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The Parish Priest

Texts and music about the life of the parish priest, with readings by Celia Imrie and Michael Kitchen. Includes Trollope, Donne and Chaucer, Wagner, Bach, William Harris and Elgar.

Music, poetry and prose about the day to day life of the parish priest, with actors Celia Imrie and Michael Kitchen. Priests appear in major and minor roles in literature from Biblical times to the present day and frequently play a pivotal or catalyst part in the dramatic plot twists. Think of Mr Collins in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, or Obadiah Slope in Trollope's Barchester novels. Many priests have themselves been poets, such as R.S. Thomas and John Donne, whose work is featured along with the view points of long suffering vicars' wives, often the power behind the parish throne. Priests are often portrayed in novels and poetry as distinctive characters who are either malevolent, self absorbed, objects of desire or saintly. Rarely are they ordinary, frequently they are comical. Music surrounds the life of the church and the programme features works by Handel, J.S. Bach, William Harris, James MacMillan and Saint-Saens , and includes poetry and prose by, Charlotte Bronte, Charles Dickens, John Pritchard (Bishop of Oxford) and Thomas Hardy.
Producer Helen Garrison.

1 hour, 15 minutes

Last on

Sat 28 Jul 2012 18:00

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:00

    George Frideric Handel

    Zadok the Priest

    Performer: The King’s Consort, Performer: The Choir of the King’s Consort Performer: Robert King (conductor)

    • Hyperion CDA67286.
  • Anon., from ‘Godly and Righteous, Peevish and Perverse’, compiled R. Chapman

    Parish Ministry, read by Michael Kitchen

  • 00:08

    Howard Goodall

    Theme from 'The Vicar of Dibley' (The Lord is my Shepherd)

    Performer: George and the choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford Performer: Stephen Darlington (conductor)

    • London Records DIBCD 1.
  • 00:11

    Gilbert & Sullivan - The air is charged/Time was, when love and I were well acquainted (Th

    Performer: Jeffrey Kitch (tenor) - Dr Daly, vicar of Ploverleigh Performer: D’Oyly Carte Opera Company Performer: The New Symphony Orchestra Performer: Isidore Godfrey (conductor)

  • Lady Saba Holland

    A memoir of the Reverend Sydney Smith (extract), read by Celia Imrie

  • Adey Grummet

    Suddenly he thinks he’s a sunbeam (extract), read by Celia Imrie

  • 00:15

    Camille Saintâ€Saëns

    Wedding Cake

    Performer: Stephen Hough (piano) Performer: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Performer: Sakari Oramo (conductor)

    • Hyperion CDA67331/2.
  • Robert Dodsley

    An Epigram, read by Celia Imrie

  • Anthony Trollope

    Barchester Towers (extract), read by Michael Kitchen

  • Mark Twain

    The adventures of Tom Sawyer (extract), read by Celia Imrie

  • 00:22

    Lange/Heath/Loring

    Deacon Jones

    Performer: Harvey and the Wallbangers

    • Gott discs GottCD015.
  • Thomas Hardy

    In Church, read by Celia Imrie

  • 00:25

    Morton Gould

    Spirituals: III A little bit of sin

    Performer: London Symphony Orchestra Performer: Walter Susskind (conductor)

    • Everest EVC 9003.
  • Charles Dickens

    Reprinted pieces (extract), read by Michael Kitchen

  • 00:27

    J.R. Bailey

    Go to Hell

    Performer: Nina Simone

    • Global RADCD84.
  • Bible reading from Choral Evensong at St Edmundsbury Cathedral

    Wisdom 4, vv 10-15, read by Canon Martin Shaw

  • 00:31

    Uri Caine

    Dark Flame (after Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn - St Anthony of Padua)

    Performer: Uri Caine and friends

    • Winter and Winter 910 095-2.
  • Mark Twain

    The adventures of Tom Sawyer (extract), read by Celia Imrie

  • 00:33

    Martin Shaw (after trad. English melody)

    Hymn: All things bright and beautiful

    • Imperial War Museum RRCD244/WM.
  • Charlotte Brontë

    Jane Eyre (extract), read by Celia Imrie

  • 00:36

    Malcolm Arnold

    Theme from Whistle down the wind

    Performer: London Symphony Orchestra Performer: Richard Hickox (conductor)

    • Chandos CHAN 9100.
  • 00:39

    Johann Sebastian Bach

    O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht BWV 118b

    Performer: The Monteverdi Choir Performer: The English Baroque Soloists Performer: John Eliot Gardiner (conductor)

    • Archiv 429 782-2.
  • John Pritchard, Bishop of Oxford

    The life and work of a priest (extract), read by Michael Kitchen

  • 00:50

    Sir James MacMillan

    A child's prayer (dedicated to the dead of Dunblane)

    Performer: The Choir of Westminster Cathedral Performer: Martin Baker (Master of Music)

    • Hyperion CDA67219.
  • R.S. Thomas

    Sure, read by Celia Imrie

  • 00:54

    Benjamin Britten

    St Nicholas: The birth of Nicolas

    Performer: Anthony Rolfe Johnson (tenor) Performer: Harry Briggs (treble) Performer: Corydon Singers Performer: English Chamber Orchestra Performer: Matthew Best (conductor)

    • Hyperion CDA66333.
  • Jane Austen

    Pride and Prejudice (extract), read by Celia Imrie

  • 00:59

    Trad. English, arr. Sir Charles Mackerras

    The Vicar of Bray

    Performer: Owen Brannigan (bass) Performer: Hendon Grammar School Choir Performer: Pro Arte Orchestra Performer: Sir Charles Mackerras (conductor)

    • EMI 5 85912 2.
  • Simon Nash

    Unhallowed murder (extract), read by Michael Kitchen

  • 01:02

    William 'Count' Basie

    Blues in the church

    Performer: Count Basie Trio

    • Pablo CD 2310.712.
  • David Runcorn

    Self Management, from ‘The Vicar’s Guide’, ed. David Ison, read by Celia Imrie

  • 01:08

    Stephen Sondheim

    Sweeney Todd, the demon barber of Fleet Street - A little priest

    Performer: Angela Lansbury (Mrs Lovett) Performer: Len Cariou (Sweeney Todd) Performer: Original cast recording Performer: Paul Gemignani (musical director)

    • RCA Red Seal 3379-2-RC.
  • Anonymous

    The Bishop’s Mistake, read by Michael Kitchen

  • Adey Grummet

    Suddenly he thinks he’s a sunbeam (extract), read by Celia Imrie

  • 01:15

    Wynton Marsalis

    Sunday Blessing

    Performer: Big Band Performer: Wynton Marsalis (conductor)

    • Sony SK 51239.
  • Brian Patten

    Jesus Christ was out walking, read by Celia Imrie

  • R.S. Thomas

    The Priest, read by Michael Kitchen

  • Choral Evensong at St Edmundsbury Cathedral

    Creed

  • 01:20

    William Henry Harris

    Bring us, O Lord God

    Performer: Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford Performer: John Harper (director)

    • Alpha CDCA 914.
  • Choral Evensong at St Edmundsbury Cathedral

    Blessing, The Very Reverend Raymond Furnell, Provost of St Edmundsbury

  • 01:23

    Albert Ketèlbey

    Bells across the meadow

    Performer: The New London Orchestra Performer: Ronald Corp (conductor)

    • Hyperion CDA66868.
  • John Pritchard, Bishop of Oxford

    The life and work of a priest (extract), read by Michael Kitchen

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