ELGAR The Dream of Gerontius

The Dream of Gerontius is widely seen as Sir Edward Elgar's finest choral work, as he seemed to recognise when he wrote at the end of the completed score 'This is the best of me...'.

It sets a text by Cardinal Newman telling of the progress of a soul before and after death, sent on its way by the prayers of friends and guided by its guardian angel until it sees, in one blinding flash, the glory of God. Elgar illustrates this in music by turns majestic, terrifying and deeply moving, using all his skill in musical form, choral writing and orchestration.

Despite an unpromising first performance, and what was seen at the time as its musical difficulty and radicalism, it quickly became one of the cornerstones of the British choral repertoire. The scale and grandeur of the work make it perfectly suited to performance in the largest and grandest of all London's concert halls, by London's largest regular choir.

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The concert is given in support of Rainbow Trust Children's Charity which provides emotional and practical support to families who have a child with a life threatening or terminal illness. Learn more at www.rainbowtrust.org.uk