The Gerontius's Dream Recording Review: Gardner with the LPO Deliver a Daring and Powerful Interpretation
Although Elgar's Gerontius could be an surprising star of Alan Bennett's play The Choral, this masterpiece scarcely requires a popularity boost. Edward Gardner's lively latest album is one of several issued in the last two years, with an additional one expected early next year.
Captured live at the 2022 BBC Proms, this propulsive performance boasts a great deal going for it. Allan Clayton portrays the feverish nature of the protagonist near death whose each feeling is both a terror and a intrigue. Clayton's heroic voice thrills in the magnificent prayer, Holy and Strong, while an expressive handling of lyrics highlights the thought-provoking question and answer session in the second part. Barton's luxurious voice possesses a tangible immediacy as well as providing ample resources of comfort. Platt's rugged bass is ideally matched to the Angel of the Agony.
Gardner is highly theatrical, conveying the narrative with an almost opera-like boldness. The LPO plays as if a chorus of evil spirits was at its back, paralleled by the joint efforts of the LPO and Hallé choirs. Here and there, the sound environment robs the performance of the final ounce of directness, but all in all it's a excellent accomplishment to place with Collon's arresting from Finland version released in recent months.
