The Wireless Symphony Orchestra
Leader, S. Kneale Kelley
Conducted by John Barbirolli
Pouishnoff (Pianoforte)
The composer tells us that in this last work he has tried to express the spirit of joy which is called up by the memories of the romance and mystery of the manger. All the four Movements are based on Christmas tunes, and are played without break.
The First Movement, sedate in style and modelled closely on the Choral Preludes of Bach, treats the old tune we sing to O come, all ye faithful.
The Second Movement, the Scherzo, alternates between slow and fast treatments of the carol-tune God rest you merry, gentlemen.
The Third Movement, the composer says, is 'the real corn of the Symphony, and has a significance which should be clear from the tunes on which it is based, and from its character.' The airs are those of Lullay, lullay and The First Nowell, the latter being introduced as a kind of Trio (middle) section, and echoed again at the end.
The Last Movement is full of rollicking joy.
It is a fugue on the opening phrase of the whole work, which is interrupted now and again by Here we come a-wassailing and finally by O come, all ye faithful.
Composers have frequently found inspiration in the aspects of Nature. Of all the pieces depicting her in tempestuous mood, Wagner's Overture to The Flying Dutchman is surely the finest. As frequently happened in his life, an incident in his own career influenced his composition. He made a long and stormy sea voyage the year before he wrote the music, into which he put his memories of the anxious time on board ship. Three leading themes in the Overture are the Curse that the Evil
One put upon the Dutchman, the prayer-like tune of Senta, who redeems him, and a gay sailor-song.