Elijah (oratorio)


Elijah, Op. 70, MWV A 25, is an oratorio by Felix Mendelssohn depicting events in the life of the Prophet Elijah as told in the books 1 Kings and 2 Kings of the Old Testament. It premiered in 1846 at the Birmingham Festival.

Music and its style

This piece was composed in the spirit of Mendelssohn's Baroque predecessors Bach and Handel, whose music he loved. In 1829 Mendelssohn had organized the first performance of Bach's St Matthew Passion since the composer's death and was instrumental in bringing this and other Bach works to widespread popularity. By contrast, Handel's oratorios never went out of fashion in England. Mendelssohn prepared a scholarly edition of some of Handel's oratorios for publication in London. Elijah is modelled on the oratorios of these two Baroque masters; however, in its lyricism and use of orchestral and choral colour the style clearly reflects Mendelssohn's own genius as an early Romantic composer.
The work is scored for eight vocal soloists, full symphony orchestra including trombones, ophicleide, organ, and a large chorus usually singing in four, but occasionally eight parts. The title role was sung at the premiere by the Austrian bass Josef Staudigl.
Mendelssohn had discussed an oratorio based on Elijah in the late 1830s with his friend Karl Klingemann, who had provided him with the libretto for his comic operetta Die Heimkehr aus der Fremde, which resulted in a partial text that Klingemann was unable to finish. Mendelssohn then turned to, the librettist for his earlier oratorio St. Paul, who quickly abandoned Klingemann's work and produced his own text that combined the story of Elijah as told in the Book of Kings with psalms. In 1845, the Birmingham Festival commissioned an oratorio from Mendelssohn, who worked with Schubring to put the text in final form and in 1845 and 1846 composed his oratorio to the German and English texts in parallel, taking care to change musical phrases to suit the rhythms and stresses of the translation by William Bartholomew, a chemist who was also an experienced amateur poet and composer.
The oratorio was first performed on 26 August 1846 at Birmingham Town Hall in its English version, conducted by the composer, and it was immediately acclaimed a classic of the genre. As The Times critic wrote: 'Never was there a more complete triumph – never a more thorough and speedy recognition of a great work of art'. Notwithstanding the work's triumph, Mendelssohn revised his oratorio wholesale before another group of performances in London in April 1847 – one in the presence of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The German version was first performed on the composer's birthday, 3 February 1848, in Leipzig, a few months after Mendelssohn's death, under the baton of the composer Niels Wilhelm Gade.

Biblical narrative

Mendelssohn uses biblical episodes relating to Elijah, which in the original, and, are narrated in rather laconic form, to produce intensely dramatic scenes, while adding several related biblical texts, mostly taken from the Old Testament. These were doubtless well fitted to the taste of Mendelssohn's time, and a Victorian sentimentality also seems detectable in places.
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.

Structure

The work in two parts opens with a declamation by Elijah, after which the overture is played. The sections are listed in the following table, with the text in both German and English, a biblical source for the passage, and the voices. The choir is mostly four-part SATB, but up to eight parts. The soloists are Elijah ; soprano, singing the Widow, the Youth and Angel II; alto, singing Angel I and the Queen; and tenor, singing the parts of Obadiah and Ahab. Mendelssohn asks for eight soloists, requesting Soprano I and II in movement 2, additionally Alto I and II in movements 7 and 35 and Tenor Bass I and II also in movement 7, but the work is often performed with four soloists.
Some movements are simple oratorio forms such as recitative and aria, others explore hybrid combinations, such as recitative with choir, for dramatic effect. The fugal overture leads attacca to the first choral movement. The choir acts as the people, but also comments, like the choir in Greek drama. The narrative passages from the books of Kings are highlighted by green background.
No.DescriptionIncipitTranslationText sourceVoices
IntroductionSo wahr der Herr, der Gott Israels lebetAs God the Lord of Israel livethElijah
Overture
1ChorusHilf, Herr!Help, Lord! & SATB
2Duet with choirHerr, höre unser Gebet!Lord! bow thine ear to our prayer! & S A SATB
3RecitativeZerreißet eure HerzenYe people, rend your heartsObadiah
4AriaSo ihr mich von ganzem Herzen suchetIf with all your hearts & Obadiah
5ChorusAber der Herr sieht es nichtYet doth the Lord see it notSATB
6RecitativeElias, gehe von hinnenElijah! get thee henceAngel I
7Double quartetDenn er hat seinen Engeln befohlenFor he shall give his angelsPsalm 91:11-12Angels: SSAATTBB
7RecitativeNun auch der Bach vertrocknet istNow Cherith's brook is dried up,, & Angel I
8Recitative, aria and duetWas hast du mir getanWhat have I to do with thee?, Psalm 38:6, Psalm 86:15, Psalm 88:10 & Psalm 128:1Widow, Elijah
9ChorusWohl dem, der den Herrn fürchtetBlessed are the men who fear himPsalm 128:1, Psalm 112:1,4SATB
10Recitative with choirSo wahr der Herr Zebaoth lebetAs God the Lord of Sabaoth liveth,, & Elijah, Ahab, SATB
11ChorusBaal erhöre uns!Baal, we cry to thee; hear and answer us!SSAATTBB
12Recitative with choirRufet lauter! Denn er ist ja Gott!Call him louder, for he is a god!Elijah, SATB
13Recitative with choirRufet lauter! Er hört euch nicht.Call him louder! he heareth not!Elijah, SATB
14AriaHerr, Gott Abrahams, Isaaks und IsraelsLord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel!Elijah, SATB
15QuartetWirf dein Anliegen auf den HerrnCast thy burden upon the LordPsalm 55:22, Psalm 16:8, Psalm 108:5, & Psalm 25:3S A T B
16Recitative with choirDer du deine Diener machst zu GeisternO thou, who makest thine angels spirits Elijah, SATB
17AriaIst nicht des Herrn Wort wie ein FeuerIs not his word like a fire? & Psalm 7:11-12Elijah
18AriosoWeh ihnen, dass sie von mir weichen!Woe unto them who forsake him!A
19Recitative with choirHilf deinem Volk, du Mann Gottes!O man of God, help thy people!,,,, & Psalm 28:1Obadiah, Elijah, SATB, Youth
20ChorusDank sei dir, GottThanks be to GodPsalm 93:3-4SATB

No.DescriptionIncipitTranslationSourceVoices
21AriaHöre, IsraelHear ye, Israel!,,,, , & S
22ChorusFürchte dich nicht, spricht unser GottBe not afraid, saith God the Lord & Psalm 91:7SATB
23Recitative with choirDer Herr hat dich erhobenThe Lord hath exalted thee,,, & Elijah, Queen, SATB
24ChorusWehe ihm, er muss sterben!Woe to him, he shall perish,,, & SATB
25RecitativeDu Mann Gottes, laß meine RedeMan of God, now let my words, ,, Psalm 59:3,,,, & Obadiah, Elijah
26AriaEs ist genug, so nimm nun, Herr, meine SeeleIt is enough, O Lord now take away my life,, & Elijah
27RecitativeSiehe, er schläftSee, now he sleepeth & Psalm 34:7Unnamed Tenor
28TrioHebe deine Augen auf zu den BergenLift thine eyesPsalm 121:1, 3Angels: S S A
29ChorusSiehe, der Hüter Israels schläft noch schlummert nichtHe, watching over Israel, slumbers notPsalm 121:4 & Psalm 138:7SATB
30RecitativeStehe auf, Elias, denn du hast einen großen Weg vor dirArise, Elijah, for thou hast a long journey,, & Angel I, Elijah
31AriaSei stille dem HerrnO rest in the LordPsalm 37:1,7Angel I: Alto
32ChorusWer bis an das Ende beharrt, der wird selig.He that shall endure to the end, shall be saved. SATB
33RecitativeHerr, es wird Nacht um michNight falleth round me, O Lord! & Elijah, Angel II
34ChorusDer Herr ging vorüberBehold! God the Lord passeth by!SATB
35Quartet with choirSeraphim standen über ihm; Heilig ist Gott der HerrAbove him stood the Seraphim; Holy is God the LordA; S S A A SATB
36Choir and recitativeGehe wiederum hinab! Ich gehe hinabGo, return upon thy way! I go on my way, Psalm 71:16, Psalm 16:2,9SSATTBB, Elijah
37AriosoJa, es sollen wohl die Berge weichenFor the mountains shall departElijah
38ChorusUnd der Prophet Elias brach hervorThen did Elijah the prophet break forth,,, & SATB
39AriaDann werden die Gerechten leuchtenThen shall the righteous shine forth & T
40RecitativeDarum ward gesendet der Prophet EliasBehold, God hath sent ElijahS
41ChorusAber einer erwacht von MitternachtBut the Lord, from the north hath raised one,,,,, & SSAATTBB
42ChorusAlsdann wird euer Licht hervorbrechenAnd then shall your light break forth SATB
42ChorusHerr, unser HerrscherLord, our CreatorPsalm 8:1SATB

Reception

Elijah was popular at its premiere and has been frequently performed, particularly in English-speaking countries, ever since. It is a particular favourite of amateur choral societies. Its melodrama, easy appeal and stirring choruses have provided the basis for countless successful performances. Prince Albert inscribed a libretto for the oratorio Elijah in 1847: "To the noble artist who, surrounded by the Baal-worship of false art, has been able, like a second Elijah, through genius and study, to remain true to the service of true art." A number of critics have treated the work harshly, emphasizing its conventional outlook and undaring musical style. Bernard Shaw wrote:
Its popularity has changed over the years. After Boston's Handel and Haydn Society presented the work for the first time in February 1848, its success resulted in eight more performances that spring. In the mid-1920s, however, H.T. Parker, the city's principal music critic, described how members of the audience gazed upward at a recent performance: "How many of those eyes were there in rapture, or were counting the four dead lights in the central sunburst of the ceiling?.... Elijah is hopelessly, awfully, irremediably mid-Victorian.
Mendelssohn wrote the soprano part in Elijah for the 'Swedish Nightingale', Jenny Lind, although she was unavailable to sing the Birmingham premiere. In her place, the part was created by Maria Caterina Rosalbina Caradori-Allan. Lind was devastated by the composer's premature death in 1847. She did not feel able to sing the part for a year afterwards. She resumed singing the piece at Exeter Hall in London in late 1848, raising £1,000 to fund a scholarship in his name. After Arthur Sullivan became the first recipient of the Mendelssohn Scholarship, she encouraged him in his career.
Charles Salaman adapted "He that Shall Endure to the End" from Elijah as a setting for Psalm 93, sung on most Friday nights at the sabbath-eve service of the London Spanish & Portuguese Jewish community.