Musical Genesis of Felix Mendelssohn's Paulus

Felix Mendelssohn is one of the most celebrated figures of the early Romantic period. As a composer of sacred texts he is chiefly remembered today for the oratorios <I>Paulus</I> (1836) and <I>Elijah</I> (1846). In this groundbreaking study Siegwart Reichwald offers a meticulous analysis of <I>Paulus</I> beginning with a general overview of the oratorio traditions of the early nineteenth century. He details the phases of the compositional process of <I>Paulus</I> as well as principles governing its development. Numerous musical examples figures and tables accompany the text.<BR /><BR />This thorough treatment of <I>Paulus</I> while shedding light on Mendelssohn's approach to the oratorio and to sacred music in general will be of interest to students of musicology.