THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS
This autumn Helsinki
has been spoiled with several types of church music performances beginning from
Handel’s Messiah and Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis and ending to Edward Elgar’s
The Dream of Gerontius. This oratorio composed in 1900 is Elgar’s largest work
and composed in late-Romantic style. So, the music does not immediately bring
to mind any oratorio, but clearly more wordly music, opera or sometimes Greek
Catholic liturgy.
The Dream of Gerontius
tells about the deathbed of a devout layman and his road to final judgement in
front of God and to purgatory. There are usually three (sometimes four) soloist
in it and a chorus. This time the chorus was actually made of three choruses
(Berliner Kantorei, Navichorus and Viva vox). The orchestra was Helsinki
Philharmonics.
The chorus sang
splendidly the whole evening, but my favourite moment was the meeting of
demons, when the chorus really could let it go. My favourite soloist was Elja
Puukko, which may have been partly caused by the fact that he was singing from
the pulpit, which possibly allowed his voice to ring especially beautifully.
 |
| Programme |
Ei kommentteja:
Lähetä kommentti