Mendelssohn: Elijah, MWV A 25, Op. 70 (arr. for chamber orchestra)

Description

Mendelssohn's oratorio Elias (Elijah) was composed at a time when large choral societies were formed and music festivals involving hundreds of singers were all the fashion. 271 singers and 125 orchestral musicians took part in the premiere in 1846 in Birmingham. and today, too, a large-scale orchestra naturally calls for a correspondingly large chorus.

With this arrangement for chamber orchestra (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, timpani and strings, plus organ ad lib), smaller choirs, as well as choirs with more limited resources of space or finance, can now also perform this work. By reducing the symphonic wind and brass in particular (instead of 18 just seven single wind and brass instruments are now required), the volume of sound is more restrained, but the symphonic character and a wide dynamic range are retained. All the vocal parts (soloists and chorus) are identical with the original version, so that the vocal scores and choral scores from that version can be used.