GERONTIUS concerns the journey of a sinner, going towards Judgement and Purgatory.

Saturday night's rendering of Elgar’s mighty work at Worcester Cathedral demonstrated this struggle (from before the death of Gerontius) with great feeling.

This was the year’s first performance in this year’s Three Choirs Festival and was remarkable because it was so moving.

John Graham-Hall was able to adopt the character of Gerontius character partly by seemingly singing from memory for the first half.

The soloists Alan Opie (baritone) and Sarah Connolly (mezzo) put so much character into their renderings that one really felt the Catholic agony with them as well.

The Philharmonia Orchestra and Festival Chorus were something very special too and the Elgarian sudden increases and decreases in volume (hairpins marked on the score) were always made something of under artistic director Adrian Lucas. The efforts of both vocal and instrumental forces were enough to tear the soul apart in big moments such as when the soul sings 'Take me away', this surely being one of the most special moments in this work.

This journey, one might suppose, shouldn't be interrupted by an interval as performances of Gerontius act as a break to the journey of a soul towards catholic judgement. Of course, one understands commercial demands, and no wonder there was a full house for this performance.