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Felix Mendelssohn
by Nancy Goldfogel

Composer, conductor, pianist, string instrumentalist, and child prodigy Felix Mendelssohn (1809­­­–1847) grew up in a cultured intellectual home frequented by scientists, artists, authors, and philosophers. Nurtured in this eclectic, artistic environment, the precocious musical phenomenon performed publicly at age nine, published a piano quartet at thirteen, and composed a full orchestral symphony at fifteen.

Originally of Jewish ancestry, the Mendelssohn family converted to Christianity when Felix was a child, and he remained a devout Lutheran throughout his life. In service to the church, he wrote more choral music than any of his contemporaries, and he avidly studied the polyphonic genius of Palestrina, Bach, Handel, and Haydn to achieve mastery in choral composition. Striving to illuminate textual meaning while elevating musical expression, Mendelssohn sought to bridge the gap between compositions intended for sacred worship and those for the secular concert hall. His creative repertoire consequently ranged from the pious simplicity of melodic chorales to the dissonant fervor of dramatic oratorios.

This afternoon’s concert opens with two selections from Mendelssohn’s monumental oratorio, Elijah. Although the composer wholeheartedly embraced Lutheranism, he never abandoned his Jewish heritage and often drew inspiration from Old Testament texts. The biblical account of Elijah depicts a bold prophet of Israel’s one true God, who rails against idolatry and performs miracles to demonstrate the uncontroverted power of Yahweh. The narrative preaches the imperative of faith and proclaims that God will not forsake those who believe. This steadfast promise appealed to Mendelssohn, who suffered anti-Semitism, despite his conversion. Desiring to affect his audience profoundly, he rejected the convention that the oratorio should deliver a sermon in music, and vehemently defended his conviction that “…the dramatic element should predominate. The personages should act and speak as if they were living beings.” Guided by this impetus for dramatic immediacy, the composer infused his score with dynamic contrasts, declamatory phrases, dense harmonic textures, and poignant chromaticism.

Mendelssohn painstakingly composed Psalm 115 over a period of almost six years. His careful, deliberative process reflected a determination to heal divisions of liturgy and denomination by reenergizing the shared forms of the classical masters. From the rising arpeggios of its opening notes, Psalm 115 unapologetically echoes the genius of Bach. The introduction of a chorale melody followed by an elaborate fugue is an unmistakable reference to an earlier musical architecture designed to engulf the listener and actively promote spiritual contemplation. In movement two, a lilting tenor-soprano duet borrows from romantic lyricism to reassure believers that hope and help reside in God. The men join the soloists with a rich repetition of this theme; then the full chorus introduces a new chorale statement drawn from Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. The juxtaposition of styles suggests Mendelssohn’s attempt to bridge the intervening years and the divergent forces that threatened the stability of his era. Psalm 115 concludes with a triumphant eight-part a cappella outburst of praise that resolves to restate the opening theme, this time in a fluid triple meter. The shift transforms the original melody from a march driven by staccato accents to a soothing lullaby. Thus the work Mendelssohn began with an adamant declaration leaves his audience with identical words relating the comforting certainty of God’s mercy, truth, and glory.

The exquisitely crafted “Verleih uns Frieden” has been called a quintessential melodic jewel. Based on the Latin prayer Dona nobis pacem, translated into German by Martin Luther, the plea for peace begins with a gentle unison of men’s voices. As the women take up the theme, the men reiterate and support the entreaty in a playful dance-like call and response. With greater intensity, the chorus repeats the appeal in four-part harmony, uniting voices in collective fellowship. This commitment to the dynamism of the congregation over individual spirituality reflects an important tenet of Lutheran doctrine, and in this beautifully understated work Mendelssohn shows the choral community actually creating the music that fulfills its own desire for peace.

Mendelssohn once again drew inspiration from Bach to compose Drei Geistliche Lieder (Three Spiritual Songs). Movements one and two feature seemingly artless chorales, with the lilting melody introduced by a mezzo-soprano, then echoed and embellished by the chorus. For Mendelssohn, the chorale signified the collective and inclusion, as its successful delivery relied more on emotional sincerity than on virtuoso performance. Movement three departs from the plaintive mood to establish a joyful dialogue between the soloist and the chorus. With infectious exuberance, Mendelssohn created an interactive musical language that links faith and reason through his use of universal classical forms.

Felix Mendelssohn
by Nancy Goldfogel

Composer, conductor, pianist, string instrumentalist, and child prodigy Felix Mendelssohn (1809­­­–1847) grew up in a cultured intellectual home frequented by scientists, artists, authors, and philosophers. Nurtured in this eclectic, artistic environment, the precocious musical phenomenon performed publicly at age nine, published a piano quartet at thirteen, and composed a full orchestral symphony at fifteen.

Originally of Jewish ancestry, the Mendelssohn family converted to Christianity when Felix was a child, and he remained a devout Lutheran throughout his life. In service to the church, he wrote more choral music than any of his contemporaries, and he avidly studied the polyphonic genius of Palestrina, Bach, Handel, and Haydn to achieve mastery in choral composition. Striving to illuminate textual meaning while elevating musical expression, Mendelssohn sought to bridge the gap between compositions intended for sacred worship and those for the secular concert hall. His creative repertoire consequently ranged from the pious simplicity of melodic chorales to the dissonant fervor of dramatic oratorios.

This afternoon’s concert opens with two selections from Mendelssohn’s monumental oratorio, Elijah. Although the composer wholeheartedly embraced Lutheranism, he never abandoned his Jewish heritage and often drew inspiration from Old Testament texts. The biblical account of Elijah depicts a bold prophet of Israel’s one true God, who rails against idolatry and performs miracles to demonstrate the uncontroverted power of Yahweh. The narrative preaches the imperative of faith and proclaims that God will not forsake those who believe. This steadfast promise appealed to Mendelssohn, who suffered anti-Semitism, despite his conversion. Desiring to affect his audience profoundly, he rejected the convention that the oratorio should deliver a sermon in music, and vehemently defended his conviction that “…the dramatic element should predominate. The personages should act and speak as if they were living beings.” Guided by this impetus for dramatic immediacy, the composer infused his score with dynamic contrasts, declamatory phrases, dense harmonic textures, and poignant chromaticism.

Mendelssohn painstakingly composed Psalm 115 over a period of almost six years. His careful, deliberative process reflected a determination to heal divisions of liturgy and denomination by reenergizing the shared forms of the classical masters. From the rising arpeggios of its opening notes, Psalm 115 unapologetically echoes the genius of Bach. The introduction of a chorale melody followed by an elaborate fugue is an unmistakable reference to an earlier musical architecture designed to engulf the listener and actively promote spiritual contemplation. In movement two, a lilting tenor-soprano duet borrows from romantic lyricism to reassure believers that hope and help reside in God. The men join the soloists with a rich repetition of this theme; then the full chorus introduces a new chorale statement drawn from Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. The juxtaposition of styles suggests Mendelssohn’s attempt to bridge the intervening years and the divergent forces that threatened the stability of his era. Psalm 115 concludes with a triumphant eight-part a cappella outburst of praise that resolves to restate the opening theme, this time in a fluid triple meter. The shift transforms the original melody from a march driven by staccato accents to a soothing lullaby. Thus the work Mendelssohn began with an adamant declaration leaves his audience with identical words relating the comforting certainty of God’s mercy, truth, and glory.

The exquisitely crafted “Verleih uns Frieden” has been called a quintessential melodic jewel. Based on the Latin prayer Dona nobis pacem, translated into German by Martin Luther, the plea for peace begins with a gentle unison of men’s voices. As the women take up the theme, the men reiterate and support the entreaty in a playful dance-like call and response. With greater intensity, the chorus repeats the appeal in four-part harmony, uniting voices in collective fellowship. This commitment to the dynamism of the congregation over individual spirituality reflects an important tenet of Lutheran doctrine, and in this beautifully understated work Mendelssohn shows the choral community actually creating the music that fulfills its own desire for peace.

Mendelssohn once again drew inspiration from Bach to compose Drei Geistliche Lieder (Three Spiritual Songs). Movements one and two feature seemingly artless chorales, with the lilting melody introduced by a mezzo-soprano, then echoed and embellished by the chorus. For Mendelssohn, the chorale signified the collective and inclusion, as its successful delivery relied more on emotional sincerity than on virtuoso performance. Movement three departs from the plaintive mood to establish a joyful dialogue between the soloist and the chorus. With infectious exuberance, Mendelssohn created an interactive musical language that links faith and reason through his use of universal classical forms.