The Dream of Gerontius

The Dream of Gerontius, Op. 38, is a beautiful piece of music made for voices and orchestra. It was created by Edward Elgar in the year 1900. The words come from a poem written by John Henry Newman. This music tells the story of a good man's journey after he passes away, from his last moments to meeting God and finding peace in Purgatory.

Elgar did not like calling this piece an oratorio, even though many people do. Even so, many think this is one of Elgar's best works with voices. The music was first played at the Birmingham Music Festival in 1900, on October 3, in Birmingham Town Hall. The very first time it was played did not go well, but when people in Germany heard it later, they understood how special it was.

Because the poem used ideas from Roman Catholic beliefs, it was hard to play in places that followed Anglican traditions at first. To fix this, the words were changed a little for shows at the Three Choirs Festival until the year 1910.

History

Edward Elgar was not the first composer to think about setting John Henry Newman's poem The Dream of Gerontius. Dvořák had considered it fifteen years earlier but decided not to. Elgar knew the poem well; he had owned a copy since at least 1885. In 1898, he was asked to write a major work for the 1900 Birmingham Triennial Music Festival. He began composing in 1899.

Elgar worked quickly, and his editor August Jaeger helped shape the music. There was very little time before the first performance, and the choir found the music very hard. The first performance in 1900 had some problems, but later performances were better received. The work was later performed in many cities, including Düsseldorf, Chicago, New York, and Toronto. Over time, The Dream of Gerontius became known as one of Elgar's best works.

Synopsis

Newman's poem tells the story of a soul's journey through death, exploring ideas from Roman Catholic beliefs. Gerontius, meaning "old man," is an ordinary person who is very faithful. In the first part, we hear Gerontius as he is dying, feeling both scared and hopeful but always sure of his faith. Friends, called "assistants," join him in prayer. He passes away peacefully, and a priest with the assistants sends him off with kind words.

In the second part, Gerontius, now called "The Soul," wakes up in a place without space or time. He meets his guardian angel, who is very happy because his work is done. They talk for a long time and then travel toward the judgment throne. They pass by some demons and hear choirs of angels praising God. The Angel of the Agony asks Jesus to be kind to faithful souls. Finally, Gerontius sees God, is judged in a moment, and is taken by the Guardian Angel to a peaceful lake in Purgatory, with a promise of future glory.

Music

Forces

The piece needs a big orchestra, a double choir with a smaller group, and usually three solo singers. The main character, Gerontius, is sung by a tenor, and an Angel is sung by a mezzo-soprano. Another character, the Priest, is sung by a baritone. The choir takes on many roles, like friends, angels, and souls in a place called Purgatory. They sing in different ways, sometimes as one group and sometimes as two groups at the same time.

The orchestra includes two flutes, two oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, trumpets, trombones, a tuba, timpani, percussion, a harp, an organ, and string instruments. Elgar suggested having extra musicians for a big climax in the second part.

Form

The work has two parts, each with several sections. The music flows without big pauses between sections. Part I is about 35 minutes long, and Part II is about 60 minutes.

Part I:

1. Prelude
2. Jesu, Maria – I am near to death
3. Rouse thee, my fainting soul
4. Sanctus fortis, sanctus Deus
5. Proficiscere, anima Christiana

Part II:

1. I went to sleep
2. It is a member of that family
3. But hark! upon my sense comes a fierce hubbub
4. I see not those false spirits
5. But hark! a grand mysterious harmony
6. Thy judgment now is near
7. I go before my judge
8. Softly and gently, dearly-ransomed soul

Part I

The piece starts with an orchestra introduction that shows important musical ideas. Gerontius sings a prayer, feeling weak and scared, and asks his friends to pray with him. The choir adds words of devotion. Gerontius sings a long, strong prayer, mixed with the choir and his friends. At peace, he says goodbye, and the priest gives a blessing. This leads to a big chorus ending Part I.

Part II

Part II starts calmly, with the Soul feeling wonder in a new place. The Angel appears, and they talk together. Then, fallen angels appear, showing anger. Gerontius asks if he will see God soon. The Angel warns him about what he will experience. Angels keep praising, and the music grows more intense. The Soul meets the Angel of Agony and then goes before God. After being judged, the Soul asks to be taken away. The Soul joins others in Purgatory, and the piece ends with a farewell song.

Dedication and superscription

Elgar dedicated his work "To the greater glory of God" and added a line from an old writer, asking why people desire light so much. At the end of his manuscript, he wrote that this part of him was the best, and the rest of his life was like a passing cloud. A performer named Richter wrote that even if some parts were dropped, the genius of the music should not be.

Recordings

Many recordings of The Dream of Gerontius have been made over the years. Some of the earliest recordings were made by Henry Wood in 1916, featuring Clara Butt as the Angel. Later, in 1927, His Master's Voice released live recordings from performances led by the composer Edward Elgar.

The first complete recording was made in 1945 by EMI, conducted by Malcolm Sargent. It featured singers like Heddle Nash and Gladys Ripley. In 1964, EMI released the first stereophonic recording, led by John Barbirolli and featuring Janet Baker as the Angel. Many other recordings have been made since then, including versions led by conductors such as Adrian Boult, Benjamin Britten, and Vladimir Ashkenazy.

The BBC Radio 3 feature "Building a Library" has reviewed many of these recordings, along with guides from The Penguin Guide to Recorded Classical Music and Gramophone. The most recommended recordings are Sargent's 1945 version and Barbirolli's 1964 recording.

Arrangements

A musician named John Morrison created a version of the start of The Dream of Gerontius for a wind band, and it was published by Molenaar Edition. The composer Edward Elgar also made his own version called Prelude and Angel's Farewell for just the orchestra. This version came out in 1902. Later, in 1917, Elgar recorded a shorter version of this arrangement on an old-style record.

In popular culture

The Dream of Gerontius has been used in several stories and shows. In 1974, it was a key part of a BBC play called Penda's Fen by David Rudkin. In 2010, the British radio show The Archers ended an episode with music from this work when a character named Phil passed away. A 2025 film called The Choral shows a performance of The Dream of Gerontius by a made-up choir called the Ramsden Choral Society.