The Dream of Gerontius (4/7): Sarah Connolly as the Angel, and Ben Heppner as the soul of Gerontius

The Guardian Angel (mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly) conducts the soul of Gerontius (tenor Ben Heppner) to the veiled presence of God in the judgement hall. They are accompanied by a Choir of Angelicals (the Tanglewood Festival Chorus)

"Angel
There was a mortal, who is now above
In the mid-glory: he, when near to die,
Was given communion with the Crucified, -
Such that the Masters very wounds were stamped
Upon his flesh; and from the agony
Which thrilled through body and soul in that embrace,
Learn that the flame of the Everlasting Love
Doth burn ere it transform. . .

Choir of Angelicals
Praise to the Holiest in the height,
And in the depth be praise:

Angel
. . . Hark to those sounds!
They come of tender beings angelical,
Least and most childlike of the sons of God.

Choir of Angelicals
Praise to the Holiest in the height,
And in the depth be praise;
In all His words most wonderful;
Most sure in all His ways!
To us His elder race He gave
To battle and to win,
Without the chastisement of pain,
Without the soil of sin.
The younger son He willed to be
A marvel in His birth:
Spirit and flesh His parents were;
His home was heaven and earth.
The eternal blessed His child, and armed,
And sent Him hence afar,
To serve as champion in the field
Of elemental war.
To be His Viceroy in the world
Of matter, and of sense;
Upon the frontier, towards the foe,
A resolute defence.

Angel
We now have passed the gate, and are within
The House of Judgement. . .

Soul
The sound is like the rushing of the wind -
The summer wind - among the lofty pines.

Choir of Angelicals
Glory to Him, Who evermore
By truth and justice reigns;
Who tears the soul from out its case,
And burns away its stains!

Angel
They sing of thy approaching agony,
Which thou so eagerly didst question of.

Soul
My soul is in my hand: I have no fear, -
But hark! a grand mysterious harmony:
It floods me, like the deep and solemn souls
Of many waters.

Angel
And now the threshold, as we traverse it,
Utters aloud its glad responsive chant."

Extract from Part 2 of a live performance of the oratorio "The Dream of Gerontius" by Sir Edward Elgar based on the poem by Cardinal John Henry Newman, given in Boston, Mass., in January 2008.

Sir Colin Davis conducted the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.
The soloists were Ben Heppner (tenor), Sarah Connolly (mezzo-soprano) and Gerald Finley (bass-baritone).

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Dream
• of
• Gerontius
• Edward
• Elgar
• Sarah
• Connolly
• mezzo-soprano
• Colin
• Davis
• Boston
• Symphony
• Orchestra
• Tanglewood
• Festival
• Chorus
• Ben
• Heppner
• tenor
• Gerald
• Finley
• bass-baritone

[301250]

I am intoxicated by the 'luxury chocolate-liqueur' voice of this glorious mezzo

[melodiaavis]

@301250 Thanks for letting me know that you are enjoying her beautiful voice. You will probably particularly enjoy Part 7 of my upload of The Dream of Gerontius, with Sarah Connolly singing The Angel's Farewell.

[galegakale]

this part is like an angel singing.

[301250]

@melodiaavis ...You know I have always love voices from the British Isles....K Ferrier, Dame Janet Baker, John Shirley-Quirk, Connolly, Ian Bostridge et al....thank you for the upload as Elgar is such a great composer whose music whether the cello concerto (Jcq du Pre's is the benchmark prfm!), violin cncrt.,symphonies etc. is simply glorious. sd goh (malaysia)