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Building a Library on Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius with Mark Lowther. Following the triumph of Elgar's Enigma Variations, The Dream of Gerontius is a work by a confident composer at the height of his powers. But sharing the fate of so many first performances, its 1900 premiere was not a popular success. Under-rehearsed and chaotic, partly due to the complexity and modernity of the writing, there was another issue, too: the Anglican community bridled at the work's uncompromisingly Catholic text by Cardinal Newman. More than a century later, in more ecumenical times, the work is part of the standard repertoire of choral societies up and down the land and has been most often recorded by UK conductors, choirs and orchestras. Recommended Recording: Anthony Rolfe-Johnson (tenor), Catherine Wyn-Rogers (mezzo soprano), Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir, Huddersfield Choral Society, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Vernon Handley (conductor) Warner Classics 5757582 (CD) Other Recommended Recordings: Below is a shortlist of other recordings which Mark also liked, although we can’t guarantee the availability of these discs. Heddle Nash (tenor), Gladys Ripley (alto), Huddersfield Choral Society, Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Â鶹Éç Symphony Orchestra, Malcolm Sargent (conductor) TESTAMENT SBT2025 (CD) Richard Lewis (tenor), Dame Janet Baker (mezzo soprano), Halle Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli (conductor) EMI CMS 7631852 (CD) Paul Groves (tenor), Alice Coote (mezzo soprano), Hallé Choir, Hallé Youth Choir, Halle Orchestra, Sir Mark Elder (conductor) HALLE CDHLD7520 (CD)