# Mendelssohn Elijah



## DavidA

This work has been a favourite of mine since I studied it as a lad. What recordings of it are the best in your opinion?


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## SixFootScowl

I am quite happy with the set starring Bryn Terfel and Renee Fleming. It is the only sung-in-English Elijah set I have.


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## Manxfeeder

My personal favorite is with Rafael Frubeck de Burgos. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is Elijah, and his English has a roughess to it, which makes his Elijah sound like someone gutsy enough to take on a king and his bloodthirsty wife.


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## Xaltotun

For the German version I can recommend Sawallisch. Of the English language versions I have no idea, since I do not listen to any English language music as a matter of principle.


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## Pugg

Florestan said:


> I am quite happy with the set starring Bryn Terfel and Renee Fleming. It is the only sung-in-English Elijah set I have.





Manxfeeder said:


> My personal favorite is with Rafael Frubeck de Burgos. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is Elijah, and his English has a roughess to it, which makes his Elijah sound like someone gutsy enough to take on a king and his bloodthirsty wife.


In this order meaning the Decca one first


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## DavidA

Xaltotun said:


> For the German version I can recommend Sawallisch. Of the English language versions I have no idea, since I do not listen to any English language music as a matter of principle.


Interesting case as Elijah was written in German but premiered in England under the composer sung in English


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## Pugg

This one is also not bad at all:
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Chandos/CHAN8774


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## Sonata

Florestan said:


> I am quite happy with the set starring Bryn Terfel and Renee Fleming. It is the only sung-in-English Elijah set I have.


I own this set but have not yet listened.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT

Like Pugg, it's Elder (Fleming/Terfel) for me, followed by Frühbeck, with Hickox a strong contender. For those wanting a good _Elias_ in German, I'm very fond of the superb recording by Frieder Bernius on the Carus label.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT

Xaltotun said:


> For the German version I can recommend Sawallisch.


I like the Sawallisch, but I must admit that I'm not too fond of Theo Adam's dry timbre, nor of Peter Schreier's rather "metallic" tenor, at least not in this repertoire.


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## gardibolt

I've sung it in English, and it's a genuine hoot to do the battle of the high priests. The Terfel/Fleming one in English is good. I haven't found a German one that I'm really happy with.


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## DavidA

Reichstag aus LICHT said:


> Like Pugg, it's Elder (Fleming/Terfel) for me, followed by Frühbeck, with Hickox a strong contender. For those wanting a good _Elias_ in German, I'm very fond of the superb recording by Frieder Bernius on the Carus label.


The conductor is Paul Daniel


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## DavidA

I've three versions 

The Frubeck with D F-D which has a superb choir and the wondrous Janet Baker

The Daniel which is a bit squarely conducted but period instruments

The McCreesh which has massive forces similar that to which the composer used and pretty good soloists


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## Reichstag aus LICHT

DavidA said:


> The conductor is Paul Daniel


Oops! I always get Mark Elder and Paul Daniel mixed up, for some reason.


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## Tallisman

Though I like it, I may have to agree with George Bernard Shaw on this one:

(of Elijah)_'You have only to think of Parsifal, of the Ninth Symphony, of Die Zauberflöte, of the inspired moments of Bach and Handel, to see the great gulf that lies between the true religious sentiment and our delight in Mendelssohn's exquisite prettiness.'_


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## DavidA

Tallisman said:


> Though I like it, I may have to agree with George Bernard Shaw on this one:
> 
> (of Elijah)_'You have only to think of Parsifal, of the Ninth Symphony, of Die Zauberflöte, of the inspired moments of Bach and Handel, to see the great gulf that lies between the true religious sentiment and our delight in Mendelssohn's exquisite prettiness.'_


Let's face it - Shaw was a bit of a bigot.


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## DavidA

Just got Masur's version to hear it in German. It sounds quite different (obviously) but disappointed in Masur rushing the whole thing along.


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## Antiquarian

DavidA said:


> Just got Masur's version to hear it in German. It sounds quite different (obviously) but disappointed in Masur rushing the whole thing along.


I have the Masur, with the Israel Philharmonic, and have to agree with you on this. It's 20 minutes or so shorter than my current favourite, Robert Shaw / Atlanta Symphony (Telarc). I prefer English with this work, in any case.


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## Pugg

DavidA said:


> Just got Masur's version to hear it in German. It sounds quite different (obviously) but disappointed in Masur rushing the whole thing along.


But this one got very good female voices, that's a bonus.


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## MusicBear88

I recently acquired the Paul Daniel version and like it very much. I like the voices on Robert Shaw's recording but, as is his wont, he fiddles with the English text. The Frühbeck de Burgos recording has its high points, unfortunately I just don't like Gwyneth Jones in the soprano part for all I do like Fischer-Dieskau, Gedda, and Baker.


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## DavidA

MusicBear88 said:


> I recently acquired the Paul Daniel version and like it very much. I like the voices on Robert Shaw's recording but, as is his wont, he fiddles with the English text. The Frühbeck de Burgos recording has its high points, unfortunately I just don't like Gwyneth Jones in the soprano part for all I do like Fischer-Dieskau, Gedda, and Baker.


I have the Daniel version which has its good points not least Terfel in the title role. However, McCreesh's version is to me the one to have of the modern versions.


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## David Phillips

*Elijah*

Sir Malcolm Sargent's 1947 performance with Isabel Baille/Gladys Ripley/James Johnston/Harold Williams takes some beating in the old school stakes.


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## Pugg

David Phillips said:


> Sir Malcolm Sargent's 1947 performance with Isabel Baille/Gladys Ripley/James Johnston/Harold Williams takes some beating in the old school stakes.


Surprisingly good sound for such a old recording.


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## Star

Can't understand why anyone from an English speaking country would want Elijah in German. The original performance was in English after all. To me the best modern recording is by McCreesh - large choir / original instruments. Sargent is far too plush imo


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## SixFootScowl

Star said:


> Can't understand why anyone from an English speaking country would want Elijah in German. The original performance was in English after all. To me the best modern recording is by McCreesh - large choir / original instruments. Sargent is far too plush imo


Frankly, for oratorios, English works for any of them if there is such translation. Unlike opera, there is not much issue with translation and beauty of language in oratorios. I did pick up a German version of my favorite oratorio, Messiah, and love it, but never to the exclusion of the English.


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## Pugg

Florestan said:


> Frankly, for oratorios, English works for any of them if there is such translation. Unlike opera, there is not much issue with translation and beauty of language in oratorios. I did pick up a German version of my favorite oratorio, Messiah, and love it, but never to the exclusion of the English.


That's the spirit , having a open mind. :tiphat:


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## ICHTHUS

I may be in the minority; however, I enjoy the beauty and dramatic presentation of Robert Shaw's Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Choir


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## ORigel

Tallisman said:


> Though I like it, I may have to agree with George Bernard Shaw on this one:
> 
> (of Elijah)_'You have only to think of Parsifal, of the Ninth Symphony, of Die Zauberflöte, of the inspired moments of Bach and Handel, to see the great gulf that lies between the true religious sentiment and our delight in Mendelssohn's exquisite prettiness.'_


Elijah is my favorite Mendelssohn work. I love the libretto, the drama, the dark music. However, I must admit that Mendelssohn drops the ball when it comes time to portray transcendence, as in the later movements of Part 2.


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## gellio

SixFootScowl said:


> I am quite happy with the set starring Bryn Terfel and Renee Fleming. It is the only sung-in-English Elijah set I have.


Do you actually understand what they are saying? I bought McCreesh's _Creation_ and although English is my native tongue I can't understand a word they are saying, so I mine as well listening to the German recordings, which I like better.


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## Manxfeeder

ICHTHUS said:


> I may be in the minority; however, I enjoy the beauty and dramatic presentation of Robert Shaw's Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Choir


I do like his updating of the text. Words like "He laveth the thirsty land" in Mendelsssohn's English version always sounded clunky to me. He did the same thing to Haydn's Creation.


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## gellio

Star said:


> Can't understand why anyone from an English speaking country would want Elijah in German. The original performance was in English after all. To me the best modern recording is by McCreesh - large choir / original instruments. Sargent is far too plush imo


I'll take a better performance (well one I like better) in German, French, Italian or Russian over a performance I don't like as much in English. I'm not a fan of McCreesh's _Creation_ or _Seasons_- I just find the tempos too slow and the dynamics subdued. I also have a hard time understanding what the soloists are even singing when they are signing in English. I remember buying the Goodall _Ring_ and I hated it because the tempos were too damn slow, but I also found I couldn't understand what they were singing anyway.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Herreweghe recording of _Elias_.


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## SixFootScowl

gellio said:


> Do you actually understand what they are saying? I bought McCreesh's _Creation_ and although English is my native tongue I can't understand a word they are saying, so I mine as well listening to the German recordings, which I like better.


Not completely, but I catch enough of the English that it can help me keep track of where I am in the oratorio.

Now Handel's Messiah is another story. I know it so well that I don't even need to hear much of the words. I can listen to a German language production and know the English in my head from the music that is associated with it.


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## gellio

SixFootScowl said:


> Not completely, but I catch enough of the English that it can help me keep track of where I am in the oratorio.
> 
> Now Handel's Messiah is another story. I know it so well that I don't even need to hear much of the words. I can listen to a German language production and know the English in my head from the music that is associated with it.


I'm desperate for new music and I think I seriously have recordings of everything I want.


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## SixFootScowl

gellio said:


> I'm desperate for new music and I think I seriously have recordings of everything I want.


I know the feeling. I have bought a lot of stuff I don't need, but some of the fun is in searching it out and finding a deal, then hitting buy. Hey, have you tried Haydn's Creation? I think that comes in both English and German. But I go off topic.


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## gellio

SixFootScowl said:


> I know the feeling. I have bought a lot of stuff I don't need, but some of the fun is in searching it out and finding a deal, then hitting buy. Hey, have you tried Haydn's Creation? I think that comes in both English and German. But I go off topic.


The Creation is one of my favorite works. I love it. One of my top 10 works for sure.


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