Page:The history of Mendelssohn's oratorio 'Elijah'.djvu/105

 THE FIRST PERFORMANCE.

Birmingham ; for one ought not to make people's mouths water and make them feel dissatisfied with their condition where one cannot help them ; and it was just the solo soprano part I found there in a most helpless and lamentable state. But there was so much that was good by way of compensation that, on the whole, I bring back a very pleasant impression, and I often thought that you also would have taken pleasure in it.

" The rich, full sounds of the orchestra and the huge organ, combined with the powerful voices of the chorus, who sang with sincere enthusiasm ; the wonderful resonance in the huge grand hall ; an admirable English tenor; Staudigl, too, who took all possible pains, and whose talents and powers you already well know ; some very good second soprano and contralto solo singers; all executing the music with special zest and the utmost fire and spirit, doing justice not only to the loudest passages, but also to the softest pianos in a manner which I never before heard from such masses; and, in addition, an impressionable, kindly, hushed, and enthusiastic audience — now still as mice, now exultant — all this is indeed sufficient good fortune for a first perform- ance. In fact, I never in my life heard a better, or I may say one as good; and I almost doubt whether I shall ever again hear one equal to it, because there were so many favourable combinations on this occasion.

"With so much light the shadows were not absent, and the worsi was the soprano part. It was all so pretty, so pleasing, so elegant, at the same time so ( 87 ) G

�� �