While the story of Elijah contains a fair amount of drama, the original premiere of the work had its own. Mendelssohn was a German composer and, as such, composed the work in German. However, when he was commissioned by the Birmingham Festival to compose an oratorio, he had the libretto translated into English at the last minute. The English librettist was working right through the eve of the performance. The work was premiered in England in English, an unusual circumstance for a German composer. It was was well received there, and has endured as a very popular work in English-speaking countries since then.
"Mendelssohn was a deeply educated person. He was in this circle of artists, philosophers, and pastors. To have this man-about-town who also composed 300 to 400 works in his free time and was a successful conductor is amazing. I am fascinated by how erudite he was and how well-connected at the same time," says Russell.
Emily Parkhurst can be reached at emily.parkhurst@yahoo.com.
Related:
Diva-gations, Photos: Ballet mécanique, Woof!, More 
- Diva-gations
Last week's Boston Symphony concert was a snaggle of contradictions. British guest conductor Mark Wigglesworth was substituting for the exciting but erratic Russian maestro Yuri Termirkanov, who'd cancelled all his American appearances.
- Photos: Ballet mécanique
BMOP performs Ballet mécanique, live at Jordan Hall on November 13, 2009
- Woof!
Probably most music lovers wouldn’t head their greatest-composer list with Carl Orff, despite the popularity of his violent, garish, sumptuously tuneful Carmina burana .
- World music
There’s more to Boston’s classical music scene than the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
- Erwartung . . .
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA music director James Levine will be back in February to continue his survey of Beethoven and Schoenberg with Metropolitan Opera diva Deborah Voigt in Beethoven’s “Ah! perfido” and Schoenberg’s Erwartung (“Awaiting”), along with Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture and Eighth Symphony (Symphony Hall, February 1-3).
- From Knoxville to Swan Lake and back
As our most prestigious classical-music institution, the Boston Symphony Orchestra ought to be every year’s headliner, and once again, under the adventuresome direction of James Levine, it is.
- Beloved of God
Johannes Chrisostomas Wolfgang Gottlieb (Amadé) Mozart was born 250 years ago last Friday, January 27.
- Flirting with Beethoven
It is said that Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) “got around.” Even today, the old dog arouses the interests of performers and seduces listeners.
- Chamber music revival
Classical and rock ‘n roll music suffer the same identity crisis.
- Quartet for a very long time
Any opportunity to see Maurice Ravel’s String Quartet in F Major performed by musicians of this caliber should always be taken.
- Making small bigger
Chamber music originated in the 17th and 18th centuries for nobles and aristocrats, written by personal house composers.
- Less
Topics:
Classical
, Entertainment, Music, Classical Music, More
, Entertainment, Music, Classical Music, Opera, Portland, The Metropolitan Opera, Felix Mendelssohn, Felix Mendelssohn, USM School of Music, Choral Art Society, Less
