Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius Orchestral & Concertos Choir 2 for 1

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COMPACT DISC ONE

SIR CHARLES HUBERT H. PARRY

(1848-1918)

Blest Pair of Sirens (1887)

11:54

(At a Solemn Musick)

for Chorus and Orchestra

An Ode by Milton

I was glad (1902, revised 1911)

7:02

Coronation Anthem for Edward VII

for Chorus and Orchestra

Revised for George V

Words from Psalm 122

SIR EDWARD ELGAR (1857 – 1934)

(1857-1934)

The Dream of Gerontius, Op. 38

95:13

for Mezzo-soprano, Tenor, Bass, Chorus, and Orchestra

Words by Cardinal Newman

Part I: 37:16

Prelude -

10:17

Gerontius: 'Jesu, Maria - I am near to death' -

3:40

Assistants: 'Kyrie eleison' -

2:16

Gerontius: 'Rouse thee, my fainting soul, and play the man' -

0:51

Assistants: 'Be merciful, be gracious; spare him, Lord' -

3:07

Gerontius: 'Sanctus fortis, Sanctus Deus' -

4:49

Gerontius: 'I can no more; for now it comes again' -

1:56

10.

Assistants: 'Rescue him, O Lord, in this evil hour' -

2:16

11.

Gerontius: 'Novissima hora est; and I fain would sleep' -

1:29

12.

The Priest and Assistants: 'Profociscere, anima Christiana, de hoc mundo!' -

1:59

13.

Assistants: 'Go, in the name of Angels and Archangels'

4:30

56:32

COMPACT DISC TWO

Part II: 57:57

Introduction: Soul of Gerontius: 'I went to sleep;

6:25

and now I am refreshed' -

Angel: 'My work is done' -

3:10

Angel: 'All hail! My child and brother, hail!' -

5:44

Demons: 'Low-born clods of brute earth' -

1:54

Angel: 'It is the restless panting of their being' -

0:16

Demons: 'The mind bold and independent' -

2:20

Soul of Gerontius: 'I see not those false spirits' -

3:25

Choir of Angelicals: 'Praise to the Holiest in the height' -

2:40

Angel: 'We now have passed the gate, and are within…' -

0:27

10.

Choir of Angelicals: 'Glory to Him, who evermore' -

0:30

11.

Angel: 'They sing of thy approaching agony' -

0:47

12.

Soul of Gerontius: 'But hark! a grand mysterious harmony' -

0:39

13.

Angel: 'And now the threshold, as we traverse it' -

0:32

14.

Choir of Angelicals: 'Praise to the Holiest in the height' -

6:56

15.

Angel: 'Thy judgement now is near, for we are come' -

3:23

16.

Angel of the Agony: 'Jesu! by that shuddering dread

3:50

which fell on Thee' -

17.

Soul of Gerontius: 'I go before my Judge' -

1:43

18.

Angel: 'Praise to His Name!' -

1:34

19.

Soul of Gerontius: 'Take me away, and in the lowest

2:56

deep…' -

20.

Souls in Purgatory: 'Lord, Thou hast been our refuge;

1:14

in every generation' -

21.

Angel: 'Softly and gently, dearly-ransomed soul'

7:19

Solo: Gwynne Howell bass (The Priest/Angel of the Agony)

57:57

Solo: Roderick Elms organ

Choral: London Symphony Chorus

Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra

Conductor: Richard Hickox

14-16 February 1988

"... Hickox’s performances of choral-orchestral pieces have struck me as direct, fairly exciting, and (even when using period instruments) robust in sound; indeed, his choral work as always been admirable. Those qualities shine through inabundance here This is a terrific reissue with great sonics ..."

Paul Althouse - American Record Guide - January/February 2014

"...The Elgar emphasises what was lost with Hickox’s premature death. It is powerfully dramatic (the Demons have never sounded more ferociously demonic) but hypersensitive to the marvelous subtlety of orchestral and choral colour. Fine soloists, not least Felicity Palmer. "

David Cairns - The Sunday Times (Culture magazine) - 6 October 2013

"...This is a Gerontius sung and recorded on a really grand, operatic scale and remains the best version of the last twenty-five years. Issued as part of Chandos’ The Hickox Legacy, it also stands as a fitting memorial to the late Richard Hickox, who died in 2008 aged only sixty."

Ralph Moore - MusicWeb-International.com - 8 August 2013

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