Edward Elgar's giant cantata (the composer rejected the term oratorio) The Dream of Gerontius, Op. 38, which appeared in 1900, has always been a popular work among British choirs and traditionally minded audiences. Outside of Britain its heavy Cardinal Newman tale of a soul going through divine judgment, redolent of Catholic theological detail (even British Anglicans demanded revisions), and massive orchestration have proven less appealing. Yet the work hangs on, for there's a certain fascination in seeing how ...
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Edward Elgar's giant cantata (the composer rejected the term oratorio) The Dream of Gerontius, Op. 38, which appeared in 1900, has always been a popular work among British choirs and traditionally minded audiences. Outside of Britain its heavy Cardinal Newman tale of a soul going through divine judgment, redolent of Catholic theological detail (even British Anglicans demanded revisions), and massive orchestration have proven less appealing. Yet the work hangs on, for there's a certain fascination in seeing how wholeheartedly Elgar accepted the influence of Wagner, especially that of Parsifal. This is as Germanic as British music gets. What's required to bring it off is strong soloists on one hand and a conductor who keeps it all from slipping into murk on the other. This handsome Chandos release succeeds on both counts, with a very strong Wagnerian tenor, Stuart Skelton, in the role of Gerontius, a uniformly good supporting cast, and classically clear work in the choruses from the BBC Symphony Chorus....
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