Relayed from the National Museum of Wales

National Orchestra of Wales

Rienzi, one of Wagner's earlier operas, is founded upon Bulwer Lytton's novel of the same name. The Overture is a rather rowdy piece of work, but stirring.
After a few bars of Introduction, we hear, very softly, a well-shaped, rather slow tune in the Violins (Rienzi's Prayer). This proceeds and is soon taken up, loudly, by the full Orchestra
After a time the music comes to a period, and makes a fresh start in a quick and energetic style The Wind instruments have loud repeated chords, the 'Cellos and Double-basses do rapid down-hill seales.
Soon after comes a very striking passage, in which the Brass alone thunders out the Call to Arms from the opera.
Then comes the Rienzi's Prayer tune again (but quicker this time than before), and after that the Call to Arms again, and then a stirring march-like tune, at first in Strings and Woodwind softly, but soon afterwards by all the instruments of the Orchestra, as loudly as they can do it.
Out of these tunes the Overture is constructed.
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A Sketch with Songs and Orchestra
The Station Repertory Choir, The Station Orchestra

Jane and Mary are two sisters who live at Fiveways, a large house in an old-fashioned garden. It is the sort of Dream house that is never on the market, but one sometimes hears of one such which Brown (or Robinson) has just bought for a song. Its drawback, of course, is that it is miles from anywhere - the tram does not pass, the butcher does not call, and the event of the day is the postman's visit on a bicycle. Jane is over thirty - it doesn't matter how much - she is strong-willed and very shy; whereas Mary, who is twenty-four, is flippant and imaginative and fond of society.
At half-past four one Saturday afternoon in early summer, Jane and Mary are sitting in the pretty drawing-room and obviously rather flustered. Jane from time to time glances at the ancestors: two great-great-aunts - the Hon. Evelyn and the Hon. Lettice. The male ancestors are in the dining-room and Jane, who is a stickler for behaviour, gains strength by looking at the watchful faces of the family.
On this occasion she feels that the family will be offended, and rightly so Jane has just rung for Hazlitt, the family trial and treasure.

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