Patrick Hadley’s “My beloved spake”: King’s College Cambridge 1981 (Philip Ledger)

From a BBC choral evensong broadcast on 6 May 1981 from the chapel of King’s College Cambridge with the chapel choir, directed by Philip Ledger, and organ scholar John Butt.
The composer Patrick Hadley (5 Mar 1899-17 Dec 1973) was educated at Winchester College. He served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery, losing half of his right leg in the final weeks of World War I. After studying with Charles Wood and Cyril Rootham at Cambridge, he taught composition at the Royal College of Music in London. During the Second World War he deputised for Boris Ord as conductor of the Cambridge University Music Society. “My beloved spake” was written in 1938 and sets a biblical text from the Song of Solomon (2:10-13,16a).
My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.