(Sole Lessees, Messrs. Chappell and Co., Ltd.)
Beethoven
ELSIE SUDDABY (soprano)
MARGARET BALFOUR (contralto)
PARRY JONES (tenor)
HAROLD WILLIAMS (baritone)
THE BBC CHORAL SOCIETY
(Chorus Master, LESLIE WOODGATE)
THE BBC
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
(90 Players)
Principal violin, MARIE WILSON
Conducted by Sir HENRY J. WOOD
Symphony No. 9, in D minor (Choral)
1. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso. 2. Scherzo : Molto vivace -Trio: Presto. 3. Adagio molto e cantabile. 4. Finale : Presto-Allegro assai-Presto-Allegro assai marcia-Andante maestoso-Allegro energico, sempre ben marcato-Allegro ma non tanto-Prestissimo-Maestoso—Prestissimo
The ' Choral ' Symphony is considered Beethoven's greatest symphony, and it was the first attempt by any composer to end a symphony with a choral movement. In his analysis of this symphony Sir Donald Tovey says : ' Even with an ordinary instrumental finale, the Ninth Symphony would have remained the most gigantic instrumental work extant ; its gigantic proportions are only the more wonderful from the fact that the forms are still the purest outcome of the sonata style. The choral finale itself is perfect in form. We must insist on this, because vast masses of idle criticism are still nowadays directed against the Ninth Symphony and others of Beethoven's later works in point of form ; and these criticisms rest upon uncultured and unclassical text-book criteria as to musical form ; mere statements of the average procedure warranted to produce tolerable effect if carefully carried out. We shall never make head or tail of the Ninth Symphony until we treat it as a law unto itself.'
Tickets can be obtained from the British Broadcasting Corporation, Broadcasting House, Portland Place, W.1 ; Messrs. Chappell's Box Office, Queen's Hall, Langham Place, W.i, and usual agents. Prices (including Entertainments Tax : 7s. 6d., 6s., 5s. (reserved); 3s. (unreserved); promenade (payment at doors only), 2S.