From the Archives: 1932 Messiah Programme and Review
As we prepare to return to St George’s Hall this November for our 2025-26 performance of Handel’s Messiah, we’re delving into the archives to revisit a treasured moment from our long and proud history.
This week, we’re thrilled to share a gem from the physical archive: the earliest Messiah concert programme we hold, dated Wednesday, December 21st, 1932, for a performance at Eastbrook Hall.
Conducted by the legendary Dr. Malcolm Sargent, the performance featured The Bradford Philharmonic Orchestra and an outstanding quartet of soloists: soprano Miss Stiles Allen, contralto Miss Gladys Ripley, tenor Mr. Frank Titterton, and bass Mr. Robert Easton. Despite Mr. Titterton struggling with illness, reviews praised the night as a triumph for both choir and conductor.
The Telegraph & Argus captured the essence of the evening in a glowing and characteristically colourful review:
“There were moments in last night’s performance at Eastbrook Hall by the Bradford Festival Choral Society when the hearts of the audience ran away with their hands… taken all round the applause-hounds had few opportunities of chipping in… owing to the fact that Dr. Malcolm Sargent kept up too smart a tempo for them.”
“The outstanding feature of the performance, however, was the work of the chorus, which was really brilliant… the tone, which was full and rich throughout, at times was almost organ-like.”
However, one line in the review led to a burst of laughter across Bradford:
“As usual Mr. John Paley contributed a fruitless trumpet obbligato…”
That eyebrow-raising phrase triggered a flurry of cheeky phone calls to the trumpet player, who took it in good humour. The paper later clarified:
“The ‘fruitless obbligato’ was a highly original perversion of what we had intended to be read as ‘faultless obbligato’. Mr. Paley… says he’s heard of the Biblical allusion to the blowing down of the walls of Jericho… but never about denuding trees of their fruit in this way.”
These glimpses into our past remind us of the lasting joy and high standards that have always defined the Bradford Festival Choral Society. As we head into our new season, we continue to honour this legacy while creating new memories with each performance.
Original Press Articles (Telegraph & Argus)
Review – Telegraph & Argus, 22 December 1932
“It would be a good thing if each member of a ‘Messiah’ audience had his or her hands strapped to the seat before the performance began. In this way, at any rate, the work would acquire some of that sense of continuity which it should by all rights possess, but which it never does. Spontaneous applause is no doubt inspiriting to the singers, but it is ruinous to the musical completeness of a work such as the ‘Messiah’, for after each burst of handclapping the conductor has to start all over again.
There were moments in last night’s performance at Eastbrook Hall by the Bradford Festival Choral Society when the hearts of the audience ran away with their hands, but taken all round the applause-hounds had few opportunities of chipping in with bouts of handclapping, principally owing to the fact that Dr. Malcolm Sargent kept up too smart a tempo for them.
We have come to expect big things from the annual performance by the Festival Choral Society, and we were not disappointed in any way last night. Handel’s somewhat sketchy score provides a conductor with opportunities of varying his interpretation, and Dr. Sargent never disappoints in this respect.
A WEAK SPOT
The outstanding feature of the performance, however, was the work of the chorus, which was really brilliant. They exhibited remarkable flexibility, and the tone, which was full and rich throughout, at times was almost organ-like. The one weak spot – and the fine sense of combination all but makes this undetectable – is the lack of male weight. Another 20 or 30 male voices would not be out of place.
It was a pity that Mr. Frank Titterton (tenor) should have still been suffering from the effects of throat trouble and a bad cold, for he always enjoys singing in the ‘Messiah’. Although he concealed his difficulty to a great extent last night, his singing was a trifle streaky. Mr. Robert Easton (bass) is the possessor of a fine robust voice, and he was in good form last night. Perhaps the best singing came from Miss Stiles Allen, who is one of the few sopranos who sing the recitatives and arias of the ‘Messiah’ without attempting to skip the coloratures of ‘Rejoice Greatly’. The singing of Miss Gladys Ripley (contralto) was characterised by splendid enunciation and intelligence.
Dr. Sargent obtained fine results from the Bradford Philharmonic Orchestra. As usual Mr. John Paley contributed a fruitless trumpet obbligato, and Mr. Wilfred Emery did good work at the organ. Among those present at the performance were the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Bradford (Alderman and Mrs. J.W. Longley).”
Follow-Up Article – Telegraph & Argus, 23 December 1932
THAT OBBLIGATO!
Mr John Paley, the brilliant Bradford trumpeter, has had so many compliments on his innumerable performances in Handel’s ‘Messiah’ that he raised his brows in amazement when he read in the ‘Telegraph and Argus’ last night that he has been credited with contributing ‘a fruitless obbligato’.
And it wasn’t long before his telephone bell rang with the first of a series of jocular messages that have led to many a hearty laugh since yesterday afternoon.
The ‘fruitless obbligato’ was a highly original perversion of what we had intended to be read as ‘faultless obbligato’. Mr. Paley, who immensely enjoyed the typographical slip, says he’s heard of the Biblical allusion to the blowing down of the walls of Jericho by the sounding of trumpets, but never about denuding trees of their fruit in this way. There can be no doubt that his playing is of outstanding merit, though, for when he came back from taking part in a broadcast ‘Messiah’ performance in Sheffield he received congratulations from several Bradford listeners, notwithstanding that the names of the performers were not announced.”
