Letter V Classical Radio this week

Britannia rules the airwaves, in a program of British music ranging over four centuries. Along with familiar works such as Edward Elgar’s “Enigma Variations,” Benjamin Britten’s “Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Henry Purcell” (better-known as “The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra,” here without the narration), Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis” and Purcell’s “Come, Ye Sons of Art,” a number of discoveries: the Cello Concerto in D minor of Charles Villers Stanford, Arthur Sullivan (minus William S. Gilbert) taking on “Macbeth,” and compositions by 18th-century Brits of the generation after Handel’s, including selections from Thomas Arne’s “Alfred,” the royal masque, introduced in 1740, that gave the world “Rule Britannia!”

March 15
noon-3 p.m. EST
1700-2000 UTC/GMT
WDCE, University of Richmond
90.1 FM
http://www.wdce.org

Past Masters:
William Boyce: Symphony No. 5 in D major
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields/
Neville Marriner
(recorded 1976)
(Decca)

Thomas Arne: “Rosamond” – “Rise, glory, rise”
Emma Kirkby, soprano
Academy of Ancient Music/
Christopher Hogwood
(Decca)

William Boyce:
“Solomon” –
“Softly rise,
o southern breeze”
Ian Bostridge, tenor
Albert Grazzi, bassoon
Sophie Daneman, soprano
Madeleine Shaw,
mezzo-soprano
Benjamin Hulett, tenor
Jonathan Gunthorpe, baritone
The English Concert/Bernard Labadie
(Warner Classics)

John Marsh: Symphony No. 10 in E flat major
(“A Conversation for Two Orchestras”)
London Mozart Players/Matthias Bamert
(Chandos)

Thomas Arne: “Alfred” –
Overture
“Through storms awhile
the sun obscure”
“O guardian angels,
o descend”
“See liberty, virtue and honour appearing”
“Rule Britannia!”
Jennifer Smith &
Christine Brandes, sopranos
David Daniels, countertenor
Jamie MacDougall, tenor
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale/
Nicholas McGegan
(Deutsche Harmonia Mundi)

Arthur Sullivan:
“Macbeth” Overture
Royal Philharmonic/
Royston Nash
(Decca)

Charles Villiers Stanford: Cello Concerto in D minor
Alexander Baillie, cello
Royal Philharmonic/
Nicholas Braithwaite
(Lyrita)

Past Masters:
Elgar: “Variations on an Original Theme” (“Enigma”)
London Symphony Orchestra/Pierre Monteux
(recorded 1958)
(Decca)

Thomas Tallis:
“Why Fum’th in Fight?”
Atlanta Symphony Chorus/
Norman Mackenzie
(Telarc)

Vaughan Williams:
“Fantasia on a Theme
of Thomas Tallis”
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra/
Robert Spano
(Telarc)

Past Masters:
Britten:
“Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Henry Purcell”
London Symphony Orchestra/Benjamin Britten
(recorded 1966)
(Decca)

Purcell:
“Come, Ye Sons of Art”
Emily van Evera, soprano
John Mark Ainsley &
Charles Daniels, tenors
David Thomas, bass
Taverner Consort
& Players/
Andrew Parrott
(EMI Classics)