The new film, The Choral, opens in UK cinemas today, bringing Edward Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius to the screen in a dramatic and unusual way. Alan Bennett’s screenplay follows an amateur choral society in a small Yorkshire town during the First World War. The group, searching for non-German music, chooses Gerontius under the guidance of chorusmaster Dr Guthrie, played by Ralph Fiennes. At first, the committee members are reassured by Elgar’s status as a pillar of British culture, appearing briefly in a cameo by Simon Russell Beale. But as Guthrie begins to teach the unfamiliar score, the choir realizes the music is far from conventional. They find it theatrical, Catholic, and difficult, challenging their expectations of staid English music. Bennett’s script contains whimsical touches, including a scene where choristers perform parts of Gerontius while running through the streets, though the complexity of the music makes this improbable. Still, the story is rooted in the real, controversial history of the work. Much of the original controversy came from Elgar’s choice of text. John Henry Newman’s 1865 poem tells the story of Gerontius, an everyman who dies, meets an angel, and journeys to purgatory before entering eternal life. Protestant audiences and performers were uncomfortable with the Catholic imagery, and the Birmingham premiere in 1900 faced major setbacks. The original chorus master died, his replacement was hostile to the piece, and even conductor Hans Richter was challenged by Elgar’s last-minute orchestration. Critics were harsh, and many attendees reacted lukewarmly. Despite the troubled premiere, subsequent performances in Düsseldorf and later in cities like Chicago, New York, and Sydney restored the work’s reputation. By 1916, when the film is set, Gerontius had become a bold but fashionable choice. Six performances in London that year, conducted by Elgar, raised nearly £3,000 for the Red Cross and attracted royal audiences. Elgar’s career was at its peak. His Ode for Edward VII’s Coronation in 1902, featuring the tune “Land of Hope and Glory,” made him Britain’s most famous composer. He received knighthood, honorary doctorates, premiered his First Symphony, and became principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. Elgar’s knowledge of continental music, especially German composers like Wagner, influenced Gerontius. In Germany, he was celebrated as a progressive composer, and his work was praised by Richard Strauss and Hans Richter. In The Choral, the amateur singers struggle with the foreign style of Gerontius. Its dramatic and continuous musical structure, inspired by Wagner’s operas, challenged traditional English oratorio norms. Elgar refused to call it an oratorio, noting that no word existed to describe it accurately. The music demands singers portray real characters, including Gerontius, angels, priests, and demons, blending text and musical vision. The film depicts the choir going further, staging and costuming the work, which would be unusual for amateurs. Yet it adds emotional depth. The character Clyde, a young soldier who lost his arm, embodies the connection between the music and the realities of wartime. He identifies with the role of Gerontius, while the choral ensemble represents a moment of social cohesion, fleeting but powerful. Gerontius changed British music and society. It influenced composers like Vaughan Williams, Walton, and Britten, and helped promote ecumenical understanding by presenting Catholic theology in Anglican settings. Its intensity challenged Victorian emotional restraint, expanding artistic expression before the end of the Edwardian era. Today, Dream of Gerontius remains widely performed. Classic recordings by John Barbirolli, Adrian Boult, and modern interpretations by Mark Elder and Nicholas Collon continue to inspire audiences. The Choral, with its humor and heart, reminds viewers of the revolutionary power of Elgar’s masterpiece.