Page:The history of Mendelssohn's oratorio 'Elijah'.djvu/119

 CHAPTER V.

��THE REVISED ORATORIO.

Mendelssohn, upon his return to Leipzig, was much exhausted after the severe strain of composing, and the exertion connected with the production of " Elijah," But, although he led " a vegetable existence, doing nothing the whole day but eat and sleep and take walks," he very soon began to work at the revision of his new oratorio. It has been shown that Mendelssohn had to write against time in order to complete his oratorio for the Birmingham Festival ; and after — if not before, or during — the first performance he discovered numerous instances in which the work could be greatly improved. He told Mr. Bartholomew that he should make many alterations, and he did. In a letter to Klingemann, j dated December 6, 1846, Mendelssohn says : —

'* I have again begun to work with all my might at my * Elijah,' and hope to amend the greater part of what I thought deficient at the first performance. I have quite completed one of the most difficult parts (the Widow); and I am sure you will be satisfied with the alterations which I may call improvemenis. ( 97 )

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