St John Eliot

I have had such a feast enjoying Baroque Spring  for the last weeks, and it finishes today with the Marathon Bach Concert from the Royal Albert Hall. 

A Passionate Life  a biography of JS Bach  on BBC2 on Saturday night was the highlight of my Easter. Even the humanist Phillip Pulman surprised me with a positive quote about God . Today the Marathon, which I am hearing through  Radio 3, the wonderful Goldberg variations are just about to start. In the BBC clip during the scene shift I thought I heard George Martins name mentioned sans hearing aid, reminding me of my favourite Beatles song , In My Life' which was heavily 'bached' by him. 

Money from son for recent birthday is spent  . It was supposed to be for a kneeler for the Allotment. I have pre-ordered my favourite Bach Cantata instead , which should arrive by Ascension Day, if not well before as is released tomorrow. 

Kathleen Ferrier Centenary Year started in Scarborough

Proceeds to Cancer Funds

I have been playing my CD's of Kathleen Ferrier for days in anticipation of my evening out. And what a fluke we even heard this concert was on, as daughter no 1 mentioned it casually as her choir, Graham Community Choir was doing stewarding for it . I doubt that any of my children even know who Kathleen Ferrier was. Actually I should say IS, for her legacy of recordings is very much still with us. My  family know that I am waiting for someone to digitally remaster Bachs Cantata 11 for Ascension Day  , the Ferrier One, though they will all recognise her picture as it is on the front sleeve of the record which is on my desk next to my Peter Blake Beatles sleeve.

The concert today marked the first in her Centenary Year, and I think might be a unique one as the recital had exactly the same music as the one in Scarborough 60 years ago tonight. 

My singer husband thinks Anna Stephany has a glorious voice. My daughter thought Simon Lepper is drop dead gorgeous. I think they are both right, but still like RogerVignoles .

I was waiting to hear the 4 Brahms songs, thinking they would be the emotional highlight of the evening,but Imogen, Colin and I all agree that the Vaughan Williams song Silent Noon was the top spot. The Programme is here. I am too tired to type it out.

We are planning to go the the Albert Hall in November to hear another Centenary Year  Concert, of  The Dream of Gerontius . That will be something, Colin has sung it several times, and I have argued about its theology, but am informed that the doctrine of  Purgatory has been abolished by the Roman Catholic Church , all that aside, the music is sublime.


Here is  a recording of Kathleen Ferrier herself singing  Silent Noon.

Thanks for the link! A treat indeed and the whole work ! See Comments

Praise our God who lives in Heaven

I Shall be playing my favourite Bach Cantata all Day. I haven't got a record player  so will be listening to the Cantata no 11 for Ascension Day    in a version Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen  in German taped from the Radio about 20 yrs ago. John Elliot Gardener has not done my one in his Pilgrimage series through the Cantatas yet. 

C and I are off to take aged Parent to Beverley Minster for HC. We shall listen all the way.  I'm not repeating what I think about on this my favourite RED LETTER Day .