A Celebration of John Milton

John Milton has many associations with St Giles.

Milton's Cottage has its own website

	During the summer there have been installations by artist Mark Maxwell. The hanging text of this art work is the first lines of Milton's Paradise Lost, 'Of man's first disobedience'

A musical celebration of John Milton

This was presented by the enterprising Live Literature Company, and led by Valerie Drayton. She directed what was simple but stylish potpourri of music, poetry and dramatic scenes, accompanied by illustrations back-projected on to a large scene and very ably stage-managed by Lauren.  The music was performed by Anne on the East organ and by our quarter of Penny, Sue, John and Steve, and Henry accompanied by Sam on the piano.

The poetry readings and enactment of the dramatic scenes were articulated with sensitivity and clarity by Charles, Margo, Lucy and Dave, all aspiring actors anxious to make a name for themselves.

The proceedings began with Margo reading Wordsworth’ poem “London 1812”, while projected on the screen was the image of Milton. This and most of the subsequent images were the work of William Blake. The poem is an exultation of Milton, containing the famous line “England has need of thee”, to give us “manners, virtue, freedom and power”.  

Next followed a performance by 4 members of the choir and Anne of “Blest Pair of Sirens”, with words by Milton and music by C.H. Parry (1848-1918­), who was then established as the best English choral composer of the day. In this piece, the music and text are in perfect harmony, dissonant notes reflecting man's discord, an exquisite melody when it is resolved.

There then followed scenes from “Paradise Lost”, with images especially designed by William Blake projected on to the screen. A monumental and ambitious work, it is Milton’s supreme achievement. At the same time it is profoundly human, concerned with feelings which are universal, of love, ambition and hunger for knowledge

The chancel was used imaginatively as the Garden of Eden. We saw the happiness of Adam and Eve, the temptation of Eve by Satan, her seduction of her husband and the final expulsion of both from the Garden. The 3 players, Lucy as Eve, Charles as Adam and Dave as Satan as well as doubling as the storyteller, acquitted themselves very professionally, bringing out the nobility and the pathos of the lines.

 Next came the splendid reading and singing of some of Milton’s sonnets accompanied by the picture of Milton aged 21. “When I consider how my light is spent”, written as Milton became blind, was sung by Margo, followed by Henry’s singing of “How soon hath Time”, composed when Milton was at Cambridge, with music by Fimzi. “Cyriak, the Three Years’ Day”, written when Milton was actually blind, was next sang by Margo.

From “Me thought I saw my late espoused saint”, read by Henry, a sonnet to Katherine, Milton’s second wife who died in childbirth, it is clear that despite his severe and disciplined nature, Milton could show profound human feelings of love and loss. In actual fact, he never saw his wife’s face since he had been blind for several years before he married her. “Her face was veil’d”, he wrote in the poem.

There then followed a fine reading by Charles, Lucy and Dave of “On the Morning of Christ’s Nativity”, a mature poem written at Cambridge when Milton was 21.  His first genuinely religious poem, it was also the longest he had written so far. Joyous, abounding in Christian and classical allusions, it contained 3 main themes: peace on earth, angelic music and the departure of the pagan gods. In this personal thank you offering for the infant Christ, it is said that Milton had come of age as a poet.

This fine miscellany of music, poetry and drama was concluded by all of us singing that stirring and rousing hymn “Jerusalem”.  Although it deserved a bigger audience that it got, we hope that the very talented Live Literature Company will visit us again.