Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius - The Music Makers / Gedda, Watts, Lloyd, Baker; Boult

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Elgar's Dream of Gerontius is, in effect, a sung tone poem and resides at the core of English choral music; it is the supreme achievement among Elgar's large-scale works. Interestingly, its premiere came in the last months of the 19th century, a time, much like our own, when fluctuating styles and experimentation existed alongside a lingering and powerful devotion to the older, traditional ways. Thus, the release of this classic 1975 recording (intelligently paired with another sumptuous, musically significant choral work, The Music Makers) is not only timely but serves to remind us of how successfully Elgar bridged both Romanticism's dwindling currents and the swelling streams of impressionism and atonality. This performance, featuring the 86-year-old Adrian Boult in total, rock-steady command, shows what magic can happen when conductor and performers are in complete sync, musically and philosophically. The melodies are abundant and beautiful, the choral writing is magnificent, and the sound, especially in Gerontius, is full and vibrant. --David Vernier

Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius - The Music Makers / Gedda, Watts, Lloyd, Baker; Boult, Music, Edward Elgar, Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult, Nicolai Gedda, Dame Janet Baker, Helen Watts, Robert Lloyd, John Alldis Choir, Choral, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Hai Soon, Oratorio, Orchestral & Symphonic
Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius - The Music Makers / Gedda, Watts, Lloyd, Baker; Boult
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The best singer of "Gerontius"
  • Janet Baker at her Best!
  • Boult's Gerontius
  • glorious gerontius
 Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius - The Music Makers / Gedda, Watts, Lloyd, Baker; Boult
Edward Elgar , Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus , New Philharmonia Orchestra , Sir Adrian Boult , Nicolai Gedda , Dame Janet Baker , Helen Watts , Robert Lloyd , and John Alldis Choir
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius
  2. Elgar: The Kingdom/Coronation Ode
  3. Elgar: Introduction & Allegro for Strings; Symphony No. 1
  4. Great Recordings Of The Century - Janet Baker Sings Mahler / Barbirolli, et al
  5. Elgar: The Wand of Youth; Nursery Suite

ASIN: B00000GCAV
Release Date: 1999-01-12

Tracks:

  1. The Music Makers: (Moderato e nobilmente)
  2. The Music Makers: We Are The Music Makers
  3. The Music Makers: With Wonderful Deathless Ditties
  4. The Music Makers: We, In The Ages Lying
  5. The Music Makers: A Breath Of Our Inspiration
  6. The Music Makers: They Had No Vision Amazing
  7. The Music Makers: And Therefore To-day Is Thrilling
  8. The Music Makers: But We, With Our Dreaming And Singing
  9. The Music Makers: For We Are Afar With The Dawning
  10. The Music Makers: Great Hail! We Cry To The Comers
  11. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part I: Prelude (Lento, mistico--Moderato--Andantino--Come prima)
  12. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part I: Jesu, Maria - I Am Near To Death
  13. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part I: Kyrie eleison...Holy Mary, Pray For Him
  14. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part I: Rouse Thee, My Fainting Soul
  15. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part I: Be Merciful, Be Gracious
  16. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part I: Sanctis fortis, Sanctus Deus
  17. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part I: I Can No More
  18. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part I: Rescue Him, O Lord
  19. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part I: Novissima hora est
  20. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part I: Proficiscere, anima Christiana
  21. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part I: Go In The Name Of Angels

Tracks:

  1. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: (Andantino) - I went To Sleep
  2. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: My Work Is Done
  3. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: All Hail! My Child
  4. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: Low-Born Clods Of Brute Earth
  5. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: It Is The Restless Panting Of Their Being
  6. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: The Mind Bold And Independent
  7. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: I See Not Those False Spirits
  8. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: Praise To The Holiest
  9. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: The Sound Is Like The Rushing Of The Wind
  10. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: Glory To Him
  11. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: They Sing Of Thy Approaching Agony
  12. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: But Hark! A Grand Mysterious Harmony
  13. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: And Now The Threshold
  14. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: Praise To The Holiest
  15. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: Thy Judgment Now Is Near
  16. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: Jesu! By That Shuddering Dread
  17. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: Be Merciful, Be Gracious
  18. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: Praise To His Name!
  19. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: Take Me Away
  20. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Refuge
  21. The Dream Of Gerontius, Op. 38: Part II: Softly And Gently

Amazon.com essential recording

Elgar's Dream of Gerontius is, in effect, a sung tone poem and resides at the core of English choral music; it is the supreme achievement among Elgar's large-scale works. Interestingly, its premiere came in the last months of the 19th century, a time, much like our own, when fluctuating styles and experimentation existed alongside a lingering and powerful devotion to the older, traditional ways. Thus, the release of this classic 1975 recording (intelligently paired with another sumptuous, musically significant choral work, The Music Makers) is not only timely but serves to remind us of how successfully Elgar bridged both Romanticism's dwindling currents and the swelling streams of impressionism and atonality. This performance, featuring the 86-year-old Adrian Boult in total, rock-steady command, shows what magic can happen when conductor and performers are in complete sync, musically and philosophically. The melodies are abundant and beautiful, the choral writing is magnificent, and the sound, especially in Gerontius, is full and vibrant. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The best singer of "Gerontius".......2001-03-19

This is the second recording of this work I have in my possession, the other being the Britten version, and I have also heard the Barbirolli one. This one is undoubtedly my favourite, if not specifically for the interpretation (as in a way I prefer Britten for reasons mentioned below), then certainly for the soloists. Peter Pears has his fans but I am definitely not one of them. His harsh tone and strained high notes are very off-putting. Neither do I think Richard Lewis is ideal for the role of Gerontius, his voice being a little bit too clean and English for this music. Admittedly Elgar was about as English as you could get in terms of his music, but reading about Boults comments on Elgar's intentions, as well as taking into account the Catholic roots of this piece, so far removed from all things Anglican, it is clear that a more operatic tenor is called for. Nicolai Gedda is the perfect choice- a very fine operatic tenor with excellent English. As for the other soloists, Kim Borg on the Barbirolli recording makes a few strange noises with the words, John Shirley-Quirk has a slightly woolly tone, but Robert Lloyd has it all- a fantastic voice and no problems with the language. My only complaint would be that occasionally he disrupts the line of the music too much, punching out certain words for emphasis. The mezzo soloist is less clear cut. Baker is regarded as perhaps the best of them all and this is probably true. Watts is very solid but I was very disappointed at her missing out of the top A, one of the great climaxes of the piece in my opinion. And Minton has a very fine dark voice, but occasionally has a problem with flatness.

So overall I would say this is the best recording for the soloists, as I do not like listening to either Lewis or Pears. The interpretation is a matter of taste. My only problem with Boult is that occasionally (as in the end of the first bass solo with the priest and attendants) he tries to draw out the phrases so much that the singers find it hard to sustain, whereas Britten keeps the line sustained to the end of every phrase and beyond, making for more continuity. Also there is a point near the end of the piece where some of the players seem to lose sight of the beat and there is a lack of ensemble. However, I would still go for this one above the others for the overall performance.

5 out of 5 stars Janet Baker at her Best!.......2000-10-13

Having already acquired a number of recordings of the Dream, I wanted this recording because of The Music Makers. This is truly a wonderful elegaic work. Barbirolli told Janet Baker to "sing it as though you're dreaming." She does, and the effect is very moving.

The Gerontius under Boult is very good and Helen Watts is a lovely Angel (even though she doesn't go for the top A). My one small gripe with the recording is Gedda. I much admire him but his English is not accented and this affects my enjoyment. Robert Lloyd makes a great Priest and Angel of the Agony.

5 out of 5 stars Boult's Gerontius.......2000-04-21

Alongside Sir John Barbirolli's recording of this music, this is the greatest Gerontius yet committed to disk. I would not want to be without either performance, and each is equally great in its own way.

Where Barbirolli stresses a dramatic, almost operatic approach to the work, Boult opts for a grand, majestic, oratorio style, without degenerating into pomposity or stuffiness. There is a tremendous grandeur, and a monumental feel, to the entire performance.

Gedda seems like an odd choice for Gerontius, but his English is free of any accent, and he brings all the commitment and fervor we came to expect from him. Watts is not the equal of Barbirolli's mezzo, Janet Baker, but she sings in many ways beyond her stature, sounding truly great at times. Lloyd is my favorite singer for the role of the Priest/Angel. Choral work is highly polished, and in the Demons chorus Boult really lets them open up. Recorded sound is first rate.

The Music Makers is a lesser work, but well worth hearing. The sound is a bit dated (earlier than Gerontius), and the chorus not quite as polished. But Baker is outstanding (as always) and there are few recordings of this piece.

Indispensible for any Elgarian.

5 out of 5 stars glorious gerontius.......1999-03-10

EMI recorded Gerontius under Boult very near the end of the conductor's active career. He had known Elgar (they first met around 1903) and was very highly thought of by the composer, who is on record as believing that the future of his music was safe in Boult's hands. Gerontius is a wonderful piece, and this is the magical, historic performance that everyone hoped it would be. Boult's great gift was in seeing a work whole, the entire architecture, and that is exactly what happens here, but in addition there are thrilling moments - the hair-raising demons' chorus, the tremendous 'Praise to the Holiest' and the shattering crash when Gerontius sees the face of God - and the most beautiful lyrical phrasing in the gentler orchestral bits. The choice of Nicolai Gedda as Gerontius was inspired, and his beautiful ringing tenor is just right ; Helen Watts is idiomatic and reliable (though not as exciting as Janet Baker in the Barbirolli version) and Robert Lloyd is first-rate. This is probably the best 'Gerontius' on disc. It is uniquely authoritative, works excellently in the details and as a whole, and is unwaveringly beautiful to listen to. 'The Music Makers', a lesser work (which DOES, however, have the unrivalled Janet Baker), is enjoyable and idiomatic too, and useful bonus, but 'Gerontius' is what this set is all about.

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