Mendelssohn: Elias & Paulus - CD

ENGLISH

<br><br>In 1829 Mendelssohn organised the first performance of J.S. Bach’s St Matthew Passion since the composer’s death. The work, together with Handel’s Messiah, was to have an important influence on Mendelssohn’s own oratorios, and seven years later he completed the first of them, Paulus.<br /> <br /> Narrating several incidents from the life of St Paul, the oratorio firmly established the composer’s European reputation, and it is clear that many of the recitatives, not to mention the chorales, are stylistically indebted to Bach. Fast-forward ten years to 1846 and we now encounter a more musically mature Mendelssohn, who draws on his experience writing Paulus, as well as his second symphony ‘Lobgesang’ with its choral finale, to produce Elias. An immediate success, this work saw multiple encores at its premiere and has been a staple of the oratorio repertoire ever since. Similar to Paulus, the chorus serves as both a protagonist in the action and a narrator of events.<br /> <br /> This 4CD release of these two oratorios comprises a wonderful coupling, giving Paulus, which has not been widely recorded, the equal treatment it deserves. Providing hours of pleasurable listening, it exposes a sacred form not particularly widespread at the time, and reveals to us Mendelssohn the devout Christian.<br /> <br /> Other information: <br /> - Booklet notes<br /> - Complete sung texts available on www.brilliantclassics.com