As the Angel gently bringing the soul of Gerontius to rest, superb mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly sings: "Softly and gently, dearly-ransomed s...
As the Angel gently bringing the soul of Gerontius to rest, superb mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly sings: "Softly and gently, dearly-ransomed soul". nn"AngelnSoftly and gently, dearly-ransomed soul,nIn my most loving arms I now enfold thee,nAnd o'er the penal waters, as they roll,nI poise thee, and I lower thee, and hold thee.nnAnd carefully I dip thee in the lake,nAnd thou, without a sob or a resistance,nDost through the flood thy rapid passage take,nSinking deep, deeper, into the dim distance.nnAngels to whom the willing task is given,nShall tend, and nurse, and lull thee, as thou liest;nAnd Masses on the earth, and prayers in heaven,nShall aid thee at the Throne of the Most Highest.nnFarewell, but not for ever! brother dear,nBe brave and patient on thy bed of sorrow;nSwiftly shall pass thy night of trial here,nAnd I will come and wake thee on the morrow.nFarewell! Farewell!nnSouls in PurgatorynLord, Thou hast been our refuge, etc. AmennnChoir of AngelicalsnPraise to the Holiest, etc. Amen."nnExtract from Part 2 of a live performance of the oratorio "The Dream of Gerontius" by Sir Edward Elgar based on the poem by Cardinal John Henry Newman, given in Boston, Mass., in January 2008. nnSir Colin Davis conducted the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. nThe soloists were Ben Heppner (tenor), Sarah Connolly (mezzo-soprano) and Gerald Finley (bass-baritone). Less