Relayed to London and Daventry
Arranged and Conducted by Mr. G. E. Linfoot
(Lecturer in Music in the University)
Relayed from the University
An Orchestral ' Serenade ' in Mozart's day was a collection of light pieces such as might be played at intervals in an evening's entertainment. This favourite Serenade of Mozart consists of four delightful little pieces-a kind of miniature Symphony, but light as air and fragrant as the summer evenings for which such music was written.
The FIRST of its four pieces is a lively, dainty one.
The SECOND is a thoughtful Romance.
The THIRD is a rhythmical Minuet and Trio.
The FINALE is a wing-footed Rondo.
Two Numbers from Part I of ' Semele ' Handel
Chorus : ' Lucky Omens '
Air and Chorus, ' Endless Pleasure, Endless Love '
(Soloist : Miss IDA BLOOR)
THE libretto of Semele, by Congreve, had been prepared for an Opera, but Handel wrote the music for concert performance, and the work was produced just over a hundred and eighty years ago, at Covent Garden. Lately, it has been revived in Operatic form, both in Germany and England-notably at Cambridge, by members of the university.
The Chorus ' Lucky Omens,' is the first Chorus in the work. Priests in the Temple of Juno are celebrating a sacrifice to the goddess in honour of the betrothal of Semele and Athamas. The other extract concludes the First Part of the work.
IN his later years Grieg composed little, but he occupied himself in arranging some of his piano pieces and songs for Orchestra.
The two pieces we are now to hear are songs, thus re-presented. Their titles are Love Sickness and Last Spring. Both are in a mood of sadness, as of one recollecting with a sigh the days that are no more.
WHEN Handel wanted to make a choral work out of Milton's two great poems in praise of Jollity and Meditation, L'Allegro and 11 Penseroso, he seems to have applied for help to a would-be literary man, one Jennens. This Jennens was responsible for the libretto of Messiah, and that must be regarded as his recommendation to mercy. Otherwise, one might be tempted to use harsh words about him, for he cut L'Allegro and Il Penseroso ruthlessly, and, instead of using them as two whole poems, he took bits of one and sandwiched them with bits of the other. He even managed to get in a bit of his own versification, winding up the work with Il Moderato in praise of moderation.
Still, even when Jennens had done his worst, there was enough left of Milton's inspired verse to incite Handel to write some fine music.
The first of the extracts we are to hear, ' Or let the merry bells ring round,' with the following Chorus, ' Young and old come forth to play On a sunshine holiday.' is taken from the end of Part I. It contains some of the best and most typically happy lines of L'Allegro.
The other Air and Chorus have lines of Milton that are often quoted -
Haste thee, Xymph, and bring with thee Jest and youthful jollity ;
Quips and cranks and wanton wiles,
Nods and becks and wreathed smiles .....