On April 29 in São Paulo Outside the Walls, the British Parliament Choir and the Southbank Sinfonia will present Edward Elgar’s monumental work based on Cardinal Newman’s poem, Music for Italy and Rome.
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“Biggest growth outside the UK”. On 29 April, the Southbank Sinfonia Orchestra and the Parliamentary Choir performed a concert on the stage of the São Paulo Basilica Outside the Walls, described by British Lord Michael German. Certainly a great achievement in terms of numbers – a total of around 400 artists will be involved – but above all great for the work being performed again after almost 20 years in Rome, so an extraordinary performance: it’s a dream. of Gerontius”, considered by many to be Edward Elgar’s masterpiece.
Newman, the motivator
The British composer, who wrote this work between 1899 and 1900, based the score on the poem of the same name by Cardinal John Henry Newman, one of the most important figures in 19th-century Christian thought – Anglican by birth, converted to Catholicism. and was canonized by Pope Francis in 2019. Organized with the contribution of the Pro Musica e Arte Sacra Foundation, the concert in honor of Cardinal Newman was desired by Cardinal James Harvey, Archbishop of Pauline Basilica. It was originally planned for 2020, after the appointment of an English cardinal, but the pandemic postponed everything until this year.
Strengthening UK-Vatican Relations
The choir and Southbank Symphony’s impressive vocal ensemble will include maestro Simon Over, soloists Robert Murray (tenor, Gerontius), Beth Taylor (mezzo-soprano, Angel) and Arthur Bruce (baritone, priest and Angel of Agony). . During the concert in Rome a few days ago – in the presence of Cardinal Harvey, the British Ambassador to the Holy See John Trott and the President of the Foundation Pro Musica e Arte Sacra Hans Albert Corcial – the English Lord Michael German, the Speaker of the Choir of the British Parliament, underlined its uniqueness, made by members of both houses. He described it as “the most egalitarian institution in the United Kingdom”. The concert, he added, was a “unique opportunity to strengthen UK-Vatican relations through music”.
