A Feast of English Music

PURCELL (arr. ELGAR): Jehova, quam multi sunt hostes mei
ELGAR: 'Enigma' Variations

Toby Spence tenor
Henry Waddington bass-baritone

BBC National Chorus of Wales
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Ryan Wigglesworth conductor

A programme of English music, starting with Purcell's dramatic choral motet Jehova, quam multi sunt hostes mei. The composer used such advanced harmonies that when Edward Elgar was orchestrating the work two centuries later, he is said to have been concerned that the particular Purcell score which he was using might contain misprints! In his own 'Enigma' Variations, Elgar created one of the most enduring, as well as most delightful, musical mysteries. It's a set of orchestral variations on a theme, each variation a disguised sonic portrait of one of Elgar's friends. But what of the theme itself, the enigma at the heart of the work?

Andrew McGregor is joined by one of UK's leading music writers and broadcasters Stephen Johnson.

(Photo: conductor Ryan Wigglesworth by BBC/Chris Christodoulou)