Sir Edward Elgar

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 13, 11 October 1929, Page 8

Sir Edward Elgar

YA Honours Famous Composer

QN the evening of Tuesday, , October 15, 1YA is to present an "Elgar Night," when the programme’ will consist of works composed by the great musician. Sir Rdward Elgar is now 72 years of age. He is recognised as England’s foremost composer and one of the greatest composers of modern times. A. whole concert devoted to his music ig happily no unusual thing. No other British composei’s works have so ,

commended themselves to musicians and to the public as to earn this distinction, and few men have given us 80 much rich musie of noble and human appeal. It was comparatively late im life, however, that Hlgar came to be recognised as a composer of the first rank. His early days were a tale of hard work and little reward. "He had no academie training at a recognised institution; he was taught rather by his own experiences as an amateur player of various instruments and by his own researches in the practice of composition. Tt was with the "Hnigma" Variations (1899) for orchestra, and the oratorio "The Dream of Gerontius" (1900) that Hlgar took his place among the great. Since then he has written a series of mighty works that place him in the foremost rank of living composers. These include the oratorios, "The Apostles" and "The Kingdom," two symphonies, "Walstaff,’ a violin concerto and a violincello cencerto. Elgar was knighted in 1904, and in 1911 the Order of Merit was conferred upon him. In the programme to be presented at 1YA on Tuesday are many of the finest of his works. The orchestral selections include "The Cockaigne Overture,’ "Chanson de Matin," "Chanson de Nuit," and "Pomp and Circumstance," all conducted by the composer, ‘while Herbert Dawson will be heard in an organ solo, "Iidylle."

Eigar wrote many fine songs, and these will be represented by "Pleading" and "Rondel," to be sung by Miss Gwenda Weir, soprano; "Where Corals Lie" from "Sea Pictures," and "The Poet’s Life," contralto solos to be rendrede by Miss Hinemoa Rosieur, a new performer at 1YA. From "Caractacus" Mr. Dudley Wrathall has chosen the famous "Sword Song" in which Caractacus calls on his sword to help him in the coming strife with the invading Romans. Mr. Wrathall will also sing the baritone number, "The Pipes of Pan." The 1YA Broadcasting Choir, under the baton of Mr. Len Barnes, will make a further appearance before the microphone, with an increased personnel, the full strength now being forty singers. The choir will render five numbers from choral songs from the "Bavarian Highlands," the words imitated from Bavarian Volksliedey and Schnadahupfler by C. Alice Elgar. This is a particularly fine group of numbers-‘False

Love," "On the Alm" (the Alm is a high mountain pasture), "Lullaby" (in which the chief part is taken by the contralto), "Aspiration" (a beautiful sacred number depicting the peasants before the House of God on a Sabbath day in winter), and "The Dance." A ballad, "The Banner of Saint George," for chorus and soprano solo, the words by Shapcott Wensley, will occupy the last portion of the programme. This is the legendary story of St. George

and the Dragon at Sylene. The soloist in this number will be Mrs. Freda Evans. The~choir will conclude the programme with Elgar’s setting of "God Save the King." The Studio Trio will play "Caris‘sima" and "Salut d’Amour," and Mr. Eric Waters will render the pianoforte solo, "The Organ Grinder’s Song" from "The Starlight xpress." Altogether this should prove a most interesting and enjoyable evening.