MENDELSSOHN’S "ELIJAH.”

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5535, 23 December 1878, Page 2

MENDELSSOHN’S "ELIJAH.”

The production of this great oratorio for the first time in this city by our Choral Society is an event of such musical importance as to justify more than a mere passing notice. We therefore purpose to give a brief outline of the work, for the benefit of those of our readers who intend to be present at its performance on Monday next. Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” has now fairly taken its place by the side of Handel’s “ Messiah ” as a great representative work, scarcely any musical festival in England being complete without it. It was the last completed work of its gifted composer, whose early death (at the age of 38) out short a career of meteoric brilliancy. England (in spite of its character as an unmusical nation) has always proved itself the true home of the oratorio. Handel and Mendelssohn, both Germans by birth, composed the “Messiah” and the 9 Elijah, a century elapsing between them, for British audiences. The “Elijah” was written for the Birmingham Festival (one of the great triennial musical gatherings) of 1847, where it was produced with great magnificence, and made the most profuund impression, and where it is repeated at each recurring festival. Mendelssohn himself went to England to conduct the first performance, and in his own published letters writes with the utmost enthusiasm of its execution and its reception by the public. The late Prince Consort, himself no mean musician, at the close of the performance sent the copy which he had been using to the composer, with the following note pencilled in the fly-leat:— ‘To the noble artist who, though encompassed by the Baal-worship of false art, by his genius and study has - succeeded, like another Elijah, in faithfully preserving the worship of true art, once more habituating the ear, amid the giddy whirl of empty frivolous sound, to the pure tones of sympathetic feeling and legitimate harmony ;—to the great master who, by the tranquil current of his thoughts, reveals to us the gentle whisperings, as well as the mighty strife of the elements,—to him is this written in grateful remembrance by “Buckingham Palace. “Albert.” The incessant strain and excitement caused by the production of this great work was the immediate cause of the death of Mendelssohn. He died at Leipsig on November 4, 1847, less than three months after the Birmingham Festival In sacred music he has left one other great oratorio, “St. Paul” (composed several years previously), and some fine cantatas—notably the “ Hymn of Praise” and “ Athalie" —together with a large number of smaller works, all written in the highest and purest style of art. Mendelssohn, by his birth and affluence, was fortunately not obliged to compose for money—he wrote for the sake of his art, and art alone. The oratorio of “Elijah” opens with the stern prediction of the prophet, “ There shall not be dew nor rain these years.” Then follows the overture, wnioh describes as in a picture the drying up of the springs and the drought and ;distress of the land. This leads to the first chorus, which opens with a passionate cry for help from the distressed people, and, which is followed by the mournful duet and chorus, “Lord bow Thine ear to our prayer.” The lovely tenor song, “If with all your hearts,” comes in as a word of comfort, but at its close the people again break forth frantically, “ Yet doth the Lord see it not— He mocketh at us." At the close of this chorus Elijah is commanded to go to the widow woman of Zarephath, and when there the scene occurs between the prophet and the widow in which the son of the latter is restored to life, and the passage closes with the chorus “ Blessed are the men.” Then comes the great dramatic scene between Elijah, Ahab, and the priests of Baal, in which the taunts of the terrible prophet are mingled with the passionate appeals made by the Baal-worshippers to their false god. This concludes with descent of the fire from Heaven and the destruction of the false prophets. A quiet air, “ Woe unto them who forsake him,” is then inserted as a test for the hearers and performers, and then the first part of the oratorio concludes with the magnificent scene on Mount Carmel, where Elijah prays for the rain, and the storm gradually rises, and the people join in the grand song of praise, “ Thanks be to God, he lavebh tllQ. thiraty land-” In the beginning of the second part the narrative is not immediately resumed. The first two numbers are the fine soprano song, “ Hear ye, Israel,” and the succeeding chorus—one of the noblest ever written, —“ Be not afraid, thy help is nigh.” Then follows Jezebel’s denunciation of Elijah, and the prophet goes away, weary and desponding, to the wilderness, with the touching prayer, “It is enough, O Lord, now take away my life.” He is then comforted by the trio of angels, “ Lift thine eyes,” and the lovely chorus, “He watching over Israel,” leads on to the command that he should arise and go to Horeb. Again ho passionately pleads for death, but is again restored to calmness by the angelic song, “ O rest in the Lord.” Then follows the great scene of the appearance of the Lord in H%reb, not in the wind or the tempest, or the earthquake, or the fire, but in the “ still small voice.” Mendel; sshon’s music to this pertion of the work is beyond all description or criticism. Then comes the last and greatest dramatic scene, and in a thrilling chorus the great master describes how the mighty prophet “ went by a whirlwind to Heaven” with the chariot and horses of fire. The beautiful numbers which conclude the work have been well described by an eloquent writer as “ the splendor and peace of a sunset after a day of thrilling excitement. They form a fitting and worthy conclusion to this noble work, which, though'it cannot be adequately rendered with our small resources, will yet be s» performed as to give our musical people —singers, players, and hearers alike some idea, and that not an inconsiderable one, of its wonderful dramatic beauty and musical perfectness. ■