Mendelssohn's "Elijah"

Ever since Abby brought back "Elijah" for us, I've been trying to figure out how to REALLY listen to it. Sarah and I have been playing it in the car but with the roads at their most boneshaking at this time of year its kind of hard to hear. And Mendelssohn (like Tchaikowski) doesn't really seem to work for background music in the house - too dramatic.

So I planned a music evening. Sarah went off to Hokkaido yesterday and so I planned a candlelight dinner for John and me. I got out all the candles I could find - Sarah, our pyro, could have found more I'm sure! - and John brought me roses (and a Rummy bar.)

I had made programs with the text of the music and after dinner we listened to all 2 1/4 hours of it. We had tea with strawberries and cream during Part One, an intermission, and then pop corn and hot chocolate during Part Two. John naturally dozed for part of it, but that's okay. I think the music goes deeper when you float on it.


John Listening to Elijah

Altogether it was a splendid evening. But it took a little work - it was snowing and I could so easily have continued the writing I was doing instead of going out shopping and getting the dinner ready. I thought of that at supper when John talked about analog versus digital learning and went off into a tangent about that illustration on the back of the November 2003 Reader's Digest. (I may eventually scan the illustration and post it for reference - but Luke has pinched the scanner and I can't scan magazine covers with Travel Scan.) When you short circuit process something is lost. But since John's going to talk about that on his blog sometime, I won't steal his thunder.

As for "Elijah" - it was magnificent. I think my favorite is the # 8 Air and Recitive that starts with "I water my couch with tears." and ends with "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, love Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might."

I repeat it was a splendid evening.