ALEXANDER MACKENZIE
THE AUGMENTED STATION ORCHESTRA
Conducted by T. H. MORRISON
' Britannia ' Overture (Op. 62)
First Scottish Rhapsody (Op. 21)
SIR ALEXANDER MACKENZIE has always been very happy in works reflecting in some way the spirit of his native Scotland. The First of his three Scottish Rhapsodies was written in 1880. It treats Scots tunes, and is in three parts - a quick, strongly rhythmical opening section, based on the Scots tune of Muirland Willie, a slow section on Braw, brow Lads of Gala Water, and a final gay portion on There was a lad was born in Kyle.
The STATION CHORUS (Chorus Master,
S. H. WHITTAKER ), and Orchestra
Procession of the Ark (from the Oratorio, ' The Rose of Sharon,' Op. 30)
DESIREE MACEWAN (Pianoforte), with Orchestra
Scottish Concerto (Op. 55)'
ORCHESTRA
Canadian Rhapsody (Op. 67)
IN 1902 Sir Alexander Mackenzie conducted a number of musical festivals in Canada, and upon certain of the folk tunes he came to know there (some of French and some possibly of Scots origin) he built this work.
The First Movement is based on a children's song and bits of two other French-Canadian songs. The Slow Movement uses an air, ' By-town ' (the old name for Ottawa), which has a Scots tang in it, and secondly a French song in praise of Canada, ' Un Canadien errant.'
The last Movement brings in first a tune from the song ' A la claire fontaine,' and then one which has become quite well known here, ' Alouette.' Near the end appears the tune of the song adopted for the Province of Quebec ; this is prominent on the Glockenspiel, with its bell-like tone.