Mendelssohn - Elijah / T. Allen · Rolfe Johnson · Y. Kenny · von Otter · Marriner

Felix Mendelssohn (Artist), Neville Marriner (Artist), Thomas Allen (Artist), Anthony Rolfe Johnson (Artist), Academy & Chorus of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (Artist), Yvonne Kenny (Artist), Anne Sofie von Otter (Artist), Lynne Dawson (Artist), Kim Begley (Artist), Jean Rigby (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 15, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Philips
• ASIN: B00000413Y
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #90,973 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #22 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Otter, Anne Sophie von
  • #57 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Featured Performers, A-Z > M to P

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 1. Introduction. As God the Lord of Israel liveth

2. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 1. Overture / No. 1. Chorus. Help, Lord! / Recitative. The deep affords no water!

3. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 1. No. 2. Duet with Chorus. Lord, bow Thine ear to our pray'r!

4. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 1. No. 3. Recitative. Ye people, rend your hearts/ No. 4. Aria. If with all your hearts

5. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 1. No. 5. Chorus. Yet doth the Lord see it not

6. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 1. No. 6. Recitative. Elijah! Get thee hence; Elijah!

7. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 1. No. 7. Double Quartet. For He shall give His angels charge / Recitative. Now Cherith's broo

8. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 1. No. 8. Recitative, Aria and Duet. What have I to do with thee

9. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 1. No. 9. Chorus. Bless'd are they who fear the Lord

10. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 1. No. 10. Recitative with Chorus. As God the Lord of Sabaoth liveth

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 2. No. 21. Aria. Hear ye, Israel / Recitative. Thus saith the Lord / Aria. I am He that comfor

2. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 2. No. 22. Chorus. Be not afraid, saith God the Lord

3. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 2. No. 23. Recitative with Chorus. The Lord hath exalted thee

4. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 2. No. 24. Chorus. Woe to him! He shall perish!

5. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 2. No. 25. Recitative. Man of God, now let my words

6. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 2. No. 26. Aria. It is enough! O Lord, now take / No. 27. Recitative. See, now he sleepeth

7. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 2. No. 28. Trio. Lift thine eyes to the mountains

8. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 2. No. 29. Chorus. He, watching over Israel, slumbers not

9. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 2. No. 30. Recitative. Arise, Elijah

10. Elijah (Elias), oratorio, Op. 70: Part 2. No. 31. Aria. Oh rest in the Lord, wait patiently for Him

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great performance, muffled sound..., March 29, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Mendelssohn - Elijah / T. Allen · Rolfe Johnson · Y. Kenny · von Otter · Marriner (Audio CD)

Philips presents this competent reading of Mendelssohn's oratorio in modern sound. Unfortunatetly, as many labels now demonstrate with deplorable frequency, modern sound still requires thoughtful mixing and balancing. This set wants for both. Buyers of this set take heed: You do not need to see an audiologist. You might wish to tinker with the equalizer on your set.

For those who remain undeterred, Sir Thomas Allen is a fantastic Elijah, and eschews the uncompromising dramatic gruffness that many other fine singers bring to this role. Other soloists also perform well, though Anthony Rolfe-Johnson's tone is a bit uneven.

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields under Sir Neville Marriner plays warmly, giving an honest and altogether flattering account of this score. The choir is also outstanding, and succeeds both in its musical and dramatic support of the performance.

The enclosed booklet provides a relatively accessible discussion of the oratorio and the complete libretto (sung in English).

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elijah with Sir Thomas Allen, January 9, 2010

By 

Philip E. Johnston (Indianapolis) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mendelssohn - Elijah / T. Allen · Rolfe Johnson · Y. Kenny · von Otter · Marriner (Audio CD)

I confess to being a bit of an Elijah aficionado - having 5+ recordings of the work and having sung it many times myself gives me a position for comparison. That being said, I rank the Philips recording with Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields with Sir Thomas Allen singing Elijah at the top of the list! The recording is flawless, the varied soloists outstanding (although Janet Baker's solos on the older recording with Fischer-Diskau singing Elijah is still the standard for contraltos!) The choral ensemble has commendable intonation and diction - and for the most part, they use the "original" English version, not one with some of the archichisms extirpated! I found Sir Marriner's interpretation invigorating.
If a single recording is what you want for your choral library, this one is superb! My first introduction to Sir Thomas Allen was through his recording of Songs My Father Taught Me - his wonderful high range fits the Elijah role perfectly.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, June 22, 2010

By 

B. Archer-Patterson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mendelssohn - Elijah / T. Allen · Rolfe Johnson · Y. Kenny · von Otter · Marriner (Audio CD)

I had not heard of this group before but I was pleasantly suprised when I listened to the cd. The quality of the recording, and the performance of the piece were both exceptional. I've been wanting to get Mendelssohn's Elijah for a long time and I am very pleased with my purchase!