birmingham town hall, site of premiere of mendelssohn s elijah
elijah popular @ premiere , has been performed, particularly in english-speaking countries, ever since. particular favourite of amateur choral societies. melodrama, easy appeal , stirring choruses have provided basis countless successful performances. prince albert inscribed libretto oratorio elijah in 1847: noble artist who, surrounded baal-worship of false art, has been able, second elijah, through genius , study, remain true service of true art. number of critics have treated work harshly, emphasizing conventional outlook , undaring musical style. bernard shaw wrote:
i sat out performance on wednesday last note, act of professional devotion no part of plan evening ... have think of parsifal, of ninth symphony, of die zauberflöte, of inspired moments of bach , handel, see great gulf lies between true religious sentiment , our delight in mendelssohn s exquisite prettiness.
its popularity has changed on years. after boston s handel , haydn society presented work first time in february 1848, success resulted in 8 more performances spring. in mid-1920s, however, h.t. parker, city s principal music critic, described how members of audience gazed upward @ recent performance: how many of eyes there in rapture, or counting 4 dead lights in central sunburst of ceiling?.... elijah hopelessly, awfully, irremediably mid-victorian.
mendelssohn wrote soprano part in elijah swedish nightingale , jenny lind. lind devastated composer s premature death in 1847. did not feel able sing part year afterwards. resumed singing piece @ exeter hall in london in late 1848, raising £1,000 fund scholarship in name. after arthur sullivan became first recipient of mendelssohn scholarship, encouraged him in career.
charles salaman adapted shall endure end elijah setting psalm 93 (adonai malakh), sung on friday nights @ sabbath-eve service of london spanish & portuguese jewish community.
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