Mendelssohn, Elijah. T. Herbert Dimmock provides an introduction to this work. BDP #289. http://bachinbaltimore.org/.
Bach in Baltimore was founded in 1988 and our mission was
clear—to perform the music of Bach. And over the 30-odd years that we have been
doing the music of Bach we have had the enormous privilege of presenting
multiple premiers in central Maryland of some of Bach’s works that were not so
well known. We have done almost everything that he has written. We had done 160
of 210 of the cantatas, all six Brandenburg Concertos, all six motets, the
passions, the B Minor Mass, most of the Lutheran masses, nearly all of the
concerti, and we have found each one to be a true gem.
We have also branched out and done music of Bach’s peers
including some lesser well known such as Zelenka as well as better known ones
such as Telemann and Vivaldi. But we have also found it worthwhile and
interesting to look at people who followed Bach in time, but who with great
devotion to Bach had a big influence on their music. In the Romantic period in
particular there were two such people. One of those two people was Felix
Mendelssohn.
Mendelssohn was born in 1809 so he was born 59 years after
Bach died. He died in 1847. It always breaks my heart when I think of people
like Mendelssohn and Mozart, people who died so young and yet did so much.
Imagine if they had lived, as Bach did, for 65 years or as Handel did, even
longer. It would have been a remarkable treasure of music. Mendelssohn was
working on his third oratorio when he died. We have just a little snippet of it
and that snippet is glorious.
Anyway, back to what we are doing today—Mendelssohn’s
Elijah. Mendelssohn fancied himself as the spiritual heir of Bach. So, it is
not surprising when we analyze this that we find some Bachian gestures. The
name Elijah itself comes from the Hebrew, meaning my God is Yahweh. Actually,
that idea of who is God: is God Yahweh (in the Elijah music) or is it Baal? That
is one of the three or four stories in the large oratorio. That for me is the
central story of the oratorio. So, let’s take a look at that one central story
with you for a moment.
Let me paint the picture. Today’s modern Israel was actually
two states. The northern state was run by Ahab. It is in the northern state the
Elijah finds himself in the presence of Ahab and Ahab’s wife Jezebel. Jezebel
followed Baal and so the priests of Baal were very prominent in the land. This
idea of which god you should worship was active at the time of Elijah the
prophet.
Here we have the story of Elijah asserting that the true god
is Yahweh, the God of Abraham and Isaac and that the Baal priests and their god
was a false god. So, the scene begins with Elijah saying that Ahab has troubled
Israel because he has allowed them to worship Baal. Ahab says, no, not me, but
you Elijah have troubled Israel. Then begins a short dialog with Elijah saying,
let’s settle it. He angrily replies, let’s settle this. Let you and I have a
contest. Let’s have all of the people assemble on Mount Carmel to witness a
contest between the priests of Baal who call on their god and my God, the God
of Israel. We will sacrifice a bull and build a pyre and we will call to our
god and whoever’s god lights that on fire will be the true god.
And so Ahab readily agrees and the 500 priests of Baal
gather, the people gather, and the priests of Baal are confident. Mendelssohn
depicts the abundance of the priests of Baal by having the choir in eight parts
and singing in a maestoso, self-assured way. They sing:
[music]
“Baal, we cry to thee.” Four parts men, four parts women,
and then a moment later all of the parts together. Of course, you know what is
going to happen—nothing. Baal doesn’t answer because in Elijah’s view, and
Mendelssohn is writing the score, Baal doesn’t exist. So, after they cry to
Baal and nothing happens, it accelerates.
[music]
With a much faster orchestra they sing [music]. So, the
orchestra is going [music]. They sing, “Hear us, Baal, hear, mighty God.” Of
course, again, nothing happens. So, after nothing happens for a while, Elijah
almost condescendingly says, “Call him louder. For he is a god who talks, or pursues,
or he is on a journey, or he sleeps, awaken him. Call him louder. Call him
louder” [music]. “Call him louder” [music]. “Call him louder” [music].
[dramatic music]
The woodwinds are pounding away. The choir sings, “Hear our
cry, O Baal!” …nothing happens. Elijah sings [music] “Call him louder for he
hears not.” Now comes this presto.
[fast music] The orchestra is whipping up and down. The
choir sings these anguished notes “Baal, hear and answer, Baal. Hear and
answer, Baal ” ...On and on.
Then this lovely little stroke. They say “Hear us” silence.
“Hear us” silence, no answer. Then the chorus, “Hear us” silence. Here he marks
several measures of silence. Then Elijah comes in with a prayer. It is a famous
moment, you hear it many times.
[music]
It has a beautiful orchestral accompaniment. “Lord God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; this day let it be known that Thou art God.”
[music]
It is gorgeous, isn’t it? Just gorgeous. So, then the choir
comes in with an answer to the prayer saying, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord
and He will sustain you.” The harp comes
in and then all of a sudden, the orchestra comes back, and it is marked con
fuoco—with fire.
[dramatic music]
Then the choir sings “The fire came from heaven.” The
sacrificial pyre is lit with fire that comes down from heaven, descends from
heaven, and the flames consume the offering. Then they sing, “Fall upon your
faces, … [music] the Lord is God, oh Israel hear.” It is a beautiful finish to
a remarkable scene of drama, magnificently set by Mendelssohn. There are other
scenes within this piece that I find compelling and beautiful. But I have to
say that I always look forward to this little moment because it is so
wonderfully powerful. It is so beautifully written.
So, please stay in touch with Bach in Baltimore at
bachinbaltimore.org. Come visit us. We perform on the first Sunday of every
month with lots and lots of Bach and other great Baroque composers and
Mendelssohn’s Elijah, pieces like that, and the Brahms Requiem. The great
composers and the generation that followed and paid homage to Bach, they are
also part of the music that we give to the community. We would love to share it
with you. Thank you.