Difference between revisions of "Elijah"
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==The Making of <i>Elijah</i>== | ==The Making of <i>Elijah</i>== | ||
| − | Felix Mendelssohn's contributions to sacred vocal and choral music were prefigured by those of Bach. Having spearheaded the revival of Bach's music in Germany while he was still in his twenties, Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was sought after to compose music for the new cathedral being built in Berlin in the early 1840s. His devotion to the music of Bach dated back to his student years. When he was nine years old, his sister Fanny (then aged thirteen) memorized the whole of Bach's <i>Well-Tempered Clavier</i>. The following year he and his sister joined the chorus of Berlin's [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sing-Akademie_zu_Berlin Sing-Akademie]. Its emphasis was on the preservation of choral music. Mendelssohn and his sister studied music theory privately with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Friedrich_Zelter Zelter], whom he harbored thoughts of succeeding at the Sing-Akademie, and Felix alone took organ lessons from A.W. Bach. By 1821 he had mastered [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figured_bass figured bass], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inversion_(music)#Counterpoint invertible counterpoint], and the writing of two- and three-voiced [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugue#Types fugues]. | + | Felix Mendelssohn's contributions to sacred vocal and choral music were prefigured by those of Bach. Having spearheaded the revival of Bach's music in Germany while he was still in his twenties, Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was sought after to compose music for the new cathedral being built in Berlin in the early 1840s. His devotion to the music of Bach dated back to his student years. When he was nine years old, his sister Fanny (then aged thirteen) memorized the whole of Bach's <i>Well-Tempered Clavier</i>. The following year he and his sister joined the chorus of Berlin's [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sing-Akademie_zu_Berlin Sing-Akademie]. Its emphasis was on the preservation of choral music. Mendelssohn and his sister studied music theory privately with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Friedrich_Zelter Zelter], whom he harbored thoughts of succeeding at the Sing-Akademie, and Felix alone took organ lessons from A.W. Bach. By 1821 he had mastered [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figured_bass figured bass], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inversion_(music)#Counterpoint invertible counterpoint], and the writing of two- and three-voiced [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugue#Types fugues]. These were remarkable achievements for a lad of barely thirteen. |
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| + | What we learn from this phase of Mendelssohn's musical education is that he was immersed in the music of J.S. Bach from an early age. The values of the Sing-Akademie favored a parallel indulgence in the performance of Bach's music. There was, however, an immediate obstacle: pieces by Bach were rarely found in performing editions. | ||
== Parts == | == Parts == | ||
Revision as of 23:31, 1 February 2021
Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah, Op. 70
The Making of Elijah
Felix Mendelssohn's contributions to sacred vocal and choral music were prefigured by those of Bach. Having spearheaded the revival of Bach's music in Germany while he was still in his twenties, Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was sought after to compose music for the new cathedral being built in Berlin in the early 1840s. His devotion to the music of Bach dated back to his student years. When he was nine years old, his sister Fanny (then aged thirteen) memorized the whole of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier. The following year he and his sister joined the chorus of Berlin's Sing-Akademie. Its emphasis was on the preservation of choral music. Mendelssohn and his sister studied music theory privately with Zelter, whom he harbored thoughts of succeeding at the Sing-Akademie, and Felix alone took organ lessons from A.W. Bach. By 1821 he had mastered figured bass, invertible counterpoint, and the writing of two- and three-voiced fugues. These were remarkable achievements for a lad of barely thirteen.
What we learn from this phase of Mendelssohn's musical education is that he was immersed in the music of J.S. Bach from an early age. The values of the Sing-Akademie favored a parallel indulgence in the performance of Bach's music. There was, however, an immediate obstacle: pieces by Bach were rarely found in performing editions.
Parts
- Flute 1
- Flute 2
- Oboe 1
- Oboe 2
- Clarinet 1
- Clarinet 2
- Bassoon 1
- Bassoon 2
- Bassoon 3
- Horn 1
- Horn 2
- Horn 3
- Horn 4
- Trumpet 1
- Trumpet 2
- Trombone 1
- Trombone 2
- Trombone 3 (Bass trombone)
- Tuba (Ophicleide)
- Timpani
- Violin 1
- Violin 2
- Viola
- Violoncello
- Contrabass