‘This is the best of me … this I saw and knew; this, if anything of mine, is worth your memory.’
Elgar recognised the value of his masterpiece, The Dream of Gerontius, and quoted these lines from Ruskin at the end of the manuscript. His setting of Newman’s poem, which follows the journey of man’s soul into death and beyond, is considered by many to be his greatest choral achievement. For this and The Apostles (see 12 April), leading Elgarian Sir Andrew Davis conducts a superlative cast, comprising Sarah Connolly, Brindley Sherratt and Australian tenor Stuart Skelton with the 91Èȱ¬ Symphony Chorus.
Please note that David Soar has replaced Brindley Sherratt for this performance.