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.
Last on
Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
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00:00
George Frideric Handel
Zadok the Priest
Performer: The King鈥檚 Consort, Performer: The Choir of the King鈥檚 Consort Performer: Robert King (conductor)
- Hyperion CDA67286.
-
Anon., from 鈥楪odly and Righteous, Peevish and Perverse鈥, compiled R. Chapman
Parish Ministry, read by Michael Kitchen
00:08Howard 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.
00:11Gilbert & 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鈥橭yly 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鈥檚 a sunbeam (extract), read by Celia Imrie
00:15Camille Saint鈥怱a毛ns
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
00:22Lange/Heath/Loring
Deacon Jones
Performer: Harvey and the Wallbangers
- Gott discs GottCD015.
Thomas Hardy
In Church, read by Celia Imrie
00:25Morton 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
00:27J.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
00:31Uri 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
00:33Martin Shaw (after trad. English melody)
Hymn: All things bright and beautiful
- Imperial War Museum RRCD244/WM.
Charlotte Bront毛
Jane Eyre (extract), read by Celia Imrie
00:36Malcolm Arnold
Theme from Whistle down the wind
Performer: London Symphony Orchestra Performer: Richard Hickox (conductor)
- Chandos CHAN 9100.
00:39Johann 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
00:50Sir 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
00:54Benjamin 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
00:59Trad. 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
01:02William 'Count' Basie
Blues in the church
Performer: Count Basie Trio
- Pablo CD 2310.712.
David Runcorn
Self Management, from 鈥楾he Vicar鈥檚 Guide鈥, ed. David Ison, read by Celia Imrie
01:08Stephen 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鈥檚 Mistake, read by Michael Kitchen
Adey Grummet
Suddenly he thinks he鈥檚 a sunbeam (extract), read by Celia Imrie
01:15Wynton 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
01:20William 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
01:23Albert Ket猫lbey
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
Broadcasts
- Sun 16 Oct 2011 17:00大象传媒 Radio 3
- Sat 28 Jul 2012 18:00大象传媒 Radio 3