Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Felix: St. Paul
vocal/choral score
The first version, which was premiered on 22 May 1836, was then extensively revised by the composer. This second version, which at the same time served as the basis for the published version, was premiered as early as October that year in Birmingham . The acclaim with which the oratorio was received was exceptional. Within eighteen months of completing the score, Mendelssohn was able to list fifty performances of the work. Robert Schumann praised the work effusively and even Richard Wagner, who later denigrated Mendelssohn, was full of admiration. Today, St. Paul belongs to the core repertoire of sacred choral music.
This Urtext edition of the oratorio, edited by the internationally-recognised Mendelssohn scholar Michael Cooper is based on all critical sources. As well as the principal version of the work, the score also includes for the first time numbers which wer e composed for the first version and subsequently removed. This gives not only an insight into the history of the composition of the work, but also, with the complete performing material, into the performance of the original version. The appendices (first version) which appear in the full score and vocal score are not contained in this choral score.
The full score and vocal score include the German and English texts of the oratorio.
The vocal score is by Mendelssohn.
- Urtext edition, representing the latest musicological research
- Vocal texts in German and English
- Supplements the already existing material available to this work
In the autumn of 1923, a young man produced the first music editions of his newly founded publishing house in his parents’ living room. He named his company Bärenreiter. In the spring of 1924 when Karl Vötterle came of age, he was able to register it with the German Publishers and Booksellers Association. At first, he mainly put out folk song collections, church as well as organ music including early music by Leonhard Lechner and Heinrich Schütz, at the time primarily known in specialist circles.
During the last months of the Second World War, the publishing house in Kassel was destroyed and once more a fresh beginning had to be made. With the start of the extensive German music encyclopaedia MGG – "Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart" – as well as numerous series of scholarly-critical complete editions such as the “New Mozart Edition” and the “New Bach Edition”, the visionary founder of the publisher created the basis for the further development of Bärenreiter. The musicological editions increasingly aroused interest abroad, and Bärenreiter found itself on an expansion course.
When Karl Votterle died in 1975, his daughter Barbara took over the helm, supported by her husband Leonhard Scheuch. Under their leadership, the catalogue grew significantly and the brand BÄRENREITER URTEXT was established. Finally, in 2003, their son Clemens Scheuch joined the publisher which today he is managing together with his parents. Thus Bärenreiter has remained a family business to this day and has become a company of international standing in the world of classical music.
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