Edward Elgar was closely associated with the festival, which features the Dream of Gerontius and Enigma Variations along with a generous selection of other major nineteenth- and twentieth-century works, including Britten’s War Requiem, Mahler’s Symphony No.8 and a host of chamber music.

The early music component of the festival sees harpsichordist Carole Cerasi playing Bach’s Goldberg Variations and, two days later, Robin Holloway and Micallef-Inanga bringing Gilded Goldbergs, Holloway’s fascinating re-visiting of Bach’s monumental work for piano duet. Ex Cathedra joins forces with His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts to perform Monteverdi’s Vespers. Where much early music needs a small and intimate space, this is a work that makes rich use of a generous acoustic and is ideally suited to the space of Gloucester Cathedral.

The Three Choirs are joined the Corelli Orchestra for a concert featuring Kuhnau’s Der Gerechte kommt un, arranged by Bach, and his cantata Jauchzet Gott, BWV 51 along with Vivaldi’s Magnificat and Gloria. The Corelli Orchestra is based in Cheltenham, placing it on the territory of the three choirs festival.

It was founded by Warwick Cole, initially playing on modern instruments, but having since moved to period instruments for baroque repertoire. Choral services are woven through the festival and include a selection of cornerstones of the Anglican repertoire, such as Stanford’s Service in C and Balfour Gardiner’s Evening Hymn, along with early music elements such as Lassus’ Magnificat Septimi Toni and Palestrina’s Dum complerentur. www.3choirs.org