Dartington Community Choir perform Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius

Based on the famous poem of Cardinal Newman, Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius follows the journey of a sick old man through death, divine judgement and finally towards redemption. A full-blooded and worldly sinner, the dying Gerontius prays to Mary and other saints for help as he meets his death; afterwards he is tenderly guided by a guardian Angel into a dazzling moment in the divine presence; here he gratefully accepts a time in purgatory to expiate his sins, before reaching heaven.

The music is Wagnerian in style, with the rich, mystical, religious appeal and emotional energy of Parsifal. Like Wagner, Elgar uses musical motifs to portray the central feelings and ideas within the work: a heart-rending expression of anguish and the consciousness of sin, juxtaposed with lyrical passages of tenderness and hope.

Coming after the huge success of his Enigma Variations, Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius has also become a much-loved national treasure.