According to legend enshrined in a piece of English doggerel “if it rains on St Swithun's Day, it will rain for the next 40 days". While October is well past St Swithun’s day, it certainly has felt like it has been raining for that that length of time. Whatever, the volume of water that enveloped our town earlier in the month saw us having to cancel the first of our two sessions, inspiring one of our number to suggest a recording of Handel’s Water Music be sent out to all instead.
The music planned for that session was held over for the following session with fingers crossed that the curse of St Swithun wasn’t going to stick around. It didn’t! So we were able to appreciate a stunning recording of Dvorak’s Cello Concerto (Mischa Maisky with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra). Part of Debussy’s Bergamasque Suite and Shostakovich’s 3rd String Quartet made up the rest of the programme.
The session notes and recordings can be accessed via the links below.
The music planned for that session was held over for the following session with fingers crossed that the curse of St Swithun wasn’t going to stick around. It didn’t! So we were able to appreciate a stunning recording of Dvorak’s Cello Concerto (Mischa Maisky with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra). Part of Debussy’s Bergamasque Suite and Shostakovich’s 3rd String Quartet made up the rest of the programme.
The session notes and recordings can be accessed via the links below.
For those curious about St Swithun, he was Bishop of Winchester from 852-862AD. Unlike other religious figures, he asked not to be buried in a prominent place within Winchester Cathedral, but outside in a simple tomb "where the sweet rain of heaven may fall upon my grave".
In 971 the Bishop at the time moved Swithun's remains to a new shrine, commissioned by the King, inside Winchester Cathedral. The legend says after his remains were moved inside there was a great storm and it rained for many weeks after. St. Swithin’s day falls on the 15th July, and it is reputed to be on this day that the great flood started (Noah etc), hence this day being associated with the weather forecast for the English summer.
Bill Squire.
In 971 the Bishop at the time moved Swithun's remains to a new shrine, commissioned by the King, inside Winchester Cathedral. The legend says after his remains were moved inside there was a great storm and it rained for many weeks after. St. Swithin’s day falls on the 15th July, and it is reputed to be on this day that the great flood started (Noah etc), hence this day being associated with the weather forecast for the English summer.
Bill Squire.
