Program Notes
Drexel’s Department of Performing Arts presents
There are a number of interesting parallels between Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
(1809–1847) and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791). Both were child prodigies who began composing as children, both had written lasting works by the time
they were 18, both died in their thirties, and both were interested in music of earlier
periods, particularly the works of both Handel and J.S. Bach. This may not seem an
odd trait to modern musicians, who routinely study and perform music of earlier
composers, but that was not true of the Classic and early Romantic periods: when
Mendelssohn mounted his historic performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion in
Berlin in 1829 it was the first performance of the work in Germany since Bach’s
death in 1750.
Mendelssohn first tried his hand at writing an oratorio* in 1836 with St. Paul,
a work that is not widely performed today. St. Paul, however, is more lyrical than
dramatic, and he wanted an outlet for a dramatic, Handelian style of oratorio. The
biblical story of Elijah seemed perfect, and Mendelssohn began working with a
German librettist in the late 1830’s to put together a text. He continued sporadically
until 1845, when he received a commission from the Birmingham Festival Committee to write an English oratorio. This led to a burst of activity with both Pastor Julius
Schubring (the German librettist) and William Bartholomew (the English translator); the result was the highly dramatic version of Elijah’s story that became the
basis for the composition. It uses elements of Handel in its descriptive choruses, and
shows the influence of Bach in the use of chorales as commentaries, but the integration of elements in the various scenes is unique to Mendelssohn.
Elijah was an enormous success from its first performance. It stood, and continues
to stand, alongside the great oratorios of Handel and Haydn as part of the standard
repertoire.
The University Chorus and Orchestra
Mendelssohn’s epic oratorio
Elijah
*an oratorio is a sacred drama, performed without staging or costumes.
The Argument
The first act opens with Elijah announcing the that there shall be a terrible drought until the people of Israel
return to the worship of the true God, Jehovah. In the succeeding movements the people ask for relief from the
drought. Elijah is sent to the desert for three years by an angel, and later a widow comes to him for help for her
sick child, which he provides, leading to her conversion. Elijah returns and challenges Ahab: he [Elijah] demands
that the people of Israel call upon their false Gods for succor. They do so in a series of choruses, but the false Gods
do not answer. Elijah then calls down fire from heaven, and, in an intricate linked passage with a youth and the
chorus, importunes God to bring rain down upon the parched fields.
The second act begins with the people of Israel hailing Elijah and the true God. But Queen Jezebel incites
the people against him and forces him to flee for his life. Utterly depressed over his failure, Elijah asks God to end
his life. A trio of angels then appears to watch over him, the chorus tells him that God “slumbers not, nor sleeps”
and another angel bids him to have faith that the true God will win out. God then appears before Elijah and the
people of Israel, and Elijah ascends to heaven in a fiery chariot to gain his final reward.
Penelope Shumate, soprano
Perry Brisbon, tenor
John Packard, baritone
Steven Powell, conductor
Sunday, March 13, 2011
3:00 p.m.
Main Auditorium
Elijah
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809–1847)
Part I
Introduction
Elijah
John Packard, baritone
Overture
1. Chorus
2. Chorus
Help, Lord
Lord, bow thine ear
Christina Curreri, soprano
3. Recitative
4. Aria
Samantha Ranagan, alto
Ye people, rend your hearts
If with all your hearts
Obadiah
Obadiah
Perry Brisbon, tenor
5. Chorus
*7a. Recitative
Yet doth the Lord
Now Cherith’s Brook
An Angel
Carly Hendricks, alto
8. Duet
What have I to do with thee?
Penelope Shumate, soprano
Widow, Elijah
John Packard, baritone
9. Chorus
Blessed are the men who fear him
10.Recit. w/Chorus
As God the Lord
Perry Brisbon, tenor
11.Chorus
12.Recit. w/Chorus
13.Recit. w/Chorus
14.Aria
Ahab, Elijah
John Packard, baritone
Baal we cry to thee
Call him louder (1)
Call him louder (2)
Draw near, all ye people
Elijah
Elijah
Elijah
John Packard, baritone
15.Chorus
Cast thy burden upon the Lord
16.Recit. w/Chorus O thou, who makest thine angel’s spirits
17. Aria
Is not his word like a fire?
Elijah
Elijah
John Packard, baritone
18.Aria
Woe unto them who forsake him
Israelite Woman
Carly Hendricks, alto
19.Recit. w/Chorus
O man of God
Obadiah, Elijah, The Child
Perry Brisbon, tenor
John Packard, baritone Danielle Traitz, soprano
20. Chorus
Thanks be to God
Intermission
Horn
Angela Cordell-----------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
Lauren Robinson--------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
Stephen Bockius---------------------------------------------------Entrepreneurship
Deanna Buhay------------------------------------------------------- Health Sciences
Trumpet
Darin Kelly-------------------------------------------------------------- Drexel Faculty
Steven Heitzer------------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
Trombone
Bob Topper---------------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
Joel Collier------------------------------------------------------------- Music Industry
Bass Trombone
Jose Vidal------------------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
Tuba (Ophecleide)
Jason Collier----------------------------------------------------------------------- Music
Timpani
Holden Nardini----------------------------------------- Information Technology
Organ
Brian Dilts--------------------------------------------------------------- Drexel Faculty
Acknowledgements
Thanks to:
The Fairmount Chamber Ensemble (visiting artists)
Dr. Mike Moss, Director of Bands and Program Director of Music at Drexel
University.
Elijah Orchestra
Violin I
Barbara Jaffe [concertmaster]----------------------------------------Visiting artist
Melissa Locati------------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
Andreia Torain-----------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
Violin II
Fran Berge-----------------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
Almasd Meshejian------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
Jen Bolcar------------------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
Viola
Beth Dzwil----------------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
Louise Jaffe----------------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
Cello
Ronald Lipscomb----------------------------------------------------- Drexel Faculty
Betsy Loughran----------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
Bass
Dennis Topper-----------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
Part II
21.Aria
Hear ye, Israel
22.Chorus
23.Recit. w/Chorus
Be not afraid
The Lord hath exalted thee
Penelope Shumate, soprano
24.Chorus
25.Recit.
Woe to him
Man of God
Perry Brisbon, tenor
26.Aria
Obadiah, Elijah
John Packard, baritone
It is enough
Elijah
John Packard, baritone
27. Recitative
See, now he sleepeth
Israelite Man
Perry Brisbon, tenor
28.Trio
Lift thine eyes
Elizabeth Plowman, soprano Samantha Andrel, soprano Teri McMahon, alto
29.Chorus
30.Recitative
He watching over Israel
Arise, Elijah
Samantha Ranagan, alto
32.Chorus
33.Recitative
He that shall endure
Night falleth round me
Penelope Shumate, soprano
38.Chorus
39.Aria
Danielle Traitz, soprano
Chrystina Cappello, alto
Then did Elijah
Then shall the righteous shine forth
Perry Brisbon, tenor
42.Chorus
An Angel, Elijah
John Packard, baritone
Oboe
Terry Belzer---------------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
Carl Breuninger-------------------------------------------- Computer Engineering
Jennifer Chesterson, soprano
Eryn Park, alto
An Angel, Elijah
John Packard, baritone
34.Chorus
Behold, God the Lord
35.Recit. and Chorus with quartet Holy is God the Lord
Bassoon
Ping Liang-----------------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
Lori Marino---------------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
The Queen, Elijah
John Packard, baritone
Flute
Lucy Briggs------------------------------------------------------------- Music Industry
Kristen Tripolitis------------------------ Entertainment and Arts Management
Clarinet
Karen DiSanto-----------------------------------------------------------Visiting artist
Max Goldberg-------------------------------------------------------- Film and Video
Israelite Woman
Penelope Shumate, soprano
And then shall your light break forth
*Missing numbers indicate cuts for this performance
Drexel University Chorus
Dr. Steven Powell, director
Brian Dilts, accompanist
Soprano
Samantha Andrel----------------------------------------------------- Music Industry
Meghan Cash----------------------------------------- Environmental Engineering
Jen Chesterson------------------------------------------------------- Graphic Design
•Christina Curreri--------------------- Mechanical Engineering & Mechanics
Charlotte DiGiorgio----------------------------------------------------- Architecture
Victoria Fiorenza---------------------------------------------------------------Nursing
Caitlin Ford------------------------------------------------------- Biological Sciences
Stephanie Heucke---------------------------------------------------- Interior Design
Ga Youn Kim------------------------------------------- International Area Studies
Sozit Kurtu------------------------------------------------------------------- Chemistry
Katie LaVoie------------------------------------------------------------ Music Industry
Xingzi Lin------------------------------------------------- Business Administration
Emma Louth-------------------------------------------------------------Culinary Arts
Abbie McGee--------------------------------------------------------------------Nursing
#Johanna Mikitka----------------------------Architectural & Civil Engineering
Jessica Neumann--------------------------------------------------------------- English
Taylor Nolan---------------------------------------------------------------- Psychology
Hye Lim Park---------------------------------------------------------Political Science
#Elizabeth Plowman--------------------------------------- Electrical Engineering
Laura Salciunas---------------------------------- Behavioral Health Counseling
Stacey Sassaman----------------------------------------------------------- Psychology
Kayla Speedy--------------------------------------------------------- Fashion Design
Danielle Traitz------------------------------------------------------- Graphic Design
Nicole Zusman------------------------------------------------------- Music Industry
Alto
#Emily Barth------------------------------------------------ Chemical Engineering
Alexandra Berenson-----------------------------------------------Communication
•Chrystina Cappello---------------------------------- Architectural Engineering
Charlotte Dow---------------------------------------Screenwriting & Playwriting
Carly Hendricks--------------------------------------------- Materials Engineering
Annie Lu------------------------------------------------------------------ Digital Media
Elaine Lubaszka----------------------------------------------------- Fashion Design
Karly McAvenia--------------------------------------------------------- Film & Video
Teri McMahon-------------------------------------------------------- Music Industry
Eryn Park-------------------------------------------------- Design & Merchandising
Alexis Pozonsky--------------------------------------- International Area Studies
Samantha Ranagan----------------------------------------------------------Nutrition
#Meghan Signora---------------------------------------------------- Music Industry
Tenor
•Sean Ballentine--------------------------------------------------------- Mathematics
Vincent DeGrandchamp-------------------------------------- Biological Sciences
William Kehs---------------------------------------------- Biomedical Engineering
John Mars------------------------------------------------------------------ Architecture
Brett Rodgers---------------------------------------------------------- Music Industry
#Alex Schiano-------------------------------------------------------------- Psychology
Sean Shank-------------------------------------------------------- Biological Sciences
Richard Vong--------------------------------------------- Business Administration
Joe Weidman--------------------------------------------------------- Graphic Design
Bass
Michael Annucci------------------------------------------- Chemical Engineering
Justin Bendigo-------------------------------------------- Biomedical Engineering
Brett Cohen--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Colin Eggert-Crowe--------------------------------------Mechanical Engineering
Ben Fasano----------------------------------------------------------------- Architecture
Jonathan Greenblatt------------------------------------- Computer Engineering
•#Matthew Lesnak-----------------------------------------------Computer Science
Mark Minori-----------------------------------------------------------------Economics
#Peter Mowen--------------------------------------------------------- Music Industry
Adam Nassani---------------------------------------------Mechanical Engineering
Aaron Strauss--------------------------------------------------------Communication
Levi Toback----------------------------------------------------------------- Psychology
• Section Leader
# Pi Nu Epsilon Member