The power of words: Mendelssohn’s Elijah closes the Three Choirs

Matthew Brook

Geraint Bowen, soloists, the Philharmonia and the Three Choirs Festival Chorus

By Simon Cummings, 03 August 2025

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“Matthew Brook, who didn’t merely take on the role of Elijah as actively personify him”

Reviewed at Hereford Cathedral, Hereford on 2 August 2025

Mendelssohn, Elijah

Katherine Broderick, Soprano

Jess Dandy, Contralto

Anthony Gregory, Tenor

Matthew Brook, Bass-baritone

Three Choirs Festival Chorus

Philharmonia Orchestra

Geraint Bowen, Conductor

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Simon Cummings

Simon Cummings is a composer, writer and researcher based in the Cotswolds. He composes instrumental and electronic music, exploring aspects of algorithmic composition, and has recently completed a Ph.D. in composition at the Birmingham Conservatoire under the supervision of Richard Causton and Howard Skempton. His musical tastes are ludicrously broad but are focused most on contemporary/avant-garde classical and electronic music. When not composing, he writes regularly about new music; Simon is the author of the contemporary music blog 5:4 (5against4.com), and regularly contributes articles for a variety of books, journals and websites. Follow him on Twitter @5against4.

The power of words: Mendelssohn’s Elijah closes the Three Choirs Festival