The History of Mendelssohn's Oratorio 'Elijah'

The book offers a vivid portrait of Felix Mendelssohn’s oratorio Elijah, tracing its birth from the composer’s youthful inspiration to the triumphant Birmingham premiere of 1846. By situating the work alongside the great English tradition of sacred music, it explains why early audiences placed it near the level of Handel’s Messiah. Readers gain a clear sense of the dramatic and spiritual forces that guided Mendelssohn as he shaped the libretto and the soaring choruses.

Central to the narrative are dozens of previously unpublished letters exchanged between Mendelssohn, his translators, and his family, revealing his meticulous attention to text setting and his personal hopes for the piece. The edition is enriched with a rare portrait of the composer and full‑page illustrations that accompany the correspondence, while the editor’s careful notes keep the scholarship approachable. Listeners will find both a scholarly foundation and an engaging story that brings the music’s creation to life.