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Soloists Peter Walker (left), Kenneth Woollam and Caroline Foster (back) look over the scores with members of the High School Choir, Jean Nixon, Kathryn Sutcliffe (centre) and Janet Robinson, with the conductor, Mr. Atherton.

From a review by Norman Clark:
The last Municipal Concert of the season on Sunday afternoon, 23rd March 1975, was a performance of Edward Elgar's monumental oratorio "The Dream of Gerontius." Burnley Municipal choir were augmented by Blackburn Bach Choir and a section of Burnley High School Choir, and accompanied by Burnley Municipal symphony Orchestra led by Walter Jaryez and conducted by Robert Atherton.

Edward Elgar completed the music for "Gerontius" in 1900 after pondering over Cardinal Newman's poem for eleven years. It is said that the work released in Elgar a sureness of musical touch, vision and style, which, with the exception of The Enigma Variations, are unparalleled in his previous output and better than anything he composed later. In his handwriting on the final page of his score he wrote "This is the best of me." The best of Sunday afternoon's performance was undoubtedly that of the soloists. Kenneth Woolam as the dying Gerontius carried the work majestically on his shoulders, conveying the agony and resentment of pain, and then the humility of a man about to meet his God. Caroline Foster as the angel and Peter Walker as the priest had rather less to do. Nevertheless, both were tremendous in supporting the torment and passion of someone who has attempted to solve the riddle of death and the after-peace.

The dream of Gerontius was a gigantic work to attempt, and had its moments of choral splendour. The major choruses at the end of each part were excellent, and the contrast of sound achieved between the three choirs was a highspot of the afternoon.