Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-12-01

| MendelSSohn as early as 1897. but
in 1912 we find him still at work on
the book. In 1914 he received an in
vitation to conduct the Birmingham
| festival of 1916, and evidently he de
cided then to prepare the work for
that occasion. A Mr.. Bartholomew,
of London. translated the text into
English.
| The introduction. brings to us
Elijah prophesying the drouth. I'M
mediately following, we have the over
ture which pictures to us the despair
and distress among the people, as the
curse is settling upon the streams and
valleys.
The despair grows stronger and
more intnese, the hardships of the
| people seem to be unbearable, and
at last the great suffering moves them
to the cutlery in the chorus (Help
| LOrd)
After this. prayer for help Obadiah
(the tenor in a recitative points out
the way, and next tells them the
words of the Lord eff with all your
| hearts We seek only me, We shall very
surely find me- This is one of the
most beautiful tenor arias in musi-
cal literature.
The chorus again breaks forth in
lamentation, and almost reproach-
fully eXpoatulates (''Yet doth the
Lord see it not.') Later they grow
more hopeful and give out the con
soling and inspiring thought ellis
mercies on thousands fall.O
Next we hear the voice of an angel
telling Elijah to go eastward, to Cher
this brook, and Immediately follow
ing we have a double quartet in a
song of comfort and good cheer.
Again we hear the angel telling
Elijah that Cherith's brook is dried
up and for him to go to the widows
house at Zerepath. Here he finds The
widow in great distress, ana the
great dramatic scene of the raising of
her son follows, the mother giving us
the passionate and at the same time
pleading sOng.( What have 1 to do
with thee'O; and Elijah giving her
the noble and surely comforting dec
laration, Give me thy son." and after
the reviving of the son. and the wild
ow's question, What shall l render
TO the Lord Elijah gives out the
beautiful scripture passage, Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God" and
blessed are the men who fear Him."
The latter is taken up at once in the
chorus.
The next scene shows to us Elijah
presenting himself before Ahab, and
the challenge given to the priests
of Baal to meet at Mount Carmel.
Elijah asks them to pray to their
forest gods and mountain deities, and
we are surprised by the stirring
double chorus, ''Baal, we cry to thee"
which is fairly unusual and heathen-
ish in its rugged, abrupt melodies.
No answer coming, Elijah bids them
ito call louder for he is a god; he
talketh, or he is pursuing"
Again the chorus breaks forth with
barbaric energy Clear our cry, o
Baal,'O Elijah again and again taunts
them with the appeal, Call him
louder
The priests renewing their shouts
each time with increasing force wait
ing in vain for a reply, and closing
with the almost angry cutlery, CLEAR
and answer.'O
Then follows the calm, dignified
prayer of Elijah, ("Lord God of Abra-
ham,'0 succeeded by a simple but
beautiful chorale, coast thy burden
upon the Lord.'O This is the lull be-
fore the storm that is to follow.
Elijah calls for the fire to descend
and chorus full of passionate en-
ergy replies, 1.-The fire descends from
heaven accompanied by initiative
music, and closes with loud lamenta-
lions in the exultation, The Lord is
Cod
In fierce recitative Elijah dooms
the priests of Baal to destruction. The
chorns replies in the affirmative. and
then Elijah sings the grand basso
aria''Is not His Word like fire? ga
song noted for its extreme difficulty.
After this vigorous and forceful
defamation we hear a lovely arioso
for alto ('Woe unto them.'O
Now Obadiah summons Elijah to
help the people. to which Elijah re-
plies in beautiful andante C"Open
the Heavens and send us relief,'O the
chorus repeats it, and leads us into
remarkable dialogue passage be
tween Elijah, the People, and the
Youth, whom he bids Took toward
the sea-" The most remarkable part
of this passage are responses of the
Youth and the orchestral climax as
the heavens grow black and 1.-The
storm rushes louder and louder" The
storm is at hand the rain descends,
and the people shouting for joy and
gratitude. Thanks be to God" is
heard over the tempest in the or
chestra. The voices pause, Elijah
in, fS-
then all join in the glorious and tu-
multuous outpour of harmony, as
fresh and vigorous as was the rain to
the thirsty land, chorus and orches-
ira vying with each other in joyful
outburst again and again, Thanks
be to Cod until the end is reached