Frieder Bernius on Mendelssohn’s “Elijah”
In the CARUS Highlights, Frieder Bernius writes on Mendelssohn’s “Elijah”, one of the most popular oratorios of all.
Mendelssohn Bartholdy
The following articles on the keyword "Mendelssohn Bartholdy" have previously appeared in the CARUS blog.Tag Archive for: Mendelssohn Bartholdy
Gripped by Every Measure
Frieder Bernius’ very first radio recording and his second LP recording in the mid-1970s were devoted to Mendelssohn’s works. So he was as enthusiastic about the idea of a complete recording as he is gripped by almost every measure of this composer’s work.
Mendelssohn: Songs, to be performed outdoors
Mendelssohn tried to put the romantic idea of letting choral songs sound outdoors into practice more than once. In a letter dated July 3, 1839, he described how he had sung with a choir deep in the forest. “How lovely the song sounded, how clearly the sopranos trilled in the air, and what a glow and charm enveloped all the pitches, everything so quiet and furtive and yet so clear – that I couldn’t have imagined … it was magical in the forest solitude, so that tears almost came to my eyes. It sounded like pure poetry.” Learn more about the still little known choral songs of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy in this article by Mendelssohn expert R. Larry Todd.
Mendelssohn: Walpurgisnacht / Walpurgis Night
Mendelssohn’s colorful setting of Goethe’s ballad “Die erste Walpurgisnacht” (“The First Walpurgis Night”): It is not a biblical story but pagan rituals which form the core of Mendelssohn’s composition based on a ballad by Goethe: the pagans stage a colourful spectacle to frighten off Christians, enabling the former to celebrate their annual Walpurgis Night ritual undisturbed. Goethe’s grotesque yet humorous portrayal of the conflict provided Mendelssohn with a vivid musical raiment.
Mendelssohn: St. Paul
St. Paul is Philipp Schweizer’s favorite piece because the music and the content go hand in hand and are easily accessible to the listener. The confrontation between those who recognize Christ as the son of God (that is the Christians), and those who hold fast to the Jewish faith could scarcely be portrayed more thrillingly …
Mendelssohn Bartholdy: the complete sacred music for chorus and orchestra
Normally one of the staff presents his or her personal favorite piece here. But for me, and probably for many others too, this choice changes frequently according to my mood. By contrast, for me it is all about a favorite composer: Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy.
Mendelssohn: Te Deum a 8
“Wer Musik nicht liebt, verdient nicht, ein Mensch genannt zu werden, wer sie nur liebt, ist erst ein halber Mensch, wer sie aber treibt, ist ein ganzer Mensch.” – “He who does not love music does not deserve to be called a human being; he who merely loves it is only half a human being; but he who makes music is a whole human being.” (transl. from https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/goethe-musician-and-his-influence-on-german-song. In accordance with this Goethe quotation, Mayira Florschütz’s choice of a Favorit Work a work which not only lies especially close to her heart, but one which she also performed most recently: The Te Deum a 8 with basso continuo, by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy.
