Page:The history of Mendelssohn's oratorio 'Elijah'.djvu/115

 THE FIRST PERFORMANCE.

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" Composed expressly for this Festival, and for Mr. Lockey, with many thanks for —

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" Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. " Birmingham, August 28, 1846."

Mendelssohn left Birmingham the same day and came to London, " where," he says, " my only important business was a ' fish dinner' at Lovegrove's at Blackwall ; after which I stayed four days at Ramsgate for sea air, and ate crabs, and enjoyed myself with the Beneckes." The late Mrs. Benecke, for whom Mendelssohn had a particular affection, remembered that he was in most cheerful and excellent spirits during his visit at the seaside, and that he often referred with great satisfaction to the first performance of his " Elijah." Although his stay at Ramsgate was so short, he there began to write out the pianoforte arrangement of the oratorio, and worked at it several hours daily. ( 95 )

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