DOROTHY BENNETT (Soprano)
JOHN THORNE (Baritone)
THE WIRELESS Military BAND
Conducted by B. WALTON O'Donnell BORN, in 1763, of humble parents, Mehul showed such precocious aptitude for music, that at the age of ton he was organist of a convent in his native town. Four years later he was deputy organist to his master, Hauser, in ,the more important church of Lavaldieu, and there his playing so impressed an influential visitor that the boy was taken to Paris for further study. There followed many years of careful, earnest work, partly under the guidanco of Cluck, and by 1790, Mehul had established a distinguished position as composer. Church music had occupied him first; to a mind of simple nobility and refinement as his was, deeply touched with religious sincerity from his childhood, the music of the church made a strong appeal. But no French composer may neglect the theatre, and it was in opera that Mehul made his mark. His industry may be measured by the production, within seventeen years, of twenty-four operas, besides many cantatas and songs. All these were produced under favourable auspices, and when, in the last years of the century, in the midst of the Revolution, ho composed ' Joseph,' he had been created a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour and a member of the Institut, beloved and honoured by his pupils and by the musical world of Paris. Stricken in middle ago by consumption, he was sent to Provence, but it was too late and he returned to Paris, to die there in 1817. His opera, Young Henry's Hunt, appeared in 1797. Only the Overture survives-a merry piece which describes its subject largely by the use of actual old tunes and calls for the Hunting Horn.

SMETANA, as our listenors know, although overshadowed by his former pupil, Dvorak, was none the less the first Bohemian to raise the music of his native country to a distinguished place in tho world's art. A patriot first and foremost, an enthusiast for the native music of his country, he aimed at giving the Slav rhythms, especially the Polka measure, a place of their own in the classical forms.
Ultava is the second of a series of six Symphonic Poems, the whole bearing the proud title 'My Country,' and being dedicated to the city of Prague. The composer has himself furnished the score with a preface which forms the best possible guide to his music :
' Two springs well up in the depths of tho
Bohemian forest; the one warm and sparkling, the other cool and still. Rippling gaily over the rocks, these two streamlets unite and flow on together under the glistening rays of the morning sun. The swiftly-flowing forest brook flows into a river-the Ultava (i.e., the Moldau)-and as it flows through the meadows of Bohemia, at last becomes a mighty stream. It flows through dense forests: where the merry bustle of tho hunt and the horns of the huntsmen aro heard : it flows through lich pastures and plains, where, to the joyful strains of song and dance, a wedding festival is being held. At night, under the light of the moon, tho nymphs of the woods and water sport on its shining waves, in which the towers and castles of the ancient nobles and warriors-tho sole relics of a. glorious past-are brightly reflected. Arrived at the rapids of St. Joliann, the stream; bursting in cataracts through the rocks, finds its way to the broadest part of the river's bed, and thence sweeps majestically past Prague, where it is greeted by the venerable fortress of Visohrad (the citadel built by the Duchess Libussa in the ninth century), and then disappears in the far distance from the mind's eye of the poet.'

Bishop of Yukon, ' The
Skin Game in the Arctic and at
Klondyko '
DR. I. 0. STRINGER went out to his 200,000 square miles of diocese in 1892, and his wife joined him four years later. All their children were born in this land of the Esquimau, the whale hunter and the gold digger, to which their parents are devoting their lives in Christian service. Canadian by birth, the Bishop is returning to Dawson City in April after a visit to England.

The Golden Image
(Daniel iii, 1-30)
NEBUCHADNEZZAR the King caused an image of gold to be made and set up in the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. He also decreed that. at a given signal, all men should fall down and worship, the image.
Now. at Daniel's request, certain
Jews-Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah-who had been given the names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, had been set over the province of Babylon. These men. therefore, refused to bow down and worship the image which the King had set up, and the matter was reported to the King.
Kebuchadnezzar in his fury, ordered that they should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace : ' and who,' he added, ' is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands ? '
Then was tho furnace heated seven times more than it was wont to be heated, and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were cast bound into the midst of it: moreover, the fire was so exceedingly hot that it destroyed the men that cast them in. Kebuehadnezzar sat gazing into the furnace, hoping to see the utter destruction of the three who had defied him. And as he looked ho was astonished, for instead of three men lying bound in the midst of the furnace, he saw four men loose, walking in the fire, ' and the form of the fourth was like the Son of God.'
Then the King rose, and going to the mouth of the furnace, said : ' Shadraeh, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither.' And they came forth unharmed from the midst of the fire. Then
Nebuchadnezzar made a decree that every people, nation and language which spoke anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego should he cut in pieces, and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were promoted in the province of Babylon.

'NUN KOMM DER HEIDEN HEILAND'
(Come, Redeemer of our Race)
Relayed from Birmingham
KATE WINTER (Soprano)
JOHN ARMSTRONG (Tenor)
ROBERT MAITLAND (Baritone)
THE BIRMINGHAM STUDIO ORCHESTRA
THIS Is an early work, presumal composed at Weimar in 3714, for the first Sunday in Advent. Its design is in many ways unusual. and the tiput chorus takes the old Advent hymn and makes it. with choir and orchestra, into a - form of French Overture. There is a solemn introduction, muestoso, and then while the soprano voice begins the hymn, followed by the bass, and afterwards hy the full choir, the orchestra accompanies with the figure. heard at the outset. At the words Hailed by all the wondering earth,' the time changes to allegro, and Bach has marked this passage ' Gai.' The slow tempo returns at the end to make a solemn finish...
The Tenor next has a recitative finishing with an arioso, followed by a simple and melodious aria with a long orchestral prelude, and then, with a figure which clearly represents the Lord knocking at the door-stern pizzicalo chords from the strings-the bass sings, ' Behold I stand at the do and knock.' The aria which follows is effectively built up from the very simple motive which appears at the outset.
The final Chorale is also In unusual form, a fantasia on the old hymn, 'How brightly shines the morning star,' which the soprano voices sing, while the others and the orchestra make it into a fantasia on the melody.
The text is reprinted by courtesy of Messrs. Novello and Co., Ltd. 1.-Chorus.
Come, Redeemer of our race, Virgin-born by holy grace,
Hail'd by all the wond'ring earth; (iod of old ordained His birth.
II-Recitatire (Tenor).
The Saviour now appeareth, and our poor human form of flesh and blood He weareth, that we may all be one with Him indeed. Oh ! Thou most perfect joy, what wondrous things hast Thou not done, what dost Thou not each day Thy love expressing ? Thou comest down in light, to crown Thiue own with blessing.
III.-Aria (Tenor).
Come, Jcsu, come, Thy church awaits
Thee, and deign to bless the new-bom year. Help us in all to seek Thy glory, to hold in Truth the sacred story, and grow in love and holy iear.
IV.-Recitatire (Bass). llehold, I stand at the door and knock.
If any man hear My voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him and ho with Me.
V.-Aria (Soprano).
Open wide, my heart, thy portals, Jesus enters into thee. Though my heart to dust returneth. He a home In me hath sought. Who the soul that He hath bought never from His presence spurneth. Oh, how blessed shall 1 be :
VI.-Morale.
Amen! Come Thou crown of all re-rejoicing. no more linger.
AH my soul for Thee is longing.

Relayed from The Congress Hall, Clapton
Conducted by General Higgins
Opening Song (Tune: 'Remington')
No. 5, 'When I survey the wondrous Cross'
Prayer: Commissioner Jeffries
United Song by the Cadets: 'O taste and see that the Lord is good.' - Psalm 34-8-10
Scripture Reading: Psalm 46
Chorus, 'Jesus, Thou are everything to me'
Selection, 'An Appeal' - Congress Hall Band
Address, The General
Prayer
Congregational Song - (Tune: 'Misericordia') 'Just as I am without one plea'
Benediction

(For 8.45-10.30 Programmes see opposite page)

Appeal on behalf of the Aylesbury After-Care Association by the Lady AMPTHILL, C.I., G.B.E.,
J.P., Chairman of the Aylesbury Association
THE Aylesbury After-Care Association arranges for the future welfare of all inmates of tho Borstal Institution for Girls. Funds are needed to provide outfits, living expenses until work is found, and many other needs of inmates on leaving the Institution.
Donations should be sent to : [address removed]

Local Announcements; (Daventry only) Shipping Forecast

ELSIE SUDDABY (Soprano)
MAURITS FRANK
(Viola de Gamba)
ALICE EHLERS (Cembalo)

'Giver OF AI.L GOOD GIFTS'