Elgar: The Dream Of Gerontius City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra & Brighton Festival Chorus

Conductor Edward Gardner at the helm of this superbly drilled orchestra drove the work forward with a confidence that allowed the huge sound required for so many parts to never overpower the solo voices or indeed the quieter orchestral moments. Force and delicacy were perfectly balanced, as were the excellent soloists Alice Coote mezzo-soprano, Matthew Rose bass and in particular
the tenor Robert Murray whose crystal clear tones could soar above the orchestra when required and never lost any of that clarity when reduced to the faintest of whispers. His was a performance of such delicate balance that as well as being finely sung it was both dramatic and moving.
Brighton Festival Chorus were on absolutely top form, again delicate when required but thunderously powerful too, once again proving them to be a choral ensemble of real quality. If I have any complaint it would be that I would have preferred to sit through the whole work in one go, and not lose the mood or the moment, rather than endure the terrible scrum created by an interval.
22 May
Brighton Dome Concert Hall
Andrew Kay
5 stars