elias mendelsson

7/30/2019 Elias Mendelsson

1/32


2/32

Cornell University LibraryML 53.M53E4Elijah, a sacred drama.and other poenis^^^^^

3""T924 022 148 104

THE GIFT OFa.a,^....O^..g},.,.U^^

.A..I 5[pi.3..o ...MUSIC '..^i.?..(..'.?..


3/32

Cornell UniversityLibrary

The original of tiiis book is inthe Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright restrictions inthe United States on the use of the text.

http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924022148104


4/32

FORTYSTYLES

PliAIBT

OR

ELEGANT

GASSS.

ONE

TWELVESTOPS.

$1,000.

THE MASON & HAMLIN CABINET ORGANS,ADAPTED TO SECULAK AND SACRED MUSIC,FOE (DRAWING ROOMS, CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, &c.They occupy little space ; are very elegant as fwniture ; not liable to get oiit of order, and are seevrely boxed

so that they can be sent amywhere by ordinary freight routes, in perfect condition.Fifty-Two Gold or Silver Medals,

or other highest premiums have been awarded to Mason & Hamlin within a few years, and seventeen within a few weeics : alarger number, it is believed, than have ever been taken by any other manufacturer of instruments, In a similar period.

MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY OF THE MOST PROMINENT ARTISTS AND MUSICIANSin the country have given their written testimony to the value and attractiveness of the Mason & Hamlin Cabinet Organs,their adaptedness to private and public use, and their siipebtoritt to evbrt thing else of the class." I can only reiterate what so many in the musical profession have said before, that tor equality, promptness and ex-quisite tone, they are unequaled. * * * A most charming addition to the musical resources of professional as well asamateur musicians." John H. Wiloox, Boston. "The bct reed instruments made in the world, are made in the UnitedStates, and your Cabinet Organs are greatly superior and by far the best made here." Max Maketzek. " Sure to find itsway into every household of taste and refinement, which can possibly afford its moderate expense." L. M. Gottscbalk." Snch pure musical tones, promptness and smoothness of action and fine variety of effect, I have not found in any other in-strument of the class." S. B. Mills, New York. " The best instrument of its class with which I am acquainted, and.worthya place in every drawing room," Harry Sanderson, New York. "No instniment ofthe same description can at all comparewith your delightful Cabinet Organs." * * * "The perfection which you have attained in these instruments, has opened"'-"'"' '"" """"' music ofa high order, whichhas heretofore required the aid otseveral instruments."

it tliat there can hardly be Uiitph difference of opinion respecting them." Williama new field for the interpretation ofmuchB. J. Lang, Boston. "^Beally so excellent t ^Mason. New York. " In every respect^ar stiperior to everything I have ever seen of the kind, eitlier in iSirope or America."Geo. Washbodhne Morgan, New Tore. " Surpasses everything In this line, I have yet seen, whetherFrench or American."John Zundel, New York.. " Far surpasses all other instruments of the kind that have come under my observation." CarlZebrahn, Boston. " Exceeds in my estimation every other instrument of this general class." Thos. {Iastings. "I should

only trouble i^ill be to supply the demand," Wm. B. Bradbdrt.I ^^ Observe that tne Mason & Hamlin Cabinet Organs are adapted to secular as well as sacred music. The most rapid,lively music can be played upon them, and they are capable of great variety of effect. Some of the styles are very exquisitepieces of furniture. Circulars with full particulars to any address, free.

Warerooms. 596 Broadway, New York. 154 Tremont Street, Boston.


5/32

ELIJAH:THE MUSIC COMPOSED BY

MENDELSSOHNILLUSTRATED EDITIONWORDS AND MUSIC

WITH

A BIOGKAPHY OF MEISTDELSSOHN,

NEW-YORK:PUBLISHED AT THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC.


6/32


7/32

LIFE OF MENDELSSOHN.Bartholdt Felix Mendelssohn was the

son of a rich merchant and banker, at Ham-burg, and was born in that city on the 3d ofFebruary, 1809. Besides be ng thus favorablyplaced, Felix Mendelssohn entered upon thebreathing world encircled with the areola of an-cestral renown. He was the grandson of MosesMendelssohn, a light of philosophy and science,as well as one of the most brilliant exponentsof Jewish literature, whose name, moreover, isconnected with music by more than one eesthe-tical disquisition in the course of his profoundand varied works ; among which, if we recol-lect, is to be found a treatise on " equal temper-ament."The early development of the musical facultyin the young Felix Mendelssohn forces him into

a comparison with the precocious Mozart ; buthis more fortunate position saved him from themany evils resulting from the premafture drudg-ery of public display.His earliest musical instructor was the na-

tural guardian .of his infancyhis mother ; andon his father removing to Berlin, when Felixwas but four years old, the child was placedunder the musical tuition of another lady, Ma-dame Bigot, to whose enlightened and affection-ate care Mendelssohn was always proud to ownhis obligation. At this period, he was fre-quently accompanied by the witcheries of Bail-lot's violin. In tracing the progress of his per-fect and well-conducted musical education, dueweight should be allowed to these favoringcircumstances, from which the future composer,no doubt, derived much of the faultless expres-

sion, the tenderness, and the playful gayetjwith which his woi'ks overflow. At the age of eight years he was esteemedamongst his friends a minute prodigyand notwithout reason. He could then play at sightthe most intricate scores of Bach, and, withoutpremeditation, transpose Cramer's exercisesinto all sorts of keys. He also evinced a won-derful faculty in extemporizing upon a giventheme. At this period, he was put under thecare of the severe an(J methodical Zelter, thecontrapuntist, while hi% practice on the pianowas directed by the romantic Louis Berger,whose enthusiastic nature set its stamp uponthe susceptible heart of the incipient musician.

Zelter was not the man to give ready way tofervid impressions ; yet the extent to which"his glorious boy," as he called him, had woundhimself round his rigid affections, is manifestfrom the eagerness with which the professordesired to introduce his pupil to the " greatman " of Germany, Goethe. When Sir WalterScott, in his latter days, met Goethe, the eyesof Europe were fixed with intense interest ontheir interview. But here we have to tell ofthe mighty German genius permitting the in-troduction of a child of twelve years. Zelter,writing to Goethe, in 1831, tells him : " I desireto show your face to my favorite pupil beforeI die." Upon the circle which surroundedGoethe as its centre, the young musician madea profound impression, winning, at the sametime, the affection of all, by his boyish open-ness, mingled with those little espilecfleries whichbelonged to the pupil "^ Madame Bigot, and


8/32

IV LIFE OP ME If DELSS OHK.the spoiled child of his mamma. It was on oneof these occasions that he stopped in the midstof the performance of a fugue of Bach. Hisquick and delicate ear was oflfended by an in-formality in the score. He insisted that therewere consecutive fifths. Hummel was present,and was lost in astonishment upon discoveringthat the passage actually contained " coveredfifths," which had hitherto escaped detection.Hummel's wonderful performance on the piano-forte made a deep impression upon young Men-delssohn, so much so, that he burst into tearswhen once asked to play after him.

Felix had composed several works for thepiano ; but it was not till in 1824 that he .ap-peared as a writer before the public. In thatyear were published two quartets for violin,tenor, violoncello, and piano, (Op. 1,) the youngaifthor being then not fifteen years old. Thesewere followed by a grand duo in F minor, forpiano and violin ; ^ quartet in B minor ; andseveral other works ; among others, the operanamedi)ie Hochseit des Camachos. The last-named opera, in three acts, was performed inBerlin, but without any remarkable manifesta-tion of public approval.Before his father would allow him to devotehimself to music as his profession, he took himto Paris to consult the then aged Cherubini.The ordeal proposed by that consummate mu-sician to test the proficiency of the aspirantwas the composition of a Kyrie for chorus andfilll orchestra, which ws accomplished to theperfect satisfaction of the renowned judge.This decision it was which gave to the world itsfuture Mendelssohn. Animated by this en-couragement, he resumed his studies under hisformer esteemed masters, and successively pro-duced the works from Op. 5 to Op. 12; be-side several quartets, and an octet. About.this period he made the acquaintance of Mos-cheles ; and as early as 1827 was performed inpublic that charming production of his penThe Midsummer Nighfs Dream, {Der Som-tfiernachistraum.*)

But it was in England that his most brilliantsuccesses were to be won, and in the hearts ofEnglishmen that his talent was to be lastinglyenshrined. Through the mediation of IgnaceMoscheles, the banded artists of the Philhar-monic Society extended to the talented strangerthe right hand of friendship ; and in the year

This must mcin the overture, which he composedin 1825, at the ago of aixteon. The other portions ofthat music were produced many years later.

1829 Mendelssohn was in London, and at onceunderstood and cordially responded to that ap-plausive sympathy which the performance ofhis works, by the Philharmonie Society, evoked,and which forever bound him to> that hospifablosoil. The splendor of his reception in Englandgave him an extemporaneous fame throughoutEurope. In 1831 we find him at Rome, wherethe Walpurgisnacht of his early friendGoethe occupied his eminently artistic pen.There also he pieced together the inspirationswhich he had previously conce;'/ed amongst t hebasaltic caverns of the Western Isles of Sc' it-land, and the romantic Hall of Fingal vm-fthe result. This overture was performed inLondon, in 1832. While at Rome,' also, hestruck into a new line of composition, altofri-iheihis own, in those matchless Lieder ohne Worte.which prove, beyond denial, that music has itspoetry, as well as poetry its music. His agreea-ble exterior, his cultivated intelligence, and theindependence of his position, made him evt^rywhere received with distinction. And on bissecond visit to London, in 1832, he found him-self quite identified"with the artistic monde ofthat capital.

In the mean time he had travelled, in thecombined quality of tourist and musician,through Scotland, France, Germany, and Italy ;and after four years' improving and ennoblit)gabsence, he returned to Berlin ; but not to makethat home of his boyhood his exclusive resi-dence. "In 1834," says M. Fetis, " I foundhim again at Aix-la-Chapelle, whither he hadbetaken himself on the occasion of the MusicalF6te of the Pentecost. He was then twenty-five years of age ; his former youthful timidityhad given place to the assurance of the ackn6vr-ledged artist, and even to a certain air ofhauteur." Until 1836, he continued to directthe fetes at Dusseldorf and Cologne, and thenretired, in consequence of his finding it impos-sible to keep in accordance with the artists andamateurs of Dusseldorf, where he resided.During this year, he spebt a considerable timeat Frankfort ; and while there he married.

Throughout the period of his celebrity, hewas not only distinguished for his compositions,but universally run after as a performer. Lan-guage was exhausted of its tropes and figuresin the fruitless attempt to describe his unsur-passed excellence as a pianist ; and the churcheswere invaded by crowds, who thronged theaisles when he was expected to play on theorgan. In a word, the only thing he could notdo on the organ was to " play the congregation


9/32

lif: OF MENDELSSOHNout," The more effectively he played, the more 1fixed the congregation remained the moreartistically persuaBive his intimation to depart,the more determined were they not to go ; andan instance is on record, how once, at St. Paul'sCathedral, the vergers, impatient to clear thechurch and get their supper, managed to givean effectual blow to the energy of the performerby surreptitiously stopping the bellows.

It was, possibly, his tran


10/32

VI OEATOEIO 01" ELIJAH.looked up to heaven, whither he was fast has-tening. The abiding shadow of the unseen\rorld was settling upon hinn.

In 1837 he had accepted the post of directorof the concerts at Leipsic. in this city he con-tinued to reside till his death, which happenedon the 6th of November, 1847.

Thus, at the age of thirty-eight, died thisgreat and accomplished man. tii the earlyperiod of his decease, Mendelssohn strikinglyresembles Mozart, who died in his thirty-sixthyear. Of Mozart it can not be said that hedied prematurely. His faculty was developed

with amazing rapidity ; and, from the veryearly age at which he began to hold a plac^ inpublic estimation, his artistic life was by nomeans short. Although a painful apprehensionto the contrary embittered his last days, yet helived long enough for fame. Not so with Men-delssohn. However extended his mortal spanmight have been, his fine talent would havecontinued, in all probability, to unfold and dis-cover fresh beauties as long as his naturalfaculties were perfect. He died in the periodof fall promise, withered in the spring-time ofbis genius.

AI^ALTSIS OF MENDELSSOHN'S ELIJAH.The following able Analysis of JSlijali,

taken from DwighCs Journal of Music, will beread with unmingled pleasure and satisfaction :The figure of the prophet is stationed, atonce, boldly in the foreground. Even theOverttjre is prefaced by a brief Eecitative, inwhich, with firm, deep voice, he declares thatThere shall not be dew nor rain these years.Had Mendelssohn composed expressly for anAmerican audience, who never begin to settledown into the listening state until they hearthe human voicewe might have suspectedhim of an innocent manoeuvre here, to procuresilence, and a hearing for the Overture. Inthis Overture there is a sort of sullen, smoth-ered, choking energy, fretting against chainsself-forged ; an obdurate .willfulness seems de-picteda desperate impulse continually tryingitself over again, only to find the same fatallimita'tions ; it is the mood of an unrepentingcriminal ill his cell. The musieisall of veryshort fibre, woven into the toughest, knottiestsort of texture; full of movement, but na pro-gress. One or two little short starts of melodyconstantly repeated, are its themes ; and,though these are woven into a consistent andartistic whole, you hear nothing else from firstto last. This is in the appropriate key of Dminor, and sheds the right murky coloring overall that is to follow, helping imagination torealize the state of Israel under Ahab. Droughtand famine ; life denied its outward sustenance;

starved impulses, which, getting no expansion,only murmur of themselvesare the alternatechanges of one figure on this monotonous webof tones.And now the suffering finds a voice. Thereis a chorus of the people Help, Lord ! wiltthou quite destroy us ?still in D minor, 4-4time. Andante. First a loud cry. Help, Lord !upon the minor common chord of D, the ac-companiments traversing downwards and up-wards through all its inversions for two bars ;then, as the air climbs one note higher, thesame process is repeated on the crying chordof the Diminished Seventh, which, through thedominant Seventh upon C, would fain force itsway out into the bright major key of F, andfind relief; but while the base tends boldlythat way, the chord of D minor returning inthe upper parts smothers the tendency, produc-ing a discordant mixture of tonics, which ispeculiarly expi'essive, on the words : Wilt thouquite destroy us ? Out of this massive andcompact beginning the tenors lead the way ina freer movement, chanting the two plaintivephrases : The harvest now is over, the Summerdays are gone, and And yet no power eometh tohelp us, which are duly taken up by the othervoices and passed round as the themes of avery beautiful and graceful Fugue, which worksitself up by degrees, into the right chord for atraiisition to the key of E major, whea theFugue is quelled for a while into a uniform


11/32

OEATOEIO OF ELIJAH. ''n?movement, Will then the Lord be no more Godin Zion ? with a fitful, tremulous accompani-ment ; but it soon breaks loose again, and,amid renewals of the cry, Help, Lord! fromsingle voices, terminates the chorus. A re-markable Choral Eecitativo succeeds, in whichthe complaints of famine come up in distinct,successive fragments of melody from one massof voices after another : The deep affords nowaterThe infant children ask for bread, etc.exceedingly expressive, if the voices startthe theme with perfect concert. Next we havea plaintive duet for sopranos, Zion spreadeth herhands for aid one of those wild and tendermelodies, (each part a melody however,) inwhich we get the genuine aroma of Mendels-sohn's peculiar genius, as in his Lieder. Thereare several such in jElijah. In the pauses ofthe duet, which is in A minor, and forming asort of background to it, is constantly heard-the burthen (an old Jewish Chant) alternatelyof the entire female and of the entire malechorus, in unison, on- the words. Lord, bowthine ear to our prayer. The effect is as poeticas it is original. At first was the popularcomplaint of the short harvest ; then, in theRecitative, it was the children hungering athome; now it is youthful loveliness and beautyinterceding as by special affinity with heaven ;remark this fine touch of the delicate andfeminine side of the composer's geniushadthis Duet been left out, it would hardly havebeen Mendelssohn.

So much in description of the drought. Nowcomes the appeal of Obadiah to the consciencesof the peoplea Tenor Recitative, Bend yourhearts, etc., followed by the exquisitely tenderand consoling tenor song, (Andante, in E flat :)If with all your hearts ye truly seek me. Ifyou comparfe it with Handel's Comfort ye, mypeople, you have the whole difference of com-plexion between these two deeply religiousnatures. In that, it is the perfect sanguinebuoyancy and confident announcement of hopein this, it is hope tinged with sadnessmoreof reflective yearning, and less of the child'sunquestioning acceptance and assurance. Itwould compare more closely with He shallfeed his flock ; only that is an alto song, andthis a tenor, as befits the difference of aentirme'nt ; for in that, the feminine element, orLove, is all in all ; whereas in this, the mascu-line element of Justice tempers Love. In thissong, as in the duet before, and as throughoutthe oratorio, Mendelssohn displays his rarepoetic invention in accompaniment ; in every

bar at first it takes, as if unconsciously, th?form of seek aiid finda climbing arpeggio,answered by a full chord ; when it reaches thowords. Oh ! that I knew where I might findHim, the whole air pulses to the heart beat olthe melody, as the violins divide the measurv'into crystal and precise vibrations. Thci:breaks out the turbulent chorus in C minoi-.Yet doth the Lord see it not . .'. his wrath willpursue us, etc. ; full of diminished seventhand of discords from bold overlapping of oiiochord upon another. Its vehement and angrvmotion is suddenly arrested on a discord nfthis sort, (dominant seventh upon the tonic,)in the words till he destroys us ; and after thopause, follows the grave, massive, psalm-likesolid piece of counterpoint, all in long half-notes "For He, the Lord our God, He is a jbalou?God, etc., thrown up like a mountain range ofthe primeval granite in the midst of this greatmusical creation ; yet its solemnity is not allbarren, for erelong its sides wave with the for-ests sprung from the accumulated soil of ages,and the solemn procession of the clouds iiiheaven passes in shadows over their surface ;the key shifts to the major : the accompani-ments acquire a freer movijment ; rich, refresh-ing modulations succeed each other smoothly,and the vocal parts diverge iti separate stream f.of perfect harmony, at the thought : His Meu-ciBS ON thousands FALL, etc. Fit prelude tcthe voice of 'angels ! An alto voice, in recitative, bids Elijah hence to Cherith's brook, tel Iing of the ravens who will feed him. Then aremarkable double Quartet (four male and fourfemale voices) follows with the words : ForHe shall give his angels charge, etc. The verysimplicity, together with the animated movf-ment of this, requiring perfect precision andblending of the eight distinct parts, makes itdifficult to convey its beauty in a performance.Again the angel warns him to Zarephath to thewidow woman ; and the homely images of thebarrel of meal and the cruise of oil do notfail, or fall in any wise short of digtiity andbeauty, in Mendelssohn's pure recitative, whichquite transcends the usual common-place.We have now reached the first in the serie*of dramatic sketches, of which the body of theOratorio is mainly composed : the miracle ofraising the widow's son. The sentiment of themarvellous is first raised by the accompani-ments, which, confined chiefly to the violins andtreble wood instruments, keep up a light trem-olo, to a melody, full of sad, sweet humility,(E minor, 6-8,) which introduces the lamenta-


12/32

Vlll OKATOBIO OF ELIJAH.!?m of the woman over her son. The answer oftae prophet, and his prayer, Twrn unto her, arem the major of the key, in grave, fourfoldmeasure. The return of the tremolo, in thestill more mystical key of F sharp majorswelling and diminishing, raises expectationto the height, and makes natural the woman'squestion of surprise. Wilt thou show wondersto th*. dead? The prayer is renewed, and sotoo the woman's exclamation, striking a highernote in her growing earnestness. Yet a thirdtime the prophet prays, amid crashing, measur-ed peals of harmony, announcing that the mir-aculous agency is at work restoring life. Thejoy and devout thankfulness of the mother,prompting the question, What shall I renderthe Lord? are followed by the brief but.beauti-fiil duet between her and the prophet, Thousliall love the Lord with all thy heart, which isin broad four-fold measure, and glides directlyinto the chorus. Blessed are the men who fearhim, which is distinguished by the soft, ripplingflow of the accompaniments, the violoncelloskeeping up one uniformly varied and contin-uous figure in sixteenths through the whole ofit, while the vocal parts steal in one after an-other with the same .whispered melody, which,with that multitude of voices, is like the softrustle of the bending grass, before successivebreathings of the west wind^until the words,Through darkness riseth light to the upright,where the sopranos shout forth a clarion call,climbing through the harmonic intervals of thefifth of the key as far as its tenth, and closingwith a cadence upon B, which note the basestake for a starting point, and thence repeatnearly the same figure, ending in A, where itis taken up by the' altos, and again echoed ereit is half out of their mouths by the tenors,until all come unitedly upoir the words : Heis gracious, compassionate, righteous. Thesewords are treated somewhat after the mannerof, And his name shall be called Wonderful,Counsellor, etc., in Handel's sublime chorus,though no such stupendous effects are here at-tempted. The original whispered melody flowsin again with mingled fragments of the secondtheme, And the chorus ends with echoing, re-treating calls of Blessed! while that ripplingaccompaniment floats skyward and is lost.Now comes the appearance of Elijah heforeAhab, and the second dramatic scene, the chal.lenge of the priests of Baal. The several pro-posals of Elijah (in bold recitative) are echoedin choral bursts from the people, Then wesliall see whose God is the Lord, etc. The in^

vocation of the priests of Baal is very efTectivemusically, however fruitless for their purpose,and the music of it is in striking contrast withthe severe and spiritual tone of the rest of theOratorio. Noisy, impetuous, full of accent andof animal life, it befits theworshippers ofnaturalthings ; and it commences in the key of nature,or F major. First, it is in 4-4 time, a doublechorus, with a sort of bacchanalian energy,Baal, we erg to thee j then sets in an Allegromovement, with arpeggio accompaniment inthirds, in single chorus, bases and altos in uni-son crying, Sear us, Baal I hear, mighty God,and sopranos and tenors in unison more earn-est following, Baal, oh! answer us; let Ihgflames fall and extirpate the foe, etc. In vainno help for them ! in long loud cadences (theminor third, so loved by Mendelssohn) withhopeless pauses between their Hear us ! floatsaway upon the empty air. The prophet tauntsthem : Call him louder. Again they raise theircry, this time in F sharp minor, in hurried,4-4 time, the full force of the orchestra reiter-ating quick, short, angry notes, as if they wereall instruments of percussion, and trying rest-less and discordant modulations, as the voiceswith agonized impatience repeat : Jfbw arise ;wherefore slumber? Again the prophet taunts,and again they call on Baal, still in the samewild key, but with the most furious prestomovement, in 6-8, ending as before in fruitlesscadences. Hear and answer, succeeded by un-broken pauses.

It is now Elijah's turn. In a solemn Ada-gio air, expressive of siiblimest faith and feel-ing of the right, and even of a tenderness whichyou can not help contrasting afterwards withhis ruthless slaughter of his defeated rivals, heoffers up his prayer to the God of Abraham,Isaac, and Israel, This is followed by a shortand simple quartet : Cast thy burden upon theLord. All this was in the confident key ofE flat major. In his invocation : O Thou, wh^makest thine angels spirits Them, whose rfiin-isters are flaming fires j let them, now descend!The prophet's voice, unaccompanied, rises aminer third in uttering the first clause, followedby the full minor chord, pianissimo, from theinstruments ; in the second clause it ascends(through the minor third again, to the fifth)again more loudly answered by the instru..ments ; and in the third clause it reaches th^octave, when bursts forth the wild descriptivechorus : The fire descends from heaven ! Thischange to the minor in the invocation makes apresentioient of miracle, as surely as a prcteF


13/32

ORATORIO OF ELIJAH. IXnatural change of d&ylight, or the noon-daydarkening of eclipse. The Fire-chorus, withits imitative accompaniments, we will not at-tempt to describe ; it is fearfully grand, andterminates in a massive Choral : The Lord isGod, etc. ; the earth quakes as it rolls away,with the prolonged tremolo of the doublebases, during which Elijah dooms the prophetsof Baal

This scene closes with twaremarkable songs.First, a base solo by Elijah: Is not his wordlike afire^ and like a hammer that breaketh therock into pieces ? Here the composer evidentlyhad in his mind a similar great solo in Handel'sMessiah. Both song and accompaniment arecast in the same iron mould, requiring a gigan-tic voice to execute it. Indeed, it is almost toogreat to be sung, as some parts are too great tobe acted. Next, the exquisite alto solo. Woeunto them that forsake Him ! which is again ofthe Lieder ohne Wbrte order, haying that char-acteristic wild-flower beauty, so indescribable inthe melodies of Mendelssohn.

Finally, we have the coming of rain, pre-pared in a dialogue between the people, theprophet and the youth whom he sends forthto look toward the sea. There is a gradualmellowing of the instruments, so that youseem almost to snuff rain in the parchedair. The responses of the youth, clear,trumpet-toned, in the major chord of C, as hedeclares, there is nothing, each time with theenhanced effect of the mellow, continuous highmonotone from the orchestra, and finally an-nouncing, amid the mysterious thrilling of theair with violin thirds, a little cloud no biggerthan a man's hand ; then the blackening theheavens with clouds and with wind ; and thenthe loud rushing of the storm, are wrought upto an admirable olimajf, ftnd the .cljopus breaksforth, Ijlfa * pepfceit flood of joy, refreshing andpeflying all things : Thanks be to God ! Helaveth the thirsty land. The waters gather;they rush along ; they are lifting their voicesThe stormy billows are high ; their fury ismighty ;, but the Lord is above them and Al-mighty ! This rain.chorus (which is in E flatmajor) is in perfect contrast with that Fire-chorus, The musjc itself is 0.S welcome asshowers aftgr long drought ; as tears of joyand reconciliation after years of barren, obsti-nate selfwill and coldness ; as the revisiting ofinspired thoughts to the dry, dul), jaded, un-guggestive brain ; and that not the less be-c^iuse g,ll the music which precedes is rich andvarigus, Th? ygices sgeis to launch themselves

along rejoicing, like the copious bllloivs o^ atorrent, while the instruments, by a well-ehosoufigure, imitate the sound of dripping streams.You feel the changing temperature of the air insome of those modulations. What a gusto,what a sense of coolness in some of those flatsevenths in the base ! there are certain chordsthere which we would call barometrical or at-mospheric, if the extravagance of fancy mightbe allowed to keep pace with the fullness ofdelight in listening to this tone-translation ofone of the inexhaustible phenomena of nature.

This closes the First Part of the Oratorio.The Second Part has for its subject-matterthe reaction of the popular sentiment againstElijah,, at the instigation of the queenhis so-journ in the wilderness, and his translation toheaven. This is prefaced by a song of warningto Israel, Hear ye, Israel, for a soprano voice,in B minor, 3-8 time : one of those quaint lit-tle wild flowers of melody again, which seemto have dropped so often from another planetat the feet of Mendelssohn. The short-breath-ed, syncopated form of the accompaniment, andthe continual cadence of the voice through athird, give it an expression of singularly child-like innocence and seriousness. Then follows, ,in the major of the key, in statelier 3-4 mea-sure, and with trumpet obligato, a cheering air,which differs from the last as a bracing Octobermorning from a soft summer Sabbath evening,Thus saith the Lord, I am he that comforfeth,etc., leading into the very spirited chorus in Gmajor : Be not afraid, saith God the Lord.This has a full, broad, generous, Hatidelian flow,like a great river rolling rapidly ; and as youpear detects the mingling separate currents whenyou heed the riyep's general roar more closely,so hurrying, pursuing, mingling, go the voicesof the fugue. Though thousands languish,which gives the. chorus a more thoughtful cha-racter for a moment, before they arc all mergedagain in the grand whole of that first strain,Be not afraid !One can not conceive how the scene whichfollows could have been wrought into musicwith a more dramatic effect. The prophet de-nounces A-hab ; then the queen in the low tonesof deepest excitement, in angry and emphaticsentences of recitative, demands. Hath he noiprophesied against all Israel ? Hath he not des-troyed BaaVs prophets ? Hath he not closed theheavens ? etc. ; and to each question comes anominous, brief choral response : We heard itwith our ears, etc. ; and finiiUy the furiouschorus, Wqb (o Mm, h? shall perish^ if) which .


14/32

OEATOEIO OF ELIJAH.tbe quick, short petulant notes of the orchestraseem to crackle and boil with rage.

Yielding to Obadiah's friendly warning, theprophet journeys to the wilderness ; and herewe have the tenderest and deepest portions ofall this music ; here we approach Elijah in hissolitary communings and his sufferings ; herewe feel a more human interest and sympathyfor the mighty man of miracle ; we forget theterrible denouncer of God's enemies, and lovehis human heart, all melting to the loveliness ofjustice, and mourning over Israel's insane sepa-ration of herself from God, more than over hisownstrials. Follow him there ! genial guidesstand ready to your imagination's bidding : first,the grand old words of the brief and simpleHebrew narrative ; then the befitting and con-genial music of this modern descendant of theHebrews, this artist, son of Mendel. Listen tothat grand deep song which he has put hereinto the mouth of Elijah : li is enough, Lord;now take away my life, for I am not better thanmy fathers, ^\x,. What resignation ! His greatsoul bowed to that unselfish sadness, gives youa nobler, more colossal image than the fallenSaturn in the " Hyperion " of Keats. The graveand measured movement of the orchestra markswell his weary, thoughtful, heavy steps. Buthis soul summons a new energy, the smoulder-ing music blazes up, as he remembers : / havebeen very jealousfor the Lord.

Follow him ! Fatigue brings sleep, andsleep brings angel voices. Let that sweettenor recitative interpret his wanderings andhis whereabouts, and the angelic voices inter-pret the heaven in his heart. Under a junipertree in the wilderness ! Mark the quaint sim-plicity of the words, and how heartily the mu-sical vein in Mendelssohn adapts itself to sucha child's narrative. And now hear, as the com-poser heard, the heavenly voices floating down.It is a scene almost as beautiful as that por-trayed in Handel's music for the nativity of theMessiah. First a Trio (female voices) withoutaccompaniments. Lift thine eyes to the moun-tains, pure and chaste as starlight ; then thelovely chorus, (for all four parts ;) He watchingover Israel, slumbers not, nor sleeps. If the Triowas like heaven descending, this is like thepeacefulness of earth encompassed with hea-ven ; it has a gentle, soothing, pastoral cha-racter, like " There were shepherds watchingtheir flocks by night." The universal bosomseems to heave with the serene feeling of pro-tection, and the heart to throb most joyously,most gently, with the equal and continuous rise

and fall of those softly modulated tripk-i*- m theaccompaniments. Voice after voice orealhcsout the melody : and what unspeakable tender-ness in the new theme which the tenors intro-duce, Shouldst thou, walking in grief, lart-guish. He will quicken thee.

Again follow him 1 Forty days and fortynights : so sings the angel, (alto recitative,)and again the noble recitative of the prophet." wrestling with the Lord in prayer :" Lord!I have labored in vain ; Ohlthatlnowmight die ! This is relieved by the profoundlybeautiful alto song, in the natural key, four foldmeasure: Oh! rest in the Lord; and he re-sumes; Night falleth round me, Lord! Bethou not farfrom me ; my soul is thirsting forTliee, as a thirsty land ; which last sugges-tion the instruments accompany with a remi-niscence from that first chorus, descriptive ofthe drought, The harvest now is over, etc.And now he stands upon the mount, andBehold ! Qod the Lord passed by ! We aretoo weary with fruitless attempts to convey anotion of the different portions of this oratorioby words, to undertake the same thing withthis most descriptive and effective chorus. Onecan not but remark the multitude of subjectswhich the story of Elijah offers for every vari-ety of' musical effects. The orchestra preludesthe coming of the mighty wind. Voices, ac-companied in loud high unison, proclaim. TheLord passed by ! the storm swells up amid thevoices, wave on wave, with brief fury subsidesand again the voices in whispered harmonypronounce, yet the Lord was not in tlie tem-pest. The same order of treatment is re-peated with regard to the "earthquake," andwith regard to the " fire." All this is in Eminor ; the key opens into the major, in themoist, mild, spring-like atmosphere of E major,and the voices' in a very low, sweet chorus, inlong notes, whispfer the coming of the still,small voice, while the liquid, stroking divisionsof the accompaniment seem " smoothing theraven down of darkness till it smiles." TheSeraphim are heard in double chorus, chanting,Holy, holy, etc., marked by sublime simpli-city. One more recitative from the prophet,/ go on my way in the strength of the Lord,with the air, For the mountain shall depart,during which the instruments tread on withstately, solid steps, in notes of uniform length,in 6-4 measure ; and we have the marvellouslydescriptive, awe-inspiring chorus which de-scribes his ascent to heaven in the fiery chariot.There is no mistaking the sound of the swif'


15/32

OEATQRIO OF ELIJAH. XIisvolving fiery wheels, suggested by the ac-i/ompaniment.

Another beautiful tenor song, Then shallihe righteous shine, and a fit conclusion to thewhole is made by two grand choruses, fore-shadowing the consummation of all prophecy inthe God-Man, just leaving off" where Handel'sl/wsia/t, the oratorio of oratorios, began.

The first, Behold my servant, and mine elect,has much of the grandeur, but not the simpli-city of Handel. It is separated from the lastby an exquisite quartet, Come, every one thaithirsteth, which is wholly in the vein of Men-delssohn. And the whole closes with a solid,massive fugue, in the grand old styl Lord,our CreatorJ how excellent thy name.


16/32


17/32

-^s*'-*-^- -^-r,.^^

INTRODUCTION.RECITATIVE. Elijah.

As God the Lord of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nortain these years, but according to my word.

OVERTURE.CHORUS. The People.

Help, Lord ! wilt Thou quite destroy us ?The harvest now is over, the summer days are gone, and yet no power cometh toiielp us ! Will then the Lord be no more God in Zion ?

RECITATIVE CHORUS.The deep affords no water ; and the rivers are exhausted ! The suckling's tonguenow cleaveth for thirst to his mouth : the infant children ask for bread, and there is

no one breaketh it to feed themDUETT AND CHORUS.

People.Lord ! bow thine ear co our prayer!DrETT.Zion spreadeth her hands for aid j and there is neither help nor comfort.RECITATIVE. Obadiah.Ye people, rend your hearts, and not your garments for your transgressions ; even

as Elijah hath sealed the heavens through the word of God. I therefore say to ye,Forsake your Idols, return to God ; for He is slow to anger, and merciful, and kind,and gracious, and repenteth him of the evil.

IAndnte con moto


18/32

ELIJAH.7 ^^fi *^-fr^ i1r' f Tf'rJ^ -vdJ-


19/32

ELIJAH. 5RECITATIVE. An Angel.

Now Cherith's brook is dried up, Elij.ali ; arise and depart and get thee to Zare-phath ; thither abide : for the Lord hath commatided a widow woman there to sustainthee. And the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, untilthe day that |he Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.

REGIT. AND AIR. The Widow.What have I to do with thee, man of God? art thou come to me, to call my sin

unto remembrance? to slay my son art thou come hither? Help me, rpan of God!my son is sick ! and his sickness is so sore that there is no breath in him ! I gomourning all the day long; I lay down and weep at night. See mine affliction. Bethou the orphan's helper !

Elijah.Give me thy son. Turn unto her, O Lord, my God ; in mercy help this widow's

son ! For thou art gracious., and full of compassion, and plenteous in mercy and truth.Lord my God, let the spirit of this child return, that he again may live.

The Widow.W?'> thou show wonders unto thg dead? Shall the dead arise and praise thee ?

Elijah.T jrd my God, let the spirit of this child return, that he again may live !

The Widow.,

fhe Lord hath heard thy prayer, the soul of my son reviveth !ELrJAH.

Now behold, thy son liveth !The Widow.

Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that his word in thy mouth isthe truth. What shall I render to the Lord, for all his benefits to me ?

DUETT.Thou shalt love the Lord thy God ; with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and

with all thy might.blessed are they who fear Him !

CHORUS.Blessed are the men who fear Him : they ever walk in the ways of peace. Through

darkness riseth light to the upright. He is gracious, compassionate ; He is righteous.RECITATIVE. Elijah, Ahab, and Chords.

Elijah.As God the Lord of Sabaoth liveth, before whom I stand; three years thisday fulfilled, I will shew myself unto Ahab : and the Lord will then send rain uponthe earth.AhAB.Art thou Elijah, he that troubleth IsraelChohus.Thou art Elijah, he that troubleth Israel

Elijah.I never troubled Israel's peace : it is ishoa, Ahab, and all thy father shouse. Ye have forsaken God's commands ; and thou hast followed Baalim !Now sed and gather to me, the whole of Israel unto Mount Carmel: there summonthe prophets of Baal, and also the prophets of the grove, who are feasted at Jezebel'stables. Then we shall see whose God is the Lord.

Ohokus.And then we shall see whose God is God the Lord.


20/32

6 ELIJAH.Elijah.Rise, then, ye priests of Baal : select and slay a bullock, and put no fire

under it; uplift your voices, and call the god ye worship ; and I then will call on theLord Jehovah : and the God who by fire shall answer, let Him be God.Chorus.Yea ; and the God who by fire shall answer, let Him be God,Elijah.Call first upon your god : your numbers are many : I, even*! only remain,

one prophet of the Lord ! Invoke your forest-gods and mountain-deitier!CHOKUS. Priests of Baal.

Baa], we cry to thee ; hear and answer us! Heed the sacrifice we oflfer ! hear us,O hear us, BaalHear, mighty god ! Baal, O answer us ! Let thy flames fall and extirpate the foe

!

O hear us, BaalRECITATIVE. Elijah.

Call him louder : for he is a god ! he talketh ; or he is pursuing ; or he is in a jour-ney ; or peradventure, he sleepeth ; so awaken him : call him louder.CHORUS. Priests op Baal.

Hear our cry, Baal ! now arise ! wherefore slumber?REGIT. AND CHORUS. Elijah.

Call him louder ! he heareth not. With knives and lancets cut yourselves afteryour manner : leap upon the altar ye have made: call him, and prophecy! Not avoice-will answer you ; none will listen, none heed you.

CHORUS. Priests of Baal.Hear and answer, Baal ! Mark how the scorner derideth us ! Hear and answer !

REGIT. AND AIR. Elijah.Draw near, all ye people : come to meLord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel ! this day let it be known that Thou artGod ; and I am thy servant ! O shew to all this people that I have done these things

according to Thy word ! heaf me. Lord, and answer me ; and show these peoplethat Thou art Lord God ; and let their hearts again be turned !

QUARTETTE. Angels.Cast thy burden upon the Lord,"and He shall sustain thee: He never will suffer

the righteous to fall : He is at thy right hand.Thy mercy. Lord, is great ; and far above the heavens. Let nope be made ashamedthat wait upon Thee.

RECITATIVE. Elijah.Thou, who makest Thine angels Spirits ; Thou whose ministers are flaming fires

let them now descend !CHORUS. The Peopi.e.

The fire descends from heaven ; the flames consume his offering.Before Him upon your faces fall ! The Lord is God : O Israel hear ! Our God ia

one Lord ; and we will have no other gods before the LordRECITATIVE. Elijah. ,

Take all the prophets of Baal, and let not one of them, escape you : bring them downto Kishon's brook ; and there let them be slain.


21/32

ELIJAH.CHORUS. The People.

Take all the prophets of Baal ; and let not one of them escape us ; bring all and slaythem

!

AIK. EujAH.Is not His word like a fire : and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces ?For God is angry with the wicked every day : and if the wicked turn not, the Lord

will whet His sword ; and he hath bent His bow, and made it ready.ABIA. Alto Solo.

Lento,

m * # s* ^^^^=tiZWoe^ woe an - to tbem who for - sake Uim ! de - atruc - tioa shall fall up$ a^^Fis- Ê5E ^*^ ':^-- "==on them: For ihey have trans - gres - sed, trans - gres - sed a - gainst Him. Though*^ im ^^ p fe? gthey are by Him re - deem - ed, by him re - deem - ed, though they are by Him re^^^^^^^^^^^^

- deem - ed, Yet they have spo - ken falce - ly a gainst Him, spo - ken falcely a

i ^=^^^S3E^ ^^^5îVis-?=3gainst Himi^m Woe, woe uo to them who for -sake Him! Des - tract-ion shall fall up^^^ 3^3E3^ &3gr ! -*on them. Though they are by Him re - deem - ed ; From hem have they fled ; Thoughi1=^-i; 5E5 :k-:r5E5E^^t5^=S=P^F =1=3*

they are by him re - deem - ed er - en from Him have they fled. W03

i^:?v=^=

ir^ '^ *=$:s*=^ân - to them ! Woe. to them!REGIT. AND CHORUS.Obadiah.O man of God, help thy people ! Among th? idols of the Gentiles, are-

there any that can command the rain, or cause the heavens to give their showers? The-Lord our God alone can do these things.Elijah.O Lord, Thou hast overthrQwn Thine enemies and destroyed them. I


22/32

S ELIJAH.down on us from heaven, Lord ; regard the distress of Thy people ; open the heav-ens and send us relief: help, help.Thy servant now^O God! i.v;The People.Open the heavens and send us relief: help, help thy servant now, OGod!Elijah.-t-Go up now^ child. attdloolSi towards-the,8fia.. Hath my prayer, been heardby the Lord ? ; ,The Youth.These is nothing. The heavens are as brass. above me. -Elijah.When the heavens are closed up because they have sinned against Thee ;yet if they pray and confess Thy name, and turn from their sins when thou dost afflict

them ; then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin ! Help, send thy servant help, OGod

!

The- People.Tbenhearfrohi heaven, and,: forgive Jthe *in ! Helpi eni thjr liser-vant help, O God

!

Elijah.Go up again, and still look towards the sea.The YouTH,-^*Thereis:notbingi The-eartb is as iron ander me.*^ -'-ELIJAH.r^Heare8t.tbou no,soJund of :rain ?-r^seest-thou;notbing;arisa&aiajthe-deep?The Youth.No ; there is nothingi,ELUAH.-rTHavfi respect to the pray^, of Thy servant, O Lord my Gad i Unto , thee

will I cry. Lord my rock ; be not silent to me : and Thy great mercies remember,Lord. iThe y


23/32

tlLIJAH.

Imf

fefe^Êg I ud, Ud JSt ^heeded . . 017 .com .' maad - ments^ Ob hadat thou J heed. ed,^5^ :f5d^ g^HaESE^3^=s:azad^ :?=?=1=^ =1^ ^heed-ed my com - mandraents, Oj. hadstthou heeded my command - meats X-' "* Who

CRE;

'j.4J

hath be - Uv - ed our re -port! to > whoia- is the arm, the arm of the^^^^mm^ i JiMZ =(PiiliOid, re - veal - ed ? to ...whom is the arm,.- the .arm of the ...Lord^ r&r

hear ye. Is - ra - ..elf '. hear rvhat the .Lord .speak..- eth.;,,- "Oh, .hadst. .thou

i ^ ^^^ :^ ^Êfe^tz -tS^:heed - ed, ' heed - ed --.':? my com - maad.meats! ... Oh,. . hadst s thou'B' La -w t^*~g=^^=S-

heed - cd, Ob, hadat thou heed - ed my com - mand - ments !" Hear yePIU ATHRIrtm &Sz ^^ t=z5:r-Is-ra-cl! hear., .i.... what the Eord . speak < eth !Is ra - el!

Tlius saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him oppressed byt;^*ant8 : thus saith the Lord :I am He that fcomforteth : be not afraid, for I am thyGod, I will strengthen thee- Say, who art thou, that thou art afraid of a man thatshall die ; and forgettest the Lord thy Maker, who hath stretched forth the heavens,and laid the earth's foundations ? Be not afraid, for I, thy God, wiU strengthen, tljee.

CHORUS, ,.'Be not afriaid; saith God the Lord. Be not afraid ! thy help is nean God, tfife 'Lord

thy God saith unto tWse, " Be not afraid."Though thousiahdis languish and fall beside thee, and tens of thousands aiÔund theeperish ; yet still it shall not come nigh thee.

REGIT. AND CHORUS. Elijah.The Lord hath exalted thee from among the people ; aud over his people, Israel bath


24/32

10 ELIJAH.made thee kiiig. But thou, Ahab, hast done evil to provoke him to anger above allthat were before thee : as if it had been a light thing for thee to walk in the sins ofJeroboam. Thou hast made a grove and an altar to Baal, and served him and wor-shiped him. Thou hast killed the righteous, and also taken possession. And the Lordshml smite all Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and He shall give Israel up,and thou shalt know He is the Lord.The Queen.Have ye not heard he hath prophesied against all Israel ?Chorus.^We heard it with our ears.The Queen.Hath he not prophesied also against the King of Israel ?Chorus.^We heard it with our ears.The QuEEN.^And why hath he spoken in the name of the Lord ? Doth Ahab

govern the kingdom of Israel while Elijah's grower is greater than the king's ? Thegods do so to me^ and more, if by to-morrow about this time, I make not his life aa tbtlife of one of them whom he hath sacrificed at the brook of Kishon 1

Chorus.He shall perish !The Queen.Hath he not destroyed Baal's prophets ?Chorus.He shall perishThe Queen.^Yea, by the sword he destroyed them allChorus.He destroyed them allThe Queen.He also closed the heavens.Chorus.He also closed the heavens.The Queen.And called down a famine upon the land.Chorus.^And called down a famine upon the land.The Queen.^So go ye forth and seize Elijah,for he is worthy to die ; slaughterhim ; do unto him as he hath done.

CHORUS.Woe to him, he shall perish ; for he closed the heavens. And why hath he spoken

in the name of the Lord ? Let the guilty prophet perish. He hath spoken falselyagainst our land and us, as we have heard with our ears. So go ye forth, seize onhim. He shall die ,

RECITATIVE. Obadiah.^ Man of God, now let my words be precious in thy sight. Thus saith Jezebel ; " Eli-jah is worthy to' die." So the mighty gather against thee, and they have prepared anet for thy steps ; that they may seize thee, that they may slay thee. Arise then, andhasten for thy life : to the wilderness joui-ney. The Lord thy God doth go with theeHe will not fail thee ; He will not forsake thee. Now begone, and bless me also.Elijah.Though stricken, they have not grieved. Tarry here, my servant ; thi>sLord be with thee. I journey hence to the wilderness.

AIR. Elijah.It is enough, O Lord ; now take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.I desire to live no longer ; now let me die, for my days are but vanity !I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts ; for the children of Israel havebroken Thy covenant, thrown down Thine altars, and slain Thy prophets with thesword : and I, even I only am left : and they seek my life to take it away.

RECITATIVE.See now he sleepeth beneath a juniper tree in the wilderness: and there the angelsof the Lord encamp round about all them that fear him.


25/32

ELIJAn. IITlilO. Angkls.

Lift thine eyes to the mouritiiins. vvlience cometh help. Thy help cometh from theLord, the Maker of heuveu and earth. He liath said thy foot shall not be moved ; thyKeeper will never slumber.

CHORUS. Angels., He, watching over Israel, slumbers not, nor sleeps. Sliouldst thou, walking in grief,languish ; He will quicken thee.

RECITATIVE.An Angel.Arise, Elijah, for thou hast a long journey before thee. Forty daya

and forty nights shalt thou go ; to Horeb, the mount of God.Elijah.O Lord, I have labored in vain ; yea, I have spent my strength for nought.that Thou wouldst rend the heavens, that Thou wouldst come down ; that themountains would flow down at Thy presence, to make Thy name known to Thine ad-

versaries, through the wonders of Thy works !Lord, why hast Tliou made them err from thy ways, and hardened their hearts

that they do not fear Thee ? that I now niiglit die !AKIA Alto solo, The Angel.

B: ?^ :f^=::^5^qsizre:U rest in the Lord, wuit pa- t-e.it-ly fni' llim. and He fihall gire thee thy heart's de -P S^SES ^-^ mî^^^^m^f3=3 -^ZT. ig^fcig^=?îf^:^M--^^-shea; nst in the Lord, wait pa-tienl-ly for Him, and He shvill give thue thy heart's de -^^m^^ wmm t= zf-Mzmaires, and He shAllglvtf t'l' e t;ijr h art', d nirfs. IJom-init. thy way uii - to Him, and tmst inpL^p^ 3=5^^^-^=: ^^^piijlsf^î^.?i|i_5_C|^_,_.^_}izr___/_L^|^

Him; commit thy way mi - to Hiai, and ti-ust in Him, anl frut not thy- self oiji;aus6 of e-vil

i rkB, PJpfe-gr^î5=^^_l^g^do - ers, rest in the Lord, wait p:itiently for Him,


26/32

13 ELIJAH.

^? -t-Lord, O rest in the Lord, and wait wait pa - tient-ly for Him.CHORUS.He that shall endure to the eiid, shall be saved.

KECITATIVE. IElijah.^Night falleth around me, O Lord ! Be thou not far from- me ! hide notThy face, Lord, from me ; my soul is thirsting for Thee,: as a thirsty land.An Angel.Arise now ! get thee without, stand on the mount before the Lord

for there His glory will appear and shine on thee! Thy face must be vieiled, for H^raweth near.CHORUS.

Behold! God the Lord passed by ! And a mighty wind, rent the mouatains roood,brake in pieces the rocks, brake them before the Lord ; but yet the Lord was not iothe tempest.

Behold ! God the Lord passed by. And the sea was upheaved, and the earth watshaken ; but yet the Lord was not in the earthquake.And after the earthquake there camea fire : out yet the Lord was not ia the fire. , -And after the firo there came a still small voice: and in that. still small voiceyonwardcame the Lord..

RECITATIVE.Âbove Him stood the Seraphim, and one cried to another:

QUARTETTE and CHORUS.Angels.Holy, holy, holy is God the Lordthe Lord Sabaoth! Now.his gloiy.

hath filled all the earth . .,,RECITATIVE. Chobus.

Go, return upon thy way ! For the Lord yet hath left Him seven thousand iB.l9rael, knees which have not bowed to Baal : go, return upon thy way ; thus the Lordcbminandeth.Elijah.I go on my way in the strength of the Lord. For thou art my Lord ; and

I will suffer forJPhy sake. My heart is therefore glad, my glory rejoiceth, and my fleshshall also rest in hope.

Sostenuto Assai.ARIOSO.Bass Solo, Elijah.

m s-m EEÊ !:^-EE S^ÊE -^=fir- t: For the moantains shall de - part,.m ^ :^3 and the hills, the hills be re - mo I- '^ -p-^^r

- red ; but Thy kiadaesa Bhall no^. de - part

;

bat Thj kiadnesB, thy kiad


27/32

ELIJAH. ISB -fti#-p.I^-P -fip- .^.J?^_-?-= I f'- * .

.

?aiS::

ness shall not de - part from me ; neither ghall the co - ve nant of Thy

peace, of Thy peace be re raor-cd, nei - ther shall

,

the

eT^^^-^ g-T-^ P^F ^=e= =?L!i-=1=CO -Tenant of Thy peace. be re - mo7 - ed ; but thy kiadaess ehall not dem r-f-f ^t-part, shall not de . part,

E ^but Tby. 'kind ness ehall not de part, shall

1 -t- -&-^fc -^2-P-:& 12^ fl*-^- =i=Fnot - depart , Xrom^pie ja nei r.ther shall ...he, _m - jnortfid.the.ca.-- jfcnaiit_jQL.Iby-pieace:, . .

CHORUS.Then did Elijah the prophet break forth like a fire ; his words appeared like burning

torches. Mighty kings by him were overthrown. He stood on the mount of Sinai, andheard the judgmepts of..theftnre; and in. Horeb, itsvengeance. v,j *.,

' And'whenthe Lord would take him away to heaven, lol thereieame a fi^y efa&riot,;*ith fiery; horses ; and he went by a whirlwindito heaven. ;< r. ,: .' i >

ARIA. Tenor Solo.Sostenuto.J-fe-f-r^S5 i b hi -h-=P=Hi: -^-^-^=t2=ai =i=i: rri^=:5^=

Then, then shall thetighteous-shin- forth- as the *ttn in their beavenly Father's -realm,

i ::w=W=WEE =P=?2==;2=::;2= - W-=p=p=ic -tti^

thine forth as the sun in their heavenly Fa - ther's realnv

^?^ =i:^ -V \^-'i^=^Thea shall .-the righleottS shone . forth in their heavenly Fa - ther'a , realm, a as > the-.

%fe*^ fet3t Si-as the sun

.

in their heav'n - ly Fath - cr's realm.


28/32

14 KLTJAH.

^ :::p: P0- SAzizMl :iifeJ07 on their head Khali be fur er - r - Ust-ing, Joy oo their head shall be for er ti^ Is-^rfK ^=^ Vk*- ^^^m i>=telast - ing, and all tor - row and moarain^ shall flee a way, shall flee a - way forite ^ ^ ip=:pr: ^^fcr^ =t= =J=|cThen, then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in their beav'nly

K^ :ttP= 5fet:Fath - er's realtn ; shine forth, shine in their heaven - ly Fa - ther's

i k^ -G- '^-S 1221 =il arealm ; shine forth as the sun in ,i 1^

their hea ven - ly Fa - ther'i

3--=- ^realm ; then shall the righteous shine in their hea - v'nly Father's realm.

RECITATIVE.Behold, God hath sent Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dread-

ful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, andthe heart of the children unto their fathers ; lest the Lord shall come and smite theearth with a curse.

CHORUS.But the Lord, from the north hath raised one, who from the rising of the sun shall

call upon His name and come on princes.Behold, my servant and mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth ! On him the spirit

of God shall rest : the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of might and ofcounsel, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

QUARTETTE.O ! come, every one that thirsteth, come to the waters : come unto Him ; O hear,and your souls shall live for ever

CHORUS.And then shall your light break forth as the light of morning breaketh 5 and your

health shall speedily spring forth then ; and the glory of the Lord ever shall rewardyou.

Lord, our Creator, how excellent thy Name is in all the nations ! Thou iillest heavenwith thy glory. Ambw.


29/32

TESTIMONIALFROM THE MOST DISTINGUISHED ARTISTS

STIiilll I SiiS.New Yokk, December, 1864.

The Pianofortes, grand, square and upright, manufactured by iVfessrs. "Stein-WAT & Sons" have established for themselves so world-wide a reputation, that itis hardly possible for us to add anything to their just fame.Having thoroughly tested and tried these instruments personally for years,both in public and private, it becomes our pleasant duty to express our candidopinion regarding their unquestioned superiority over any other Piano, known to us.Among the chief points oftheir uniform excellence are : Greatestpossible depth,richness and volume of tone, combined with a rare hrilUancy, clearness and perfectevenness through'jut the entire scale, and, above all, a surprising^duration of sound,the pure and.sumpathetic quality of which never changes under the most delicate orpowerful touch.

This peculiarity is found exclusivery in the " Stbinway " Piano, and togetherwith the matchless precision, elasticity and promptness of action always character-izing these instruments, as well as their unequaled durability under the severesttrials, is truly surprising and claims at once the admiration of every artist. Wetherefore consider the " Steinvstay " PiAisros in all respects the Best Instrumentsmade in this country or in Europe, use thbji solely and BXCLUsrvEtY ourselvesIN PUBLIC OR PRIVATE, and recom,mend them invariably to our friends and thePublic.We have at different times expressed our opinion i-egarding the Pianos ofvarious makers, but freely and unhesitatingly pronounce Messrs. STJEINWIA7


30/32

STEINWAY & SONS'GRAND AND

_% UPRIGHT

are now acknowledged the best instruments in America, as well as in Europe,having taken ,jg^^

Thirty-two First Premiums, Gold and Silver Medals,at the Principal Fairs, held in this country within the last nine" years, and in ad-dition thereto, they were awarded a

'FTiEtsrr zpi^-iz^B is^EX).A.niiAT THE

#uat ftttnuational dxhibitianIN LONDON, 1862,

POK '. S'Powerful, clear, brilliant and symjiathetic tone,

WITH EXCELLENCE OP WORKMANSHIP AS SHOWN IN GRAND AND SQUAREf I^'ISTOS.There were 269 Pianos, from all parts of the world, entered fot- competition, and

the special Correspondent of the Times says :"Messrs. Steinway's indorsement by the Jurors is emphatic, and stronger, and

more to the point than that of any European makgr." This greatest triumph of American Pianofortes in England has caused a sensa-tion in musical circles throughout the continent, and as a result the Messrs. Stein-way are in constant receipt of orders from Europe, thus inaugurating a new phasein the' history of American Pianoibrtes, by creating in them an article of export."Every Pianoforte warranted for Five Years.WAREROOMS, Nos. 71 & 73 EAST. 14tli STREET,

Between the Academy of Music and Union Square, 'New York.


31/32


32/32

elias mendelsson

Documents