Page:The history of Mendelssohn's oratorio 'Elijah'.djvu/109

 THE FIRST PERFORMANCE.

��reverential admiration. The old admirers of Handel, who always crowd to * The Messiah,' which they must not miss whatever else they give up, would be shocked to hear anyone confess a greater, a more refined and spiritual influence exercised by Mendelssohn over the mind and heart ; but to me it is so undoubtedly, v.'hether in part from too great familiarity lessening the impression in Handel's case, I am not quite sure. I think it is that Mendelssohn's whole nature is profoundly educated ; that his adaptation of the music to the meaning is not of that broad unmistak- able kind which even an uneducated ear can comprehend, but is of that refined and far-reaching nature which carries along with it in fullest sympathy, mind, heart, and soul, be they cultivated ever so highly. If I could send you my scheme [word-book] of * Elijah ' with my own remarks, you would at once see what I mean ; one instance must suffice now — the Widow entreating Elijah's ' help ' for her sick son receives this answer, * Give me thy son.' Then follows his prayer for God's help that he again may live. The * Give me thy son ' expressed all that religious reliance, that confidence in power from above which already assured the prayer's fulfilment ; and Staudigl being Elijah, Mendelssohn's every intention was carried out. Then the contrast between the ' Baal music ' and Elijah's and the Israelites' prayers and adoration is finely and truly maintained. To select beauties where the whole is so perfect seems nearly impossible. There is one song deep in my heart, like ' the Lord is mindful of His own ' from ' Paul,' which I should call the song

�� �