Britain's Cathedrals and their Music with John Betjemen: Lichfield Cathedral 18 March, 1966

From 19 November 1965 to 1 April 1966, the BBC broadcast on what would become Radio 3 a series of weekly programmes presented by John Betjemen. The programmes consist of a selection of choral and organ music performed by the cathedral musicians and details of the cathedral narrated by Betjemen.

The Archive of Recorded Church Music has made several of the 19 programmes available on their YouTube channel, and have recently passed on a copy of the broadcast from 18 March, 1966 from Lichfield.

We have made the full episode available via YouTube, and it can be heard at https://youtu.be/FJSfUFHG9UU, or via the link below

The choir is directed by Richard Greening, and the organ is played by Robert Green. The musical items in the broadcast include

• 0'27": I give you a new commandment John Sheppard
• 10'11": When David heard Michael East
• 15'23": Factum est silentium Richard Dering
• 18:38": Agnus Dei from Mass for four voices William Byrd (in English, as Betjemen explains to listeners, as it is performed at Eucharist at the Cathedral)
• 22'16": Hear my prayer Henry Purcell
• 25'25": Organ: Prelude William Harris
• 27'18": Almighty and most merciful Father Ambrose P Porter
• 29'12": Organ: Carillon Herbert Murrill
• 31'43": Te Deum in C Benjamin Britten
• 39'37": Jubilate in C Benjamin Britten