St. Paul (oratorio)

Paul Op 36 (MWV A 14) is next to Elias, the first of the two consummate oratorio by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. It deals with the life and work of the Apostle Paul.

History

The Frankfurt Cäcilien Club gave Mendelssohn in 1831 before his big trip to Paris Paul Oratorio in order. In 1832 he began work on his return to Berlin. Inspired by Bach and Handel wished Mendelssohn to his friend Julius Schubring a text from the Bible words, and the inclusion of hymns " from the hymnal ... quite in the manner of Bach's Passion" ( letter to Schubring, December 22, 1832).

Adolf Bernhard Marx, who was also involved in the work, had objections, described the chants as misguided, but Mendelssohn remained in his intention. 1834, the text was finished, so that Mendelssohn could start composing. He was not finished, however, until the planned premiere in spring 1836. Instead, they found a few weeks later at Pentecost at the 18th Lower Rhine Music Festival 1836 in Dusseldorf. Mendelssohn then revised the work again for printing. In this final version of it was performed in English as St. Paul in October 1836 in Liverpool. In the following eighteen months, there has been presented over 50 times more.

Content and structure

Mendelssohn made ​​a specific choice about which scenes he wanted to take into his Paul. The oratorio, structured in two parts, describes the career from Saul to Paul, the first part of his persecution of the Christians depicts ( martyrdom of Stephen by stoning ) and the Damascus experience of the appearance of Christ. The second part talks about his work as a missionary and of the associated dangers. That Mendelssohn dramatically particularly valuable scenes, such as has not been used in the dungeon of Philippi and the tribunal of Caesarea, was often regretted, but was it him more likely to implement and narrative of the Acts, as the depiction of Paul as personality. In the second part of the sound of a sermon comes very close. In the final chorus Mendelssohn concludes that not only Paul learns God's righteousness through his steadfastness, " but all who love his appearing ." Thus, the oratory is also a call to conversion dar.

Content

( in numerical order )

Part One

Part Two