"Good Morrow!"

Britain's Christmas waits (streetwalking carol-singers) last week had a new carol to add to their repertoire of Wenceslas, God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen, and 'Ark The 'Erald Haingels Sing. Sir Edward Elgar, potent and pontifical British composer and conductor, master of the King's music, had composed one especially to celebrate the recovery of his Majesty George V.

Some weeks ago Sir Edward browsed through a volume of poems by medieval George Gascoigne (1535-77) entitled A hnndreth Sundrie Floures bound up in one small Posie. Gathered Partely (by translation) in the fyne outlandish gardens of Euripides, Ovid, Petrarke, Ariosto and others; and partely by invention out of our own fruitful orchardes in Englande. Yielding Sundrie Savours of tragical, comical and moral discourse, bothe pleas-aunt and profitable, to the well smelling noses of learned Readers. The well-smelling nose of Sir Edward unearthed a hymn which seemed to him highly appropriate. Its last verse:

The rainbow bending in the sky, Bedecked with sundry hues, Is like the seat of God on high And seems to tell the news That as thereby he promised To drown the world no more So by the blood which Christ hath shed. He will our health restore.

This he set to music and retitled "Good Morrow! A simple carol for His Majesty's happy recovery." It was far from simple. Sir Edward Elgar's best known composition is "Pomp and Circumstance." It is a favorite cinema overture, its ponderous measures boom weekly from radio loud speakers.

'"Good Morrow!'" cabled London correspondents, "has stirring crescendos and rich harmonic effects."

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