No. 5 of Thirty-third Winter Series
Relayed from the Winter Gardens, Bournemouth
THE BOURNEMOUTH MUNICIPAL ORCHESTRA
Conducted by Sir DAN GODFREY
Solo Piano, GORDON BRYAN ; Solo Flute, JEAN GENNIN ; Solo Violin, BERTRAM LEWIS
THE Fifth of the six Concertos commissioned from Bach by the Count Brandenburg employs Strings and three soloists-Piano. Flute, and Violin. (It should be noted that Bach did not really write for the Piano, but that is the keyboard instrument which generally has to be used nowadays.)
It is a work of irresistible high spirits, written in three separate Movements, the First of inexhaustible energy, the Second a tender little meditative Trio for the soloists, and the Third a light-hearted discourse largely upon the gay, song-like tune given out at the beginning by the Violin.
WHEN Beethoven wrote his Eighth Symphony he had many worries, domestic and otherwise. His deafness was creeping upon him, and his health was not good. Yet the artist rises above the troubles of the man, and this music is among the gayest Beethoven ever wrote.
The Symphony is in four Movements. The
First and Last are quite vigorous, and have delightful touches of humour. There is the usual Minuet as Third Movement, and instead of a slow Second Movement, we have one of the most delicious, care-free little pieces imaginable.
Moderately quick; Rather slow, with Simplicity ; Fairly quick
(First Performance at these Concerts)
NOWADAYS composers, the younger men in particular, are producing a good deal of music written for small orchestra. Many are taking pleasure in finding out how the principles of chamber music can be applied to the orchestra, with its dozen or more distinctive voices. Another consideration worth remembering nowadays is that if the music requires only comparatively few players, the chance of its being heard is greater than if a very large force is essential to do it justice.
Lennox Berkeley 's music was first heard at the opening Chenil Galleries B.B.C. Concert of 1926. Mr. Anthony Bernard, who came across this young musician (he is in his early twenties) when he was an undergraduate at Oxford, then performed his Introduction and Dance for chamber orchestra.
The Concertino, in three Movements, is another work for an orchestra consisting of Strings and a few Wind instruments.
At the Pianos :
GORDON BRYAN and VICTOR HELY-HUTCHINSON
(First Performance at these Concerts)
THIS ' Grand Zoological Fantasy ' was written in 1886, as a, joke, for a private concert. In it, Saint-Saens gives musical portraits of fish, flesh and fowl. and indulges in ironical wit. in a little satire upon the human animal.
For some reason he insisted that the work as a whole should not be published until after his death. One Movement escaped the ban. and became extremely popular—the charming "Cello solo entitled The Swan.
The music is piquantly scored for Strings, two
Pianos. Flute, Piccolo, Clarinet. Xylophone and Harmonica (an instrument consisting of metal plates, struck with hammers).

From LOZELLS PICTURE HOUSE, BIRMINGHAM
From Birmingham
THE ORCHESTRA. conducted by PAUL RIMMER

' Dan ' (the Story of a Horse), by Carol, Ring. Margaret Ablethorpe (Pianoforte). The St. Augustine's Quartet in Part Songs. ' The Fairy Godmother's Adventure '

The LONDON RADIO DANCE BAND, directed by SIDNEY FIRMAN
GABLE and BANKS (Entertainers)

From Birmingham
A Ballad Opera by Charles Dibdin
Edited and Arranged by William Younge and Florian Pascal

The Waterman is one of the many Ballad Operas for which Dibdin. the famous writer of sea songs, provided ditties. In the original version there are three scenes, but to-night we are to imagine only one-near Bundle's house and garden, overlooking the Thames.
Bundle, the market gardener, likes an easy. quiet life. Mrs. Bundle, a bit of a scold, finds good matter for the exercise of her powers in this direction in the fact that she favours smirking, high-falutin' Robin as a suitor for her daughter Wilhelmina's hand. whilst Bundle wants to help plain Tom Tug. the waterman, to win the maid.
Wilhelmina sings of her plight in a song beginning 'Two youths for my love are contending in vain.' Tom urges his suit, and sings her a song he has written - 'The Jolly Young Waterman.' Romantic Wilhelmina wants to be wooed in fine phrases which Tom cannot put Ms tongue to. He threatens to leave England if she won't have him (Song, 'Then farewell, my trim-built wherry').
Robin comes on the scene, and addresses Wilhelmina in the high-toned, long-winded phrases she loves. He sings his song 'Cherries and plums,' in which he declares 'Wilhelmina's made for me.'
Now Bundle appears, and whilst he is urging Tom's cause, Mrs. Bundle enters. She will not hear any of Wilhelmina's good words for Tom (whom, now he has left her, the capricious girl begins to like more heartily).
Now Wilhelmina sings of the necessity of testing and trying one's lovers by giving them 'Nay' for an answer - not necessarily a final one, of course.
Bundle and his wife begin another chapter of the quarrel, and Wilhelmina tells them of her determination to test her lovers' faithfulness and affection in some way not yet decided. Tom Tug is told of the difficulty, and declares his scorn for Robin. How, he asks, would that dandy behave in a storm in the Bay of Biscay? Tom sings 'The Bay of Biscay,' and goes out. (This, of course, is the good old-fashioned stage way of bringing in a song that has nothing particularly to do with the action of the play.) Robin now has an interview with Wilhelmina, and. with Mrs. Bundle's help, is talking her over very nicely, when shouts without herald the rowers in the race for Doggett's Coat and Badge. Tom Tug proves to be the winner of the famous trophy, and Wilhelmina impetuously promises to marry him.
The disappointed Robin retires. Mrs. Bundle is in a rage. but is soon mollified, and all join in a choral Final Tom leading off.

From Birmingham
A Comic Opera in One Act. by A. P. HERBERT
Music by ARMSTRONG GIBBS ,
THE BLUE PETER, which received an award from the Carnegie Trust in 1924, is in form somewhat after the same style as Dibdin's Opera, in that the dialogue is interspersed with songs, duets, etc. Its idiom, of course, is of today, though there is nothing 'advanced' about the tuneful music.
The action takes place in the garden of Simon's house. Here Joan' is sitting, when a love letter from her admirer Robin is thrown over the wall. Susan, her maid, also has a lover, a sailor, who has run away. Joan wants to slip out and meet Robin, and makes the excuse that she is going to confession. Simon, suspicious, says he will bring a priest to the house instead.
Robin, posing as a chimney-sweep, comes into the house. In a little. Simon returns, disguised as a priest. Joan. detecting the fraud, sees her chance of punishing him for his suspiciousness, and tells him that her masterful love is to visit her at night. The mock priest says he will wait for the intruder and deal with him.
Now Susan finds that Robin is the lover who ran away from her. He leaves her alone. however. and she in revenge tells Simon how his wife is deceiving him. Simon's revenge is to make love to Susan, and to let his wife see him at it. But Susan, after pretending to agree, raises an outcry. Joan and Robin come out. Simon tells the truth about his trick upon Joan, and Robin says that he has had an accident while sweeping the chimney, and but for Joan, might have perished in it. Simon and Robin, both tired of the ways of Joan and Susan, determine to betake themselves out of the way of women by going to sea. The women are left disconsolate.
THE BIMINGHAM STUDIO ORCHESTRA, conducted by Joseph .Lewis

THE WIRELESS MILITARY BAND, conducted by B. WALTON O'DONNELL
SUMNER AUSTIN (Baritone)