BETSY DE LA PORTE (Contralto)
MAURICE D'OISLY (Tenor)
THE WIRELESS MILITARY BAND
Conducted by PERCY PITT
THE royal support of which Wagner had always dreamt, but which he hardly expected, came to him when he was over fifty, and when his prospects were blackest. One of the first acts of Ludwig of Bavaria, as an eighteen-years-old King, was to summon Wagner to Munich. Three years before he had become enthusiastic about Lohengrin. \
In the summer of 1864, King and Composer settled for a time by Lake Starnberg , and Wagner, in his first flush of gratitude to his patron, wrote this Homage March.
THE story of the escapades of the libertine
Don Juan , who was finally delivered over to the Evil One, was treated operatically by Mozart in a half-comic, half-tragic spirit. Don Juan was described as a ' Comic Opera,' but the dramatic elements were never absent for long.
PRINCE IGOR, that Opera of ancient pagean
* try and Oriental colour, is Borodin's most famous work. The Dances, of which the music is now to be heard, occur in the Second Act, when Igor. a prisoner in the camp of a nomad tribe, the Polovtsy, is, as a tribute to his courage, invited to be present at a festival.
AS a boy of twelve, Elgar wrote some music for a children's play. In 1907 he revived this, and arranged it for a Full Orchestra, in the form of two Suites. We are to hear the Second of these.
March.—This, the opening movement of the Second Suite, begins in the time-honoured way, with the Drums. Then tile tune begins. There is a light and dainty Trio, followed by the return of the March, and these two are used in alternation.
THE LITTLE .BELLS.—This calls for little description. Now one instrument, now another, suggest to us fairy bells, while one bigger bell booms through.
MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES (Dance).-Here light, fluttering fingers picture for us these dancing creatures.
FOUNTAIN DANCE.—Very rapid figures suggest the playing waters.
THE TAME BEAR and the WILD BEARS.—The tame creature calls for just as big an orchestra as his more uncouth companions, and all seem to have a liking for Big Drum, Cymbals, and, particularly, Tambourine
