J S Bach

Bach Collegium Premiers Mendelssohn's St. Paul Oratorio

On Sunday, 6 May at 5 p.m., the Bach Collegium Singers and Instrumentalists will perform in English a Fort Wayne Premier of Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy's St. Paul Oratorio at Trinity Episcopal Church, 611 W. Berry Street.  Although excerpts from the Oratorio have been performed here before, this 6 May presentation by the Bach Collegium, to our knowledge, will be the very first Fort Wayne performance of the complete work.  Except perhaps for one short chorus that many church and community choirs have sung and love, namely, "How Lovely are the Messengers that Bring Us the Gospel of Peace," the St. Paul Oratorio is virtually unknown to concert going audiences today.  That is unfortunate, because the whole work is as beautiful and uplifting as the single chorus.  Thus, the Bach Collegium wants Fort Wayne to have the opportunity to hear more than that - to hear it all.

Who's Mendelssohn?

Not only the St. Paul, but also the composer himself is relatively unknown, although most have heard and would recognize at least two of his compositions:

  1. the well-known Christmas carol, Hark, the Herald Angels Sing, and
  2. the Wedding March (from "Midsummer Night's Dream"), used customarily a generation ago at the conclusion of wedding ceremonies.
Those who frequent concert venues know Mendelssohn for a violin or piano concerto or two, his Italian or Reformation Symphonies, and one Oratorio, the Elijah (not the St. Paul), but not much more than that. It was really not until the late 1990s, 150 years after Mendelssohn's death, when the first complete edition of his works was published, that the musical world was offered comprehensive information about him. This resource documents Mendelssohn as a first-rate 19th century conductor, concert pianist and violinist, and an extraordinary composer of secular and sacred music for piano, strings, orchestra, organ, and voices. It reveals that his compositions exemplify a fusion of influences gleaned from a great variety of sources (i.e. Weber, Beethovan, Mozart, Haydn, and Handel), but especially from J. S. Bach.  Throughout Mendelssohn's lifetime, Bach remained his inspiration and model for making generous use of counterpoint (imitation, fugues and canons), and of adventuresome, chromatic part writing.

Mendelssohn's Bach Tributes

Mendelssohn honored J. S. Bach in specific ways and paid special tribute to him by:

  1. composing Hymn Cantatas (patterned after the many Chorale Cantatas by Bach)
  2. reviving the Bach St. Matthew Passion (it had not been performed for 100 years)
  3. composing the St. Paul Oratorio (patterned after the Bach Passion), and
  4. editing Bach's Organ Works.

Mendelssohn's "Bachian" Hymn Cantatas

Mendelssohn's Hymn Cantatas, patterned after J. S. Bach's Chorale Cantatas are:

  1. Christe, du Lamm Gottes (O Christ, Thou Lamb of God)
  2. Jesu, meine Freude (Jesus, Priceless Treasure)
  3. O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden (O Sacred Head, Now Wounded)
  4. Aus tiefer Not (From Depths of Woe)
  5. Mitten wir in Leben sind (In the Midst of Earthly Life)
  6. Verleih' uns Frieden (Grant Peace, We Pray, in Mercy, Lord)
  7. Vom Himmel hoch (From Heaven Above)
  8. Wir glauben all' an einen Gott (We All Believe in One True God)
  9. Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh' darein (O Lord, Look Down from Heaven, Behold)

Mendelssohn's Revival of Bach's St. Matthew Passion

In January 1828 at the age of 19, although discouraged by colleagues because of the momentous task, Mendelssohn made the decision to revive Bach's St. Matthew Passion.

In October, rehearsals started in earnest, and on 11 March 1829, after 100 years in hibernation, the St. Matthew…was conducted by Mendelssohn -- a centenary revival of the work -- and to high critical acclaim. Overwhelmed by the performance, the Crown Prince ordered a second performance that was presented on 21 March in commemoration of Bach's birthday. These performances were the catalysts that sparked an extraordinary interest in, an appreciation of and love for, the music of J. S. Bach, and provided the impetus for the numerous performances that followed it - all over the world to this day.

Mendelssohn's St. Paul Oratorio Numerous Performances

On May 23rd, 1836 Mendelssohn conducted the premier performance of the St. Paul Oratorio in Duesseldorf, which was repeated on the 24th, and was immediately recognized as a milestone in the revival of the oratorio.  These performances placed Mendelssohn at age 27 into the front rank of German musicians. Numerous performances followed:

  1. in Leipzig, Bach's city, on 16 March 1837, he conducted his revised-version,
  2. in England, on 12 September, he attended a performance, and on the next day conducted it himself,
  3. in Weimar, in April 1840, he again directed a highly successful performance,
  4. in Berlin, in 1842, two more performances were given (10 Jan. and 17 Feb.),
  5. in Dresden, in 1843 on Palm Sunday, he conducted a performance that was enthusiastically received by the new Kapellmeister there, Richard Wagner,
  6. in Berlin, in1844, he conducted two more performances (31 July and 1 August),  and in November performed his last concert for the king, and
  7. in Leipzig, on Good Friday, 2 April 1847, he gave his final public performance.

Mendelssohn's Edition of Bach's Organ Works

In 1845, Mendelssohn, after years of careful historic research and preparation, completed his edition of selected Organ Works by J. S. Bach.

Libretto and Performing Forces of the St. Paul Oratorio

The St. Paul Oratorio is the story of the first Christian missionary, St. Paul, as recorded in the Bible in Acts, chapters 4-21.  It divides his life into three dramatic episodes:

  1. the martyrdom of Stephen witnessed by Saul,
  2. the conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus, and
  3. Paul's missionary journeys to the Gentiles.
Two soloists narrate the story: Daniel Blosser, tenor, and Amy Prickett, soprano. The role of Saul and Paul is sung by Matthew Jeffords, bass-baritone. As in the Passions, the choir sings crowd responses and choruses and chorales that provide commentary. The orchestra includes romantic era instruments: natural horns, period brass, and strings played with gut strings and period bows, all of which blend harmoniously with voices. Following the performance, there will be a reception with light refreshments, providing time for the instrumentalists to demonstrate their instruments, answer questions, and visit with the audience.

Tickets can be purchased online, by phone at (260) 485-2143, or at the door. Prices are $16 for adults, $14 for seniors, $5 for students with ID, $10 for those in groups of 10 or more, and there is no charge for children 12 and under. Adult tickets are discounted to $14 if purchased by Friday 4 May.

The Collegium, Fort Wayne's premier Bach Choir, is a community, not-for-profit ensemble of 30 singers and 27 instrumentalists, and annually performs five concerts, comprised of the sacred works of J. S. Bach, other earlier composers that influenced him, and later composers like Mendelssohn that were influenced by him.