Lincoln Choral Society will be revisiting its own history as well as the works of a great English composer when it presents;

An Evening of Elgar on Friday April 29

Sir Edward Elgar, the musical giant, whose works are still regularly performed on the international stage, actually conducted LCS in his own Dream of Gerontius in 1910. All music events in Lincoln at this time were extensively reported and analysed in detail in the press. Many of these cuttings were collected and stored by the Hon. Sec. of the time, H T Griffith. His programmes and notable correspondence include a letter received by Lincoln Choral Society from Elgar confirming the pronunciation of ‘Gerontius’ with a hard ”G”! This letter is now in the local archive. He came to Lincoln to conduct LCS in Gerontius in 1910.

Next month’s concert accompanied by the Lincolnshire Chamber Orchestra will be conducted by the society’s Musical Director Mark Wilde with Australian mezzo soprano Catherine Carby.

The event at Lincoln Cathedral starts at 7.30 p.m and will feature the Te Deum, Benedictus, The Music Makers and Sea Pictures. In The Music Makers Elgar felt a strong affinity with the poem by Arthur O’Shaunessey, identifying himself with the ‘dreamer of dreams’ in the first line of the poem. In the piece Elgar recalls musically from his earlier career through a series of quotations from those works [Nimrod from Enigma Variations, for example].

These are exciting times for LCS. As part of the Civic University initiative, the Choral Society are entering into a collaborative agreement with the University to bring great choral music to the University community as well as to the wider community of Lincoln and surrounding area. Of benefit to the choir will be a large, well ventilated rehearsal room, and to widen the society’s membership and audience from within the university community. Also the opportunity to perform at University events and venues.

Of benefit to the University includes funded Choral scholarships, opportunity and mentorship for students to gain experience in training, conducting and accompanying large community choirs. There are many other benefits to both parties and we hope the association will be a long and fruitful one.

Tickets are £8-£20 from Lincoln Cathedral Shop, 01522 561644 and www.lincolncathedral.com.
For discounted group bookings and free unreserved seats for students please call 01522 681434