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
Paulus (1836) and
Elijah (1846). In this groundbreaking study, Siegwart Reichwald offers a meticulous analysis of
Paulus, beginning with a general overview of the oratorio traditions of the early nineteenth century. He details the phases of the compositional process of
Paulus as well as principles governing its development. Numerous musical examples, figures, and tables accompany the text.
This thorough treatment of
Paulus, while shedding light on Mendelssohn's approach to the oratorio and to sacred music in general, will be of interest to students of musicology.