Choral Music / Sacred Music / Oratorio
First Performance: August 26, 1846, in Birmingham. Mendelssohn conducted with the world-famous Jenny Lind in the soprano role.
(Note: Watch in YouTube to enjoy the entire oratorio playlist.)
Mendelssohn's Oratorio ELIJAH, Op. 70.
The Cast
Brief History of Oratorio Elijah
The performance of St Paul at the 1836 Rhenish Music Festival in Düsseldorf was so successful that led Mendelssohn to immediately consider a similar work. He wrote to a close friend in London, Karl Klingemann about his plan.
Elijah, Op.70: Track 20. Thanks be to God!
Added Trivia (June 16, 2017):
Our Sydney Philharmonia Choirs ChorusOz 2017 performed Mendelssohn's Elijah, Oratorio, Op. 70, conducted by Brett Weymark, at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, June 11, 2017, 5pm. (Text derived from the Lutheran Bible by Julius Schubring, English version by William Bartholomew.)
Added Trivia (February 3, 2020):
For Sydney Philharmonia Choirs (Festival Chorus) offering in celebration of SPC's 100th year, we are performing in concert Mendelssohn's Elijah on the 9th of May, 2020. Conducted by Maestro Brett Weymark. Sadly, this wasn't meant to be. Amid our rehearsals, our concert was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Video Credits:
Mendelssohn's Elijah, Op.70. "Thanks be to God!". (chorus) · Dame Gwyneth Jones/Dame Janet Baker/Nicolai Gedda/Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Simon Woolf/New Philharmonia Chorus/Wilhelm Pitz/Wandsworth School Boys' Choir/Russell Burgess/Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos. Provided by Warner Classics. Accessed November 24, 2015.
Mendelssohn - Elijah, Op. 70. With Bryn Terfel, Welsh bass-baritone opera and concert singer. Uploaded by Paul Daniel, provided by Universal Musical Group. Accessed 24 November 2019. Mendelssohn: Elijah, Op.70, MWV A25 / Part 1 - Overture · Stephen Doughty · Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment
Mendelssohn: Elias (Part 1) Theo Adam, Elly Ameling, Peter Schreier, Annelies Burmeister. Youtube, uploaded by Muzicazaile. Accessed 24 November 2015. (German Version)
Mendelssohn: Elias (Part 2) Theo Adam, Elly Ameling, Peter Schreier, Annelies Burmeister. Youtube, uploaded by Muzicazaile. Accessed 24 November 2015. (German Version)
Considered his best
work, at par with Haydn's The Creation
Felix Mendelssohn's oratorio Elijah,
op.70: facts, the cast, brief history, and other Mendelssohn-related information.
Oratorio
Elijah is considered the greatest work of Romantic composer Felix
Mendelssohn Bartholdy in this genre.
Facts
about Oratorio Elijah
Composer:
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809-1847), a German composer of the Romantic era, born in Hamburg, Germany.
Original
Title: Elias (Elijah, at the first
performance)
Original Language: German (English, at the first performance)
Text:
Based on the Holy Bible passages, the story of
Elijah from the Books of Kings, compiled by Mendelssohn himself. He was
assisted by Julius Schubring and Karl Klingemann.
Form:
Oratorio in Two Parts, a total of 42 musical
numbers, with an introduction and overture .
Date
of Writing: 1845-1846.
First Performance: August 26, 1846, in Birmingham. Mendelssohn conducted with the world-famous Jenny Lind in the soprano role.
(Note: Watch in YouTube to enjoy the entire oratorio playlist.)
Mendelssohn's Oratorio ELIJAH, Op. 70.
The Cast
The Widow (soprano)
The Youth (soprano)
The Angel (soprano)
Another Angel (alto)
Jezebel, the Queen, (alto)
Obadiah (tenor)
Ahab, King of Israel (tenor)
Elijah, the Prophet (bass)
Four-part mixed chorus
Orchestra: Flutes, clarinets, bassoons, oboes,
horns, trumpets, trombones, timpani, strings, one bass tuba.
Brief
Synopsis of Elijah
Elijah by Mendelssohn is a dramatic story of the prophet Elijah as he summons the people to righteousness, performs miracles, and struggles
against idol-worshiping. He confronts the wicked queen Jezebel. It ends as Elijah rises to heaven in a fiery chariot.
Brief History of Oratorio Elijah
The performance of St Paul at the 1836 Rhenish Music Festival in Düsseldorf was so successful that led Mendelssohn to immediately consider a similar work. He wrote to a close friend in London, Karl Klingemann about his plan.
Mendelssohn opted for Elijah, the Old Testament prophet of Israel who preached against their people's idol worship.
Klingemann was unable to devote any time to artistic activity due to financial difficulties connected with the accession of Queen Victoria in England. However, when Mendelssohn was in London for two weeks in 1837, they worked out the oratorio's basic design. He also re-established contact with a cleric Julius Schubring. Eventually, he had to turn to Schubring when Klingemann suspended work on Elijah.
Fundamental religious differences got in the way. Schubring wanted it clear that Christ was the fulfillment of Elijah's prophecies and wanted Christ's appearance. Mendelssohn disagreed. This led to breaking off the joint undertaking. Mendelssohn returned to the project in 1845.
Among the episodes is the resurrection of a dead youth. A dramatic episode is the contest of the gods, in which Jehovah consumes an offered sacrifice in a column of fire, while a sequence of increasingly frantic prayers by the prophets of the god Baal failed. Part I is concluded by the bringing of rain to parched Israel through Elijah's prayers. Part II depicts the prosecution of Elijah by Queen Jezebel, his retirement to the desert, his vision of God appearing, his return to his work, and his ascension on a fiery chariot into heaven. The work ends with prophecies and praise.
Among the episodes is the resurrection of a dead youth. A dramatic episode is the contest of the gods, in which Jehovah consumes an offered sacrifice in a column of fire, while a sequence of increasingly frantic prayers by the prophets of the god Baal failed. Part I is concluded by the bringing of rain to parched Israel through Elijah's prayers. Part II depicts the prosecution of Elijah by Queen Jezebel, his retirement to the desert, his vision of God appearing, his return to his work, and his ascension on a fiery chariot into heaven. The work ends with prophecies and praise.
The Birmingham Music Festival was Mendelssohn's high point with Elijah performed in the company of the greatest choral works of all time: Handel's Messiah, Haydn's The Creation, and Beethoven's Missa Solemnis. Of these, Elijah was the only oratorio premiered in England Birmingham), a significant event in music history. (Messiah
in Ireland, The Creation in Vienna
and Missa Solemnis in Petersburg.)
Elijah, Op.70: Track 20. Thanks be to God!
Words: Original German version derived from the Lutheran Bible by Julius Schubring; English version by William Bartholomew
Music: Thanks Be to God (No. 20 from Mendelssohn’s “Elijah”) | Félix Mendelssohn
Thanks be to God,
He laveth the thirsty land!
The waters gather, they rush along;
They are lifting their voices!
They are lifting their voices!
The stormy billows are high;
Their fury is mighty. Mighty their fury!
Their fury is mighty. Mighty their fury!
But the Lord is above them, and Almighty!
Thanks! Thanks be to God!
He laveth the thirsty land!
Added Trivia (June 16, 2017):
Our Sydney Philharmonia Choirs ChorusOz 2017 performed Mendelssohn's Elijah, Oratorio, Op. 70, conducted by Brett Weymark, at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, June 11, 2017, 5pm. (Text derived from the Lutheran Bible by Julius Schubring, English version by William Bartholomew.)
Added Trivia (February 3, 2020):
For Sydney Philharmonia Choirs (Festival Chorus) offering in celebration of SPC's 100th year, we are performing in concert Mendelssohn's Elijah on the 9th of May, 2020. Conducted by Maestro Brett Weymark. Sadly, this wasn't meant to be. Amid our rehearsals, our concert was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Video Credits:
Mendelssohn's Elijah, Op.70. "Thanks be to God!". (chorus) · Dame Gwyneth Jones/Dame Janet Baker/Nicolai Gedda/Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Simon Woolf/New Philharmonia Chorus/Wilhelm Pitz/Wandsworth School Boys' Choir/Russell Burgess/Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos. Provided by Warner Classics. Accessed November 24, 2015.
Mendelssohn - Elijah, Op. 70. With Bryn Terfel, Welsh bass-baritone opera and concert singer. Uploaded by Paul Daniel, provided by Universal Musical Group. Accessed 24 November 2019. Mendelssohn: Elijah, Op.70, MWV A25 / Part 1 - Overture · Stephen Doughty · Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment
Mendelssohn: Elias (Part 1) Theo Adam, Elly Ameling, Peter Schreier, Annelies Burmeister. Youtube, uploaded by Muzicazaile. Accessed 24 November 2015. (German Version)
Mendelssohn: Elias (Part 2) Theo Adam, Elly Ameling, Peter Schreier, Annelies Burmeister. Youtube, uploaded by Muzicazaile. Accessed 24 November 2015. (German Version)
Resources:
The World of Oratorio by Kurt Pahlen (1990)
Elijah (Oratorio). en.wikipedia.org. Accessed November 24, 2015.
Elijah (Oratorio). en.wikipedia.org. Accessed November 24, 2015.
(Note: I originally wrote this piece for Suite101.com, 24 November 2007. It's been amended since. / Tel)
(c) November 2013. Updated February 3, 2020. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
(c) November 2013. Updated February 3, 2020. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
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