The Kingdom (Elgar) There is a double chorus with semichorus, and four soloists representing: The Blessed Virgin (soprano), Mary Magdalene (contralto), St John (tenor), and St Peter (bass). The work is in five parts, each played without a break, preceded by a prelude. Words were selected by Elgar from the Acts of the Apostles, supplemented by material mainly from the Gospels. As in Elgar's other mature oratorios, the Prelude introduces the main musical themes and sets the mood. The music is lyrical and mystical, with less narrative drive than in "The Apostles". Its most memorable moments are the ecstatic depiction of Pentecost, Mary's
The Lost Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles The Lost Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles The Lost Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, also known as the "Sonnini Manuscript", is a short text purporting to be the translation of a manuscript containing the 29 chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, detailing Paul the Apostle's journey to Britannia, where he preached to a tribe of Israelites on Ludgate Hill, the site of St Paul's Cathedral. The canonical book of "Acts" ends rather abruptly with Paul kept under house arrest in chapter 28, which has led to various theories about the history of the text. The