Elgar's Dream Of Gerontius.
Posted by: George Fredrik on 02 November 2010
This evening I listened to this for the first time in a year almost. The last time was just before Christmas 2009. I love the music and it was the programme of second ever concert I went to - in Worcester in 1974, when I was still eleven.
It is the work that I have attended most often in concerts, trying never to miss one of the almost annual performances in Hereford Cathedral, as well as having played in the Orchestra for it three times.
And yet it rarely seems to go so well on a recording. I have two that catch the music well enough: Both HMV/EMI recordings ... the 1976 recording conducted by Boult, and the 1945 "premiere" [at least premiere in the sense of being uncut for recording purposes] led by Sargent [available in a splendid transfer on Testament]. Others will have their favourites too. But I think we should not overlook the unique and visceral sections recorded "live" in 1927 [also by HMV from before the merger with Columbia to form EMI] from two performances led by Elgar himself in February in the RAH, and September in Hereford Cathedral.
Well tonight I listened again, and feel like I have never heard the music before.
Of course it helps that with iTunes I did not have to change discs during the music, so concentration is not potentially ruined, but that aside, I think the content and that is both in the music and the words of Cardinal Newman really require and understanding of the situation of loss of someone very close or family. Strange though it may sound listening to this work has co-incided with an acceptance at least after we scattered my mother's ashes a week ago yesterday. Once the work is taken like that it becomes life enhancing.
It now seems strange to me that I could still find much in it without this perspective, but I did ...
Thanks to Newman for his penetrating words, and Elgar for ultra-sensitive [to the text] music for being so full of comfort.
George
It is the work that I have attended most often in concerts, trying never to miss one of the almost annual performances in Hereford Cathedral, as well as having played in the Orchestra for it three times.
And yet it rarely seems to go so well on a recording. I have two that catch the music well enough: Both HMV/EMI recordings ... the 1976 recording conducted by Boult, and the 1945 "premiere" [at least premiere in the sense of being uncut for recording purposes] led by Sargent [available in a splendid transfer on Testament]. Others will have their favourites too. But I think we should not overlook the unique and visceral sections recorded "live" in 1927 [also by HMV from before the merger with Columbia to form EMI] from two performances led by Elgar himself in February in the RAH, and September in Hereford Cathedral.
Well tonight I listened again, and feel like I have never heard the music before.
Of course it helps that with iTunes I did not have to change discs during the music, so concentration is not potentially ruined, but that aside, I think the content and that is both in the music and the words of Cardinal Newman really require and understanding of the situation of loss of someone very close or family. Strange though it may sound listening to this work has co-incided with an acceptance at least after we scattered my mother's ashes a week ago yesterday. Once the work is taken like that it becomes life enhancing.
It now seems strange to me that I could still find much in it without this perspective, but I did ...
Thanks to Newman for his penetrating words, and Elgar for ultra-sensitive [to the text] music for being so full of comfort.
George