THE combined choruses of Ledbury and Bromyard choral societies will perform Elgar’s The Kingdom on Saturday, April 30 at Hereford Cathedral under the baton of Sir Richard Mynors, one of Herefordshire’s best-known musicians. They will be joined by members of Hereford Cathedral School’s senior chamber choir and the Bromyard Sinfonia, a mix of professional and amateur musicians from the Three Counties.

In addition Hereford soprano Lucy Bowen will be joined by Louise Crane, Jon Weller and Paul Mocroft in the roles of Mary, Mary Magdalene, St John and St Peter.

Written in Hereford at Plas Gwyn for the 1906 Birmingham Trienniel Music Festival, this is the second of Elgar’s intended three-part series, the first being The Apostles performed in 1903. Although less well-known than his highly acclaimed Dream of Gerontius, The Kingdom is regarded as his most accomplished choral piece and contains 79 leit motifs, those tantalising melodies that never quite leave you.

The piece tells the story of Pentecost and the visitation of the Holy Spirit on the disciples at the beginning of the Christian Church. The experience of writing The Kingdom drained Elgar but The Kingdom remains the pinnacle of Edward Elgar’s compositions for chorus, soloist and orchestra.

Tickets for The Kingdom on Saturday, April 30 at 7.30pm are available from The Courtyard box office on 01432 340555 or visit courtyard.org.uk. Proceeds from the concert will go to Christian Aid.