From the Musical Times 100 years ago

Musical Times, Summer 2003

The Dream of Gerontius in London (MT July 1903)

AFTER waiting for an undue time, during which it has been heard in many parts of the world, Dr. Elgar's 'The Dream of Gerontius' has at last found its way to London. The circumstances of its introduction to the Metropolis - at Westminster Cathedral on the 6th ult. were, it must be admitted, appropriate enough, if from a practical point of view they left something to be desired. The setting of Cardinal Newman's poem by one who in religion and temperament is in perfect sympathy with it should naturally come under the special protection of the Roman Catholic community, and it was fitting, if only from the point of view of sentiment, that it should be given in the great building which, when completed, is to be the cathedral church of their Archbishop. Even in its gaunt incompleteness, destitute of the wealth of colour which is meant to adorn it, the interior of Bentley's spacious building is immensely impressive, and seems a fitting place for the 'Solemn Musick' of which Milton wrote. Unhappily its acoustic properties are, at least in its present condition, of a somewhat capricious kind, and one has to be very favourably placed to form a clear judgment of the music performed. From some positions the details were fairly distinct, but I doubt whether in any portion of the church the weight of tone was sufficiently felt to be as impressive as it should be. Delicacy and distance certainly lent charm to much of the music, but on the other hand the more massive choral effects lost something. The choral and orchestral forces, though thoroughly efficient, were not numerous enough for so large an auditorium. The chorus numbered only about 200 voices, but insufficient numbers proved the only fault chargeable to the exceedingly welldrilled singers of the North Staffordshire District Choral Society. The finish and precision of their performance and their excellent intonation deserve high praise, and these virtues were intensified in the semi-chorus, though for the reason already mentioned the refined singing of these twenty-three picked members was, at least for the majority of the audience, refined away to an almost imperceptible point. The Society's conductor is Mr. James Whewall, and to him is due a share of the honour belonging to this very practised chorus. The band consisted of well-known London musicians, and was thoroughly up to its work.

The novel feature of the performance was the appearance of Dr. Ludwig Wullner in the title-role, for the first time in this country. Dr. Wullner was obviously handicapped by the English words, but his reading was characterized by an intensity of feeling which atoned for this, and also went far to atone for the marked absence of purely vocal charm. His two colleagues, Miss Muriel Foster and Mr. Ffrangcon-Davies, combine to a remarkable degree sensuous beauty of voice with dramatic insight, and it would be difficult to imagine more completely satisfying renderings of their respective parts than they, who are now familiar in the work, are able to give. As for the work itself, repeated hearings help to convince one of its power and of the absolute greatness of its not infrequent moments of real inspiration. One who heard it for the first time on this occasion would hardly realize its full impressiveness, and to this extent it may be said that less than full justice has even now been done to The Dream of Gerontius' in London. With this reservation, however, the performance, which was conducted by the composer, was one of exceptional sympathy and finish in all its details.

DR. Edward Elgar has been the recipient of a very remarkable gift which well represents the esteem in which he is held in North Staffordshire. It consists of a splendid specimen of the potter's art executed by Mr. C. J. Noke, a resident of Stoke-on-Trent, an artist and designer well known in the district. The gift, a loving cup over twelve inches in height, was executed at the Doulton Works as a remembrance of the performance of the 'Dream of Gerontius' given at Hanley. The cup is enriched with a portrait of Dr. Elgar in his academic robes, surrounded with symbolic bays. The prevailing tint is a rich brown, and the whole design is well thought-out and suggestive to a high degree.