IN the late summer of 1933, Edward Elgar conducted his Dream of Gerontius - relating the journey of a man's soul from this world to whatever lies thereafter - in Hereford Cathedral. Within a few months England's greatest composer was on his own deathbed.

That Three Choirs Festival 74 years ago was, therefore, his last public appearance. It was also an occasion which attracted other great names, both as participants and observers.

But Elgar was the star attraction and, as Billy Reed, famous leader of the London Symphony Orchestra, recalled: "He took a house for the week, with a convenient garden in front which was daily thronged with people coming to tea. They came in and out, and one hardly knew who they all were; but the festival spirit prevailed - it was open door and hospitality throughout the week.

"Sir Edward, I feel sure, enjoyed it, though he did not move about very much or seem to want to go for walks as before. He sat mostly in the pleasant garden receiving and entertaining friends when he was not busy rehearsing or conducting."

His daughter, Carice, was later to say: "He seemed so full of vitality - yet I felt so sure all last summer that we were doing things for the last time."

Among the close friends he met during festival week was George Bernard Shaw, to whom he proved - by use of the full score of Elijah - that Mendelssohn was a fine orchestrator.

Among the critics present was the internationally-renowned Basil Main, who wrote in the Hereford Times: "There is no place more fitting for the performance of Elgar's oratorios than the cathedrals of the Three Choirs. Within those walls, and with the composer's kinsmen and neighbours to sing his music, the works find again their natural beauty. Some works of music, like flowers and people, are never wholly revealing except in their own home."

Elgar also conducted his The Kingdom - composed when he lived in Hereford - and took the baton when one of the greatest viola players of all time, Lionel Tertis, was soloist for his own arrangement for viola of the Elgar Cello Concerto.

That magnificent pianist Myra Hess was also there, performing works by Mozart, Brahms and Franck.

Another distinguished festival favourite, Vaughan Williams, was no stranger to Herefordshire. Indeed, when asked to give for the Press his most memorable musical impression for the year 1912, he replied that it was "hearing a gypsy sing at Monkland".

He added: "It was a cold, clear September night and we stood by the blazing fire in the open ground of the gipsy encampment; the fire had been specially lighted to enable us to note down tunes and words in the growing darkness. Then, out of the half-light, came the sound of a beautiful tenor voice singing The Unquiet Grave.

At the 1933 festival Vaughan Williams conducted his Three Choral Hymns, austere settings of words by Bishop Myles Coverdale for Easter, Christmas and Whit Sunday.

Hereford's cathedral organist, Dr Percy Hull, had made a remarkable recovery from serious illness in time for the festival and was busy throughout. One of the highlights of his week with the baton was the performance of Bach's B minor mass.

At the festival breakfast - held under the chairmanship of the Dean of Hereford, Dr R Waterfield - the Bishop, Dr C Lisle Carr, made a speech and cracked a joke at the expense of Dr Hull.

Tongue in cheek, he referred to the musician's "tyranny" as festival time approached.

He quipped that Germany had her Hitler, Italy her Mussolini and Hereford her Hull. A few years on and no such comparisons would have been made - even in fun.

l THIS Flashback article by Nigel Heins first appeared in the Hereford Times in 1992.