Page:The history of Mendelssohn's oratorio 'Elijah'.djvu/95

 THE FIRST PERFORMANCE.

��kept that for my orchestra," and he then archly played the familiar shake, which is given to the fliute in the orchestral accompaniment. He was still doubtful, even at the eleventh hour, whether he should not withdraw " O rest in the Lord." " It is too sweet," he said. His friends urged him at least to try its effect, and ultimately their advice was accepted. Mr. Charles Lockey, the young tenor singer, immediately won the composer's golden opinion, and Mendelssohn was more than satisfied with his beautiful and sympathetic voice at the first performance. The tenor solos had been previously assigned to Mr. J. W. Hobbs, who generously relinquished them in favour of the younger singer. The soloists had to sing from MS. copies which contained only the vocal melody and bass of the accompaniment. These copies, neatly written by Bartholomew on oblong-folio music- paper, contain several alterations in Mendelssohn's own hand.

The orchestral parts had been previously tried over and corrected at Leipzig ; the way was therefore made smooth for the band rehearsals in London. These rehearsals took place at the Hanover Square Rooms on the Thursday and Friday preceding the Festival. " Mendelssohn," records the late Mr. Rockstro, " looked very worn and nervous ; yet he would suffer no one to relieve him, even in the scrutiny of the orchestral parts, which he himself spread out on some benches beneath the windows on the left-hand side of the room, and insisted upon sorting out and examining for himself." The late ( 77 )

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