Brighton Festival Chorus, CBSO,

The Dome, Brighton, 22 May 2016

Without any doubt the heroes of this performance were Brighton Festival Chorus. Singing from memory, they brought a bite and clarity to the score which is rare these days. The snarl and rasp of the demons, the purity of the angels, the hushed whispers of the family around the bed – all were perfectly characterised with dynamic range and beauty of line to enhance the impact of the text. That of course was the other real benefit of singing without the score. The chorus sang straight at us and voices were not reflected from the pages in their hands, doubling the impact and clarity.

Edward Gardner took the opening sections at a slow pace yet maintained the intensity of Elgar’s writing. This allowed the narrative to unfold in a natural way and encouraged a sense of meditation throughout. Robert Murray was somewhat strident as Gerontius in the first half, his Firmly I believe having something of a swagger to its delivery, but he was more reflective in the second half and his approach to the throne was impressive. Alice Coote is now a familiar Angel but none the less welcome. The relative intimacy of the Dome allowed her to spin off some very delicate hushed lines to great effect, but also made the exultant Alleluias thrilling.

Matthew Rose made the most of Go Forth and the chorus supported him with enthusiasm. He was equally impressive in the more demanding emotion of the Angel of the Agony, a section which Edward Gardner crafted with great skill.

The CBSO know this score well but always sounds fresh to it. A wonderful evening and a full house.