Dream of Gerontius, The, Op. 38 [Alf:36-A402201]

In 1898, Edward Elgar (1857-1934) was commissioned to compose a major work for the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival. For his subject, he chose John Henry Newman's 1865 poem THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS, which follows the soul of a man on its pilgrimage after death, attended by his guardian angel through the stages of judgment and grace. It is constructed in two parts: Gerontius on his deathbed, and his journey into the afterlife. Although it is an unstaged religious piece for vocal soloists, choir, and orchestra, Elgar spurned the term "oratorio" when describing the work. It premiered on October 3, 1900 at Birmingham Town Hall under the direction of Hans Richter. Despite a poor performance, it has since become regarded by many as his magnum opus. Instrumentation: 2+Picc.2+EH.2+BCl.2+CBsn: 4.3.2+BTbn.1: Timp: Perc(5-6): 2Hp(2nd opt).Org: Str (4.4.3.3.3 in set): Mx Chor. Soli MzTB.