A photo of Pan and a couple of pagan inspired pieces of music by Granville Bantock (1868-1946)

Pan on the wall of the small garden opposite my study window

This afternoon, whilst preparing tomorrow's address, I found myself listening to a couple of pieces of music by Granville Bantock (1868-1946). I discovered and fell in love with his music initially because of his splendid orchestral and choral setting of what remains one of my favourite poems, Edward Fitzgerald's rendering of the The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam—a poem introduced to me by my grandmother when I was still a very young boy.

The pieces I was listening to today were his Pagan Symphony (1928) and his charming piece for violin and flute called Pagan Poem (1930). Not surprisingly the latter piece in particular caused me to think of the god Pan and, as I looked out of my study window, I could see that the low winter sun had just alighted on a depiction of Pan's face which hangs on a wall in the small garden just behind the church. Of course, this confluence of events required me to go outside and greet the great god and take a photo of his rustic and cobwebby visage for your pleasure. Just click on the photo to enlarge it.