Английская Википедия:Elijah (oratorio)
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Infobox musical composition Elijah (Шаблон:Lang-de), 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 on 26 August 1846.
Music and its style
This piece was composed in the spirit of Mendelssohn's Baroque predecessors Bach and Handel, whose music he greatly admired. 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 skill as an early Romantic composer.Шаблон:Citation needed
The work is scored for eight vocal soloists (two each of bass, tenor, alto, soprano), full symphony orchestra including 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, ophicleide, timpani, organ and strings 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.[1]
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,[2] which resulted in a partial text that Klingemann was unable to finish. Mendelssohn then turned to Шаблон:Ill, 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.[3]
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'.[4] Notwithstanding the work's triumph, Mendelssohn revised his oratorio wholesale before another group of performances in London in April 1847 – one (23 April) 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 Gade.
Biblical narrative
Mendelssohn uses biblical episodes relating to Elijah, which in the original, Шаблон:Sourcetext and Шаблон:Sourcetext, 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 persecution 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 (the dramatic action highlighted by a background colour), and the voices. The choir is mostly four-part SATB, but up to eight parts. The soloists are Elijah (baritone); soprano (S), singing the Widow, the Youth (sometimes taken by a boy treble) and Angel II; alto (A), singing Angel I and the Queen; and tenor (T), singing the parts of Obadiah and Ahab. The work is often performed with four soloists.[5]Шаблон:Better source needed
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 ("Das Volk"), but also comments, like the choir in Greek drama. The narrative passages from the books of Kings are highlighted by green background.
| No. | Description | Incipit | Translation | Text source | Voices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction | Шаблон:Lang | As God the Lord of Israel liveth | Шаблон:Sourcetext | Elijah | |
| Overture | |||||
| 1 | Chorus | Шаблон:Lang | Help, Lord! | Шаблон:Sourcetext & Шаблон:Sourcetext | SATB |
| 2 | Duet with choir | Шаблон:Lang | Lord! bow thine ear to our prayer! | Шаблон:Sourcetext & Шаблон:Sourcetext | S S SATB |
| 3 | Recitative | Шаблон:Lang | Ye people, rend your hearts | Шаблон:Sourcetext | Obadiah |
| 4 | Aria | Шаблон:Lang | If with all your hearts | Шаблон:Sourcetext & Шаблон:Sourcetext | Obadiah |
| 5 | Chorus | Шаблон:Lang | Yet doth the Lord see it not | Шаблон:Sourcetext | SATB |
| 6 | Recitative | Шаблон:Lang | Elijah! get thee hence | Шаблон:Sourcetext | Angel I |
| 7 | Octet | Шаблон:Lang | For he shall give his angels | Psalm 91:11-12 | Angels: SSAATTBB |
| Recitative | Шаблон:Lang | Now Cherith's brook is dried up | Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, & Шаблон:Sourcetext | Angel I | |
| 8 | Recitative, aria and duet | Шаблон:Lang | What have I to do with thee? | Шаблон:Sourcetext, Psalm 38:6, Psalm 86:15, Psalm 88:10 & Psalm 128:1 | Widow, Elijah |
| 9 | Chorus | Шаблон:Lang | Blessed are the men who fear him | Psalm 128:1, Psalm 112:1,4 | SATB |
| 10 | Recitative with choir | Шаблон:Lang | As God the Lord of Sabaoth liveth | Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, & Шаблон:Sourcetext | Elijah, Ahab, SATB |
| 11 | Chorus | Шаблон:Lang | Baal, we cry to thee; hear and answer us! | Шаблон:Sourcetext | SSAATTBB |
| 12 | Recitative with choir | Шаблон:Lang | Call him louder, for he is a god! | Шаблон:Sourcetext | Elijah, SATB |
| 13 | Recitative with choir | Шаблон:Lang | Call him louder! he heareth not! | Шаблон:Sourcetext | Elijah, SATB |
| 14 | Aria | Шаблон:Lang | Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel! | Шаблон:Sourcetext | Elijah, SATB |
| 15 | Quartet | Шаблон:Lang | Cast thy burden upon the Lord | Psalm 55:22, Psalm 16:8, Psalm 108:5, & Psalm 25:3 | S A T B |
| 16 | Recitative with choir | Шаблон:Lang | O thou, who makest thine angels spirits (The fire descends) | Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext | Elijah, SATB |
| 17 | Aria | Шаблон:Lang | Is not his word like a fire? | Шаблон:Sourcetext & Psalm 7:11-12 | Elijah |
| 18 | Arioso | Шаблон:Lang | Woe unto them who forsake him! | Шаблон:Sourcetext | A |
| 19 | Recitative with choir | Шаблон:Lang | O man of God, help thy people! | Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, & Psalm 28:1 | Obadiah, Elijah, SATB, Youth |
| 20 | Chorus | Шаблон:Lang | Thanks be to God | Psalm 93:3-4 | SATB |
| No. | Description | Incipit | Translation | Source | Voices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Aria | Шаблон:Lang | Hear ye, Israel! | Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, & Шаблон:Sourcetext | S |
| 22 | Chorus | Шаблон:Lang | Be not afraid, saith God the Lord | Шаблон:Sourcetext & Psalm 91:7 | SATB |
| 23 | Recitative with choir | Шаблон:Lang | The Lord hath exalted thee | Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, & Шаблон:Sourcetext | Elijah, Queen, SATB |
| 24 | Chorus | Шаблон:Lang | Woe to him, he shall perish | Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, & Шаблон:Sourcetext | SATB |
| 25 | Recitative | Шаблон:Lang | Man of God, now let my words | Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, Psalm 59:3, Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, & Шаблон:Sourcetext | Obadiah, Elijah |
| 26 | Aria | Шаблон:Lang | It is enough, O Lord now take away my life | Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, & Шаблон:Sourcetext | Elijah |
| 27 | Recitative | Шаблон:Lang | See, now he sleepeth | Шаблон:Sourcetext & Psalm 34:7 | Unnamed Tenor |
| 28 | Trio | Шаблон:Lang | Lift thine eyes | Psalm 121:1-3 | Angels: S S A |
| 29 | Chorus | Шаблон:Lang | He, watching over Israel, slumbers not | Psalm 121:4 & Psalm 138:7 | SATB |
| 30 | Recitative | Шаблон:Lang | Arise, Elijah, for thou hast a long journey | Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, & Шаблон:Sourcetext | Angel I, Elijah |
| 31 | Aria | Шаблон:Lang | O rest in the Lord | Psalm 37:1,7 | Angel I: Alto |
| 32 | Chorus | Шаблон:Lang | He that shall endure to the end, shall be saved. | Шаблон:Sourcetext Шаблон:Sourcetext | SATB |
| 33 | Recitative | Шаблон:Lang | Night falleth round me, O Lord! | Шаблон:Sourcetext & Шаблон:Sourcetext | Elijah, Angel II |
| 34 | Chorus | Шаблон:Lang | Behold! God the Lord passeth by! | Шаблон:Sourcetext | SATB |
| 35 | Quartet with choir | Шаблон:Lang | Above him stood the Seraphim; Holy is God the Lord | Шаблон:Sourcetext | A; S S A A SATB |
| 36 | Choir and recitative | Шаблон:Lang | Go, return upon thy way! I go on my way | Шаблон:Sourcetext, Psalm 71:16, Psalm 16:2,9 | SSATTBB, Elijah |
| 37 | Arioso | Шаблон:Lang | For the mountains shall depart | Шаблон:Sourcetext | Elijah |
| 38 | Chorus | Шаблон:Lang | Then did Elijah the prophet break forth | Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, & Шаблон:Sourcetext | SATB |
| 39 | Aria | Шаблон:Lang | Then shall the righteous shine forth | Шаблон:Sourcetext & Шаблон:Sourcetext | T |
| 40 | Recitative | Шаблон:Lang | Behold, God hath sent Elijah | Шаблон:Sourcetext | S |
| 41 | Chorus | Шаблон:Lang | But the Lord, from the north hath raised one | Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, Шаблон:Sourcetext, & Шаблон:Sourcetext | SSAATTBB |
| 42 | Chorus | Шаблон:Lang | And then shall your light break forth | Шаблон:Sourcetext Шаблон:Sourcetext | SATB |
| Шаблон:Lang | Lord, our Creator | Psalm 8:1 | SATB |
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."[6] A number of critics later treated the work harshly, however, emphasizing its conventional outlook and undaring musical style. Bernard Shaw wrote in 1892:
- I sat out the performance on Wednesday to the last note, an act of professional devotion which was no part of my plan for the evening ... You have only to think of Parsifal, of the Ninth Symphony, of Die Zauberflöte, of the inspired moments of Bach and Handel, to see the great gulf that lies between the true religious sentiment and our delight in Mendelssohn's exquisite prettiness.[7]
Similarly, 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.[8]
However, with the widespread re-evaluation of Mendelssohn’s work in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, these critical opinions have largely changed. In his definitive biography of the composer, the musicologist R. Larry Todd wrote that “the oratorio was the crowning achievement of Felix’s career”.[9] And in 2005 critic and musicologist Michael Steinberg described Elijah as “thrilling to sing” and noted that it “includes some of Mendelssohn’s finest music”.[10]
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.[11]
Charles Salaman adapted "He that Shall Endure to the End" from Elijah as a setting for Psalm 93 (Adonai Malakh), sung on most Friday nights at the sabbath-eve service of the London Spanish & Portuguese Jewish community.[12]
References
External links
- Шаблон:IMSLP2
- Free scores of this work in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
- Full-text English-language libretto
- Three short musical excerpts from Elijah by a Swiss choir Шаблон:Webarchive
- The History of Mendelssohn's Oratorio "Elijah" (1896)
- Conference program with abstracts: "Viewing Mendelssohn, Viewing Elijah",
Шаблон:Felix Mendelssohn Шаблон:Authority control Шаблон:Italic title
- ↑ Todd, R. Larry (1991). Mendelssohn and His World, p. 304. Princeton University Press
- ↑ Program notes for Concert Opera Boston performance of Son and Stranger, March 15, 2009, accessed November 23, 2009
- ↑ Temperley, Nicholas (1998) Programme note to the complete English recording of the oratorio (Decca Records)
- ↑ The Times (anonymous critic), 27 August 1846
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Peter Mercer-Taylor, The Life of Mendelssohn (Cambridge University Press, 2000), 200
- ↑ Bernard Shaw in The World, 11 May 1892
- ↑ Teresa M. Neff and Jan Swafford, eds., The Handel and Haydn Society: Bringing Music to Life for 200 Years (Jaffrey, NH: David R. Godine, 2014), pp. 63, 161
- ↑ Todd, R. Larry, Mendelssohn, A Life in Music (Oxford University Press, 2003), p. 548
- ↑ Steinberg, Michael, Choral Masterworks, A Listener's Guide (Oxford University Press, 2005), p.235
- ↑ Rosen, Carole. "Lind, Jenny (1820–1887)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 7 Dec 2008
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
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