(S.B. from Manchester)
GWLADYS NAISH (Soprano)
DENNIS NOBLE (Baritone)
THE WINGATES TEMPERANCE BAND
(Conducted by H. Moss )
SIR JULIUS BENEDICT , though counted as among our English composers, was really a German who made his home with us. He occupied a leading place in the Victorian world of music ; for about forty years he was looked up to as one of its leaders. Remembered now almost wholly by his opera, The Lily of Killarncy, he won several successes, not only in that direction, but in sacred oratorios and cantatas. He left besides some purely orchestral music which is still occasionally played.
These brilliant concert variations on the well-known ' Carnival of Venice ' air were long among his most popular drawing-room pieces, in an age when vocal accomplishment was more usual than it is now. (Soloist, E. CLAYTON> )Selection of Meyerbeer's Works (Soloist, B. BYERS> )
by Antonio Brosa (Violin) '
The Sermon of the Plough, preached on January 18, 1548, by the Rt. Rev. HUGH Latimer , Bachelor of Divinity, sometime Bishop of Worcester.
THE series of Bible Readings came to an end last Sunday, and today a new series begins. It is called ' English Eloquence,' and as great eloquence is inspired in great men by great subjects, this series should not follow ignobly its predecessor. Its aim is to represent each week one of the finest sermons or speeches delivered in English by churchmen and statesmen ranging from Hugh Latimer to President Wilson.
As a great cause, the Reformation in England inspired many champions, and of these Hugh Latimer was the most eloquent. ' Did there ever any man flourish, I say not in England, but in any nation in the world after the Apostles, who preached the gospel more sincerely, purely and honestly than Hugh Latimer ? '
Bom in Leicestershire—' my father was a yeoman and had no lands of his own'—he lived and preached reformation during three reigns. But the Reformation was a social as well as a religious movement. And though Latimer had preached on matters of dogma under Cardinal Wolsey and had resigned his See for refitsing to subscribe to the Six Articles of Henry VIII , his greatest sermons were those preached against the crying social evils of the age.
For eight years he had been persecuted, imprisoned and silent; but with the accession of Edward VI he was granted a. licence to preach and devoted himself to the redress of the injured and oppressed. ' In which his painful travails he continued all King Edward's time ; preaching for the most part two sermons every Sunday; and besides this, every morning ordinarily, winter and summer, about two of the clock in the morning, he was at his book diligently.' The Sermon of the Plough was one of the fruits of this time, which passed all too soon. Persecution revived under Mary and at the last, ' When Master Latimer stood at the stake, and the tormentors were about to set the fire upon him and that most reverend father Doctor Ridley, he lifted up his eyes towards heaven with a most amiable and comfortable countenance, saying these words : " God is faithful, which does not suffer us to bo tempted above our strength." '
(For 5.45-8.45 Programmes see opposite page)
'Der Himmel Lacht' (The Heavens Laugh)
Relayed from the Guildhall School of Music
Elsie Suddaby (Soprano)
John Armstrong (Tenor)
Keith Falkner (Bass)
Leslie Woodgate (Organ)
John Field (Oboe)
The Wireless Chorus and The Wireless Orchestra (Trumpets, Tympani, Oboes, Bassoon and Strings)
Conducted by Stanford Robinson
Bach left two Easter Cantatas and this one in particular embodies the gladness of the Church's most joyous festival in a truly wonderful way. As has already been pointed out several times in these notes, the Church Cantatas not only formed part of the service of the day for which they were composed, but had the closest possible relation to it... Each of the so-called Chorale Cantatas, particularly, is founded on one of the Chorales (or hymns) set down for the day's, service, and the texts are almost always related to the day's Gospel. In many cases, indeed, the Cantata texts embody part of the words of the Gospel.
This Easter Cantata is laid out for an exceptionally large orchestra - three trumpets. three oboes, taille (tenor oboe), bassoons and strings in six parts, as well as kettledrum and rontiimo (figured bass). Bach uses this big force in the most splendid way in the orchestral introduction ; we do Indeed hear the heavens laughing and the Earth rejoicing, and the his opening chorus, in five parts, is not less eloquent of exultation.
The aria for bass, 'Prince eternal,' is bruit upon one of Bach's motives of majesty, or solemnity in illustration of the ideas called up by the word' Prince.' With the same delight in weaving his music round an idea, the last aria for soprano is a glorified cradle song with a beautiful oboe obbligato, in which a gentle, swaying figure persists almost all the way through.
The Chorale at the end is fully accompanied, the orchestra soaring above the soprano voice with splendid effect.
The words are taken, by permission of Messrs. Constable and Co., from 'Bach's Cantata Texts, Sacred and Secular,' by C. Sanford Terry.
I. - Sonata.
II. - Chorus.
The heavens shout, the earth with praise exulteth,
And everything that draweth breath.
The Saviour lives! He now in triumph riseth,
And proud hath burst the bars of death.
He who within God's acre resteth
The Holy One to heaven now calleth.
III. - Recitative (Bass).
O longed-for day!
Come, spirit, sing with joy!
The First and Last, Beginning and the Ending,
He Whom our heavy guilt did cast to hell's grim keeping.
Today is risen from the tomb!
He Who was dead, behold, now liveth ever!
And. as the head, so liveth every member. Within His hands He holds
The keys of death and hell's dark portal. His mantle's folds
Blood red be-dyed and torn with scourging cruel,
Today are decked with victory like a jewel.
IV. - Aria (Bass).
Prince eternal, strong defender, Lord Almighty, God's own Son.
See, Thy cross was but a ladder
Set to raise Thee to Thy throne
Lo, the piercing cords that bound Thee
Deck Thee now with glory rare!
E'en the cruel thorns that tore Thee
Gems of worth and beauty are!
V. - Recitative (Tenor).
Arouse thee, then, my soul whom Christ delivered!
To Him by homage pay!
A new life at His service lay ! flee I shun the works of darkness!
Soul, let thy Saviour now above receive thy love and goodness!
Thy conduct, as a vine, see no ill fruit it beareth.
But e'er that it to heaven Its branches reareth!
(O Christian, haste, and flee hell's tomb, escape ye!
But leave the stone, thy sin, in darkness wrapped,
Behind thee, and seek for Jesu's sell alone
VI. - Aria (Tenor).
He who would in Christ be living Must himself to Cod be giving, In Whose image was he made; To the skies his soul upraising, From the tomb of sin escaping, Now God's sign is on him laid.
VII. - Recitative (Soprano).
As members by their head Are guided all and led
So can from Jesus nought divide me, Whatever may betide me,
If I with Him do suffer pain, then He to heaven above will guide me.
Where sits He throned on high, my God my flesh shall see in heaven.
VIII. - Aria (Soprano). life's last moment, quickly come!
Close mine eyelids, in death sleeping! Christ above will on me shine,
With the light of heaven down leaping Come, dear angels, take me home!
IX. - Chorale.
My course is set to heaven above; To Christ I'd hence betake me. Asleep In Him and in His love. No mortal hand can wake me.
Lord Christ, fair victor in the strife, 'Tis He shall call my soul to Life, And bliss eternal grant me!
From Sheffield Cathedral
S.B. from Sheffield
I. A Thanksgiving FOR the Gospel
Hymn, Come ye faithful, raise the anthem' (English Hymnal, No. 380)
Short Lesson, Titus iii, 4-7 Lesser Litany Lord's Prayer
The Magnificat (Walmisley in D)
2. AN Act Or Worship
Hymn, Ye watchers, and ye holy ones' (English Hymnal, No. 519)
Short Lesson, Revelation v, 11-13 The Salutation
An Act of Worship
Anthem, ' Light of the World'
Elgar
3. The SERVICE OF Witness
Address by the Venerable J. Russell
DARBYSHIRE, Archdeacon and Vicar of Sheffield
Hymn, ' Judge Eternal, throned in splendour' (English Hymnal, No. 423)
Prayer
Blessing
(For 8.45-10.30 Programmes, see opposite page)
Appeal on behalf of the National Birthday Trust Fund for the extension of The Maternity Services by Mrs. BALDWIN
THIS Fund, the purposes of which are to assist the voluntary maternity hospitals in the London area (and the Leeds Maternity
Hospital) and to raise the status of midwives, was maugurated at the end of 1928 under the auspices of Mrs. Stanley Baldwin and the Minister of Health. The Fund aims at encouraging every member of the population to send in a shilling on his or her birthday (thus raising 42,000,000 shillings) to [address removed]. Mrs. Baldwin will make the Appeal from ' Chequers.'
LINDA SEYMOUR (Contralto)
WILLIAM BARRAND (Bass)
THE WIRELESS CHORUS
THE WIRELESS ORCHESTRA
Conducted by STANFORD ROBINSON
WILLIAM BARRAND Introduction, 'As God the Lord' ('Elijah') - Mendelssohn
ORCHESTRA Overture ('Elijah') - Mendelssohn
CHORUS Help, Lord! ('Elijah') - Mendelssohn
He, Watching over Israel ('Elijah') - Mendelssohn ...
LINDA SEYMOUR and WILLIAM BARRAND Recit., 'Arise, Elijah' '('Elijah') - Mendelssohn
LINDA SEYMOUR Air, 'O rest in the Lord' (' Elijah ') - Mendelssohn
CHORUS He that shall endure to the end ('Elijah') - Mendelssohn
William BARRAND Recit., ' And God said, Let the waters' ('Creation') - Haydn
Air, 'Roaming in foaming billows' ('Creation') - Haydn
CHORUS Achieved is the glorious work ('Creation') - Haydn
ORCHESTRAPastoral Symphony (' Messiah ') - Handel
LINDA SEYMOUR Recit., ' Then shall the eyes - 'Messiah ' Handel
Air, ' He shall feed his flock' - 'Messiah ' Handel
CHORUS Destroyed is Babylon (' The Last Judgment - Spohr
QUARTET and CHORUS Blest are the Departed (' The Last Judgment - Spohr
WILLIAM BARRAND and CHORUS Prologue, ' Hasten, ('The Golden Legend') - Sullivan
Scene 2. introduction and Contralto Solo, ' Slowly, slowly ' - Sullivan
CHORUS (Unaccompanied) Evening Hymn, ' '0 Gladsome Light' ( The Golden Legend - Sullivan
EPILOGUE-CHORUS God sent his Messenger, the Rain (' The Golden Legend') - Sullivan