The Dream of Gerontius, Edward Elgar 's great setting of Cardinal Newman 's poem about the journey of a man's soul to death and beyond, had its first performance 100 years ago today in Birmingham. To celebrate this centenary Chris de Souza presents an evening of speech and music around a live broadcast of Elgar's masterpiece from Symphony Hall, beginning with This Is the Best of Me.
. Elgar realised that he had created something extraordinary when he wrote these words from John Ruskin at the end of the score of The Dream of Gerontius. Stephen Johnson investigates Newman's poem, Elgar's compositional process and his musical language with the help of Elgar authority
Michael Kennedy , Newman biographer Ian Ker , composer James MacMillan , conductor Sakari Oramo and composer and Elgarian Anthony Payne. With Leon Tanner as Edward Elgar and Paul Humpoletz as August Jaeger.
7.25 Performance on 3 From Symphony Hall, Birmingham. Presented by Chris de Souza and Jerrold Northrop Moore. Elgar The Dream of Gerontius
City of Birmingham Choir, City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus and Orchestra, conductor Sakari Oramo
9.30 Night Waves Richard Coles and guests discuss the diverse and adventurous spirit of Victorian
Birmingham, home to a kaleidoscope of religious and political opinions.
10.00 Thomas Trotter A recital by Thomas Trotter on the Birmingham Oratory organ. Elgar's Organ Sonata in G, Op 28
Mendelssohn's Organ Sonata in Fminor, Op 65 No
Schumann Three Canons
11.00 The Most English Catholic Philip Cleevely presents a portrait of Cardinal John Henry Newman and the Oratory church he founded in Birmingham.
11.15 BBC Singers From the Birmingham Oratory.
Thomas Trotter (organ), BBC Singers, conductor Stephen Cleobury
Stanford Justorum Animae ; Beati Quorum; Coelos Ascendit (Three Motets, Op 38)
Brahms Warum 1st das Licht, Op 74 No 1
Parry My Soul, There Is a Country; There Is an Old Belief; Never Weatherbeaten Sail (Songs of Farewell)
Elgar Great Is the Lord (Psalm 48)
Producers of Gerontius EveningMichael Emery, Jeremy Hayes and Erika Wright
Programme of the Week: page 127
