UMS Concert Program, April 30, 1982: May Festival -- The Philadelphia Orchestra

Season: 103rd
Concert: Sixty-sixth
Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

THE UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
Riccardo Muti, Music Director
Eugene Ormandy, Conductor Laureate
William Smith, Associate Conductor
THE UNIVERSITY CHORAL UNION Donald Bryant, Director
ALDO CECCATO, Conducting
SHERRILL MILNES, Baritone (Elijah)
LOUISE RUSSELL, Soprano LORNA MYERS, Mezzo-Soprano
(The Widow, An Angel, Soprano Solos) (An Angel, Queen Jezebel, Alto Solos)
HENRY PRICE, Tenor (Obadiah, Ahab, Tenor Solos)
Bejun Mehta, Boy Soprano (The Youth)
Friday Evening, April 30, 1982, at 8:30 Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
program
Elijah, A Dramatic Oratorio for Soloists,
Chorus, and Orchestra, Op. 70.....Felix Mendelssohn
(1809-1847) Presented in two parts, with one intermission.
The libretto for Elijah was compiled from the Lutheran Bible (mostly but not exclusively the Old Testament) by Mendelssohn's friend Julius Schubring, and translated from German to English by William Bartholomew. Mendelssohn completed the score on August 11, 1846, just fifteen days before its triumphant premiere at the Birmingham Musical Festival in England, a performance the composer regarded as the greatest success of his life.
Mendelssohn's remarkable fusion of the musical and dramatic is present throughout the work. Part I deals with the curse of drought on the people of Israel, and the triumph of Elijah's God over the worshippers of the idol Baal. Part II shows Elijah's banishment to the wilderness, his holy visions, and his ascent into heaven.
Sixty-sixth Concert of the 103rd Season
Eighty-ninth Annual May Festival
In order that the continuity of the work be maintained, it is requested that the audience refrain from applause until the end of each part of the program.
PART I
Introduction
Recitative
Elijah--As God the Lord of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
Overture
Chorus
The People--Help, Lord! wilt Thou quite destroy us The harvest now is over, the summer days are gone, and yet no power cometh to help us! Will then the Lord be no more God in Zion
Chorus recitatives
The deeps afford no water; and the rivers are exhausted! The suckling's tongue now cleaveth for thirst to his mouth: the infant children ask for bread, and there is no one breaketh it to feed them!
Duet and Chorus
The People--Lord! bow Thine ear to our prayer!
Duet--Zion spreadeth her hands for aid; and there is neither help nor comfort.
Recitative and Aria
Obadiah--Ye people, rend your hearts, and not your garments, for your transgres?sions the prophet Elijah hath sealed the heavens through the word of God. I there?fore say to ye, Forsake your idols, return to God; for He is slow to anger, and merciful, and kind and gracious, and repenteth Him of the evil.
"If with all your hearts ye truly seek me, ye shall ever surely find me." Thus saith our God. Oh! that I knew where I might find Him, that I might even come before His presence.
Chorus
The People--Yet doth the Lord see it not: He mocketh at us; His curse hath fallen down upon us; His wrath will pursue us, till He destroy us!
For He, the Lord our God, He is a jealous God; and He visiteth all the father's sins on the children to the third and fourth genera?tion of them that hate Him. His mercies on thousands fall--fall on all them that love Him, and keep His commandments.
Recitative
An Angel--Now Cherith's brook is dried up, Elijah, arise and depart, and get thee to Zarephath; thither abide, for the Lord hath commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. And the barrel of meal shall not waste,
neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.
Recitative and Aria
The Widow--What have I to do with thee, O man of God art thou come to me, to call my sin unto remembrance--to slay my son art thou come hither Help me, man of God! my son is sick; and his sickness is so sore, that there is no breath left in him! I go mourning all the day long; I lie down ard weep at night. See mine affliction. Be thou the orphan's helper!
Recitative
Elijah--Give me thy son. Turn unto her, O Lord my God: in mercy help this widow's son! For thou art gracious, and full of compassion, and plenteous in mercy ard truth. Lord, my God, let the spirit of this child return, that he again may live!
The Widow--Wilt thou show wonders to the dead There is no breath in him.
Elijah--Lord, my God, O let the spirit of this child return, that he again may live!
The Widow--Shall the dead arise and praise thee
Elijah--Lord, my God, O let the spirit of this child return, that he again may live!
The Widow--The Lord hath heard thy prayer, the soul of my son reviveth!
Elijah--Now behold, thy son liveth!
The Widow--Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that His word in thy mouth is the truth. What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits to me
Both--Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. O blessed are they who fear Him!
Chorus
Blessed are the men who fear Him: they ever walk in the ways of peace. Through darkness riseth light to the upright. He is gracious, compassionate: He is righteous.
Recitative and Chorus
Elijah--As God the Lord of Sabaoth liveth, before whom I stand, three years this day fulfilled, I will show myself unto Ahab; and the Lord will then send rain again upon the earth.
Ahab--Art thou Elijah art thou he that troubleth Israel
The People--Thou art Elijah, thou he that troubleth Israel!
Elijah--I never troubled Israel's peace: it is thou, Ahab, and all thy father's house. Ye have forsaken God's commands; and thou hast followed Baalim!
Now send and gather to me, the whole of Israel unto Mount Carmel: there sum?mon the prophets of Baal, and also the prophets of the groves, who are feasted at Jezebel's table. Then we shall see whose God is the Lord.
The People--And then we shall see whose God is God the Lord.
Elijah--Rise then, ye priests of Baal: select and slay a bullock, and put no fire under it: uplift your voices, and call the god ye worship; and I then will call on the Lord Jehovah: and the God who by fire shall answer, let him be God.
The People--Yea; and the God who by fire shall answer, let him be God.
Elijah--Call first upon your god: your numbers are many: I, even I, only remain, one prophet of the Lord! Invoke your forest-gods and mountain-deities.
Recitative
Elijah--Call him louder, for he is a god! He talketh; or he is pursuing; or he is in a journey; or, peradventure, he sleepeth; so awaken him: call him louder.
Chorus
Priests of Baal--Hear our cry, O Baal! now arise! wherefore slumber
Recitative
Elijah--Call him louder! he heareth not. With knives and lancets cut yourselves after your manner: leap upon the altar ye have made: call him, and prophesy! Not a voice will answer you; none will listen, none heed you.
Chorus
Priests of Baal--Baal! Baal! Hear and answer. Baal! Mark! how the scorner de-rideth us! Hear and answer!
Recitative and A ria
Elijah--Draw near, all ye people: come to me!
Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel! this day let it be known that Thou art God; and I am Thy servant! O Show to all this people that 1 have done these things accord?ing to Thy word! O hear me, Lord, and answer me; and show this people that Thou art Lord God; and let their hearts again be turned!
Chorus
Angels--Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee. He never will suffer the righteous to fall: He is at Thy right hand. Thy mercy, Lord, is great; and far above the heavens. Let none be made ashamed that wait upon Thee!
Recitative
Elijah--O Thou, who makest Thine angels spirits; Thou, whose ministers are flaming fires, let them now descend!
Chorus
The People--The fire descends from heaven; the flames consume his offering! Before Him upon your faces fall! The Lord is God: O Israel hear! Our God is one Lord: and we will have no other gods before the Lord!
Recitative
Elijah--Take all the prophets of Baal; and let not one of them escape you: bring them down to Kishon's brook, and there let them be slain.
Chorus
The People--Take all the prophets of Baal; and let not one of them escape us: bring all, and slay them!
Aria
Elijah--Is not His word like a fire: and like a hammer that breaketh the rock into pieces For God is angry with the wicked every day: and if the wicked turn not, the Lord will whet His sword; and He hath bent His bow, and made it ready.
Aria
Woe unto them who forsake Him! destruc?tion shall fall upon them, for they have transgressed against Him. Though they are by Him redeemed, yet they have spoken falsely against Him, even from Him have they fled. Woe unto them!
Recitative
Obadiah--O man of God, help Thy people! Among the idols of the Gentiles, are there any that can command the rain, or cause the heavens to give their showers The Lord our God alone can do these things.
Recitative and Chorus
Elijah--O Lord, Thou hast overthrown thine enemies and destroyed them. Look down on us from heaven, O Lord; regard the distress of Thy people: open the heavens and send us relief: help, help Thy servant now, O God!
The People--Open the heavens and send us relief: help Thy servant now, O God!
Elijah--Go up now, child, and look toward the sea. Hath my prayer been heard by the Lord
The Youth--There is nothing. The heavens are as brass above me.
Elijah--When the heavens are closed up because they have sinned against Thee, yet if they pray and confess Thy name, and turn from their sin when Thou dost afflict them;
then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin! Help send Thy servant help, O God!
The People--Then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin! Help! send Thy servant help, O God!
Elijah--Go up again, and still look toward the sea.
The Youth--There is nothing. The earth is as iron under me!
Elijah--Hearest thou no sound of rain --seest thou nothing arise from the deep
The Youth--No; there is nothing.
Elijah--Have respect to the prayer of Thy servant, O Lord, my God! Unto Thee will I cry, Lord, my rock; be not silent to me; and Thy great mercies remember, Lord!
The Youth--Behold, a little cloud ariseth now from the waters; it is like a man's hand! The heavens are black with clouds and with wind: the storm rusheth louder and louder!
The People--Thanks be to God for all His mercies!
Elijah--Thanks be to God, for He is gracious, and His mercy endureth for ever?more!
Chorus
The People--Thanks be to God! He laveth the thirsty land! The waters gather; they rush along; they are lifting their voices! The stormy billows are high; their fury is mighty. But the Lord is above them, and Almighty!
INTERMISSION
PART II
Aria
Hear ye, Israel; hear what the Lord speaketh: "Oh, hadst thou heeded my commandments!" Who hath believed our report; to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed
Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and His Holy One, to him oppressed by tyrants: thus saith the Lord: "I am He that comforteth: be not afraid, for I am thy God, I will strengthen thee. Say, who art thou, that thou art afraid of a man that shall die: and forgettest the Lord thy maker, who hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the earth's foundations Be not afraid, for I, thy God will strengthen thee."
Chorus
Be not afraid, saith God the Lord. Be not afraid! thy help is near. God, the Lord thy God, saith unto thee, "Be not afraid!"
Though thousands languish and fall beside thee, and tens of thousands around thee perish, yet still it shall not come nigh thee.
Recitative
Elijah--The Lord hath exalted thee from among the people: and o'er his people Israel hath made thee king. But thou, Ahab, hast done evil to provoke him to anger above all that were before thee: as if it had been a light thing for thee to walk in the sins of Jeroboam. Thou hast made a grove ard an altar to Baal, and served him and worshipped him. Thou hast killed the righteous, and also taken possession. And the Lord shall smite all Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and he shall give Israel up, and thou shalt know He is the Lord.
Recitative and Chorus
The Queen--Have ye not heard he hath prophesied against all Israel
The People--We heard it with our ears.
The Queen--Hath he not prophesied also against the King of Israel
The People--We heard it with our ears.
The Queen--And why hath he spoken in the name of the Lord Doth Ahab govern the kingdom of Israel while Elijah's power is greater than the king's The gods do so to me, and more; if, by tomorrow about this time, I make not his life as the life of one of them whom he hath sacrificed at the brook of Kishon!
The People--He shall perish!
The Queen--Hath he not destroyed Baals prophets
The People--He shall perish!
The Queen--Yea, by the sword he de?stroyed them all!
The People--He destroyed them all! The Queen--He also closed the heavens! The People--He also closed the heavens!
The Queen--And called down a famine upon the land.
The People--And called down a famine upon the land.
The Queen--So go ye forth and seize Elijah, for he is worthy to die; slaughter him! do unto him as he hath done!
Chorus
The People--Woe to him, he shall perish; for he closed the heavens! And why hath he spoken in the name of the Lord Let the guilty prophet perish! He hath spoken falsely against our land and us, as we have heard with our ears. So go ye forth; seize on him! He shall die!
Recitative
Obadiah--Man of God, now let my words be precious in thy sight. Thus saith Jezebel: "Elijah is worthy to die." So the mighty gather against thee, and they have prepared a net for thy steps; that they may seize thee, that they may slay thee. Arise, then, and hasten for thy life; to the wilderness journey. The Lord thy God doth go with thee: He will not fail thee, He will not forsake thee. Now begone, and bless me also.
Elijah--Though stricken, they have not grieved! Tarry here, my servant: the Lord be with thee. I journey hence to the wilder?ness.
Aria
Elijah--It is enough, O Lord; now take away my life, for I am not better than my fathers! I desire to live no longer: now let me die, for my days are but vanity!
I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts! for the children of Israel have broken Thy covenant, thrown down Thine altars, and slain Thy prophets with the sword: and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life to take it away.
Recitative
See, now he sleepeth beneath a juniper tree in the wilderness: and there the angels of the Lord encamp round about all them that fear Him.
Trio
The Angels--Lift thine eyes to the mountains, whence cometh help. Thy help cometh from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He hath said, thy foot shall not be moved: thy Keeper will never slumber.
Chorus
He, watching over Israel, slumbers not, nor sleeps. Shouldst thou, walking in grief, languish, He will quicken thee.
Recitative
An Angel--Arise, Elijah, for thou hast a long journey before thee. Forty days and forty nights shalt thou go; to Horeb, the mount of God.
Elijah--O Lord, I have labored in vain; yea, I have spent my strength for naught! O that Thou wouldst rend the heavens, that Thou wouldst come down; that the moun?tains would flow down at Thy presence, to make Thy name known to Thine adversaries, through the wonders of Thy works! O Lord, why hast Thou made them to err from Thy ways, and hardened their hearts, that they do not fear Thee O that I now might die!
Aria
An Angel--O rest in the Lord; wait patiently for Him, and He shall give thee thy heart's desires. Commit thy way unto Him, and trust in Him, and fret not thyself be?cause of evil doers.
Recitative
Elijah--Night falleth round me, O Lord! Be Thou not far from me! hide not Thy face, O Lord, from me; my soul is thirsting for Thee, as a thirsty land.
An Angel--Arise, now! get thee with?out, stand on the mount before the Lord: for there His glory will appear and shine on thee! Thy face must be veiled, for He draweth near.
Chorus
Behold! God the Lord passed by! And a mighty wind rent the mountains around, brake in pieces the rocks, brake them be?fore the Lord: but yet the Lord was not in the tempest.
Behold! God the Lord passed by! And the sea was upheaved, and the earth was shaken: but yet the Lord was not in the earthquake.
And after the earthquake there came a fire: but yet the Lord was not in the fire.
And after the fire there came a still small voice; and in that still voice, onward came the Lord.
Recitative and A ria
Elijah--I go on my way in the strength of the Lord. For Thou art my Lord; and I will suffer for Thy sake. My heart is there?fore glad; my glory rejoiceth, and my flesh shall also rest in hope.
For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but Thy kindness shall not depart from me, neither shall the covenant of Thy peace be removed.
Chorus
Then did Elijah the prophet break forth like a fire; his words appeared like burning torches. Mighty kings by him were over?thrown. He stood on the mount of Sinai, and heard the judgments of the future; and in Horeb, its vengeance.
And when the Lord would take him away to heaven, lo! there came a fiery chariot, with fiery horses; and he went by a whirlwind to heaven.
Aria
Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in their heavenly Father's realm. Joy on their head shall be for everlasting, and all sorrow and mourning shall flee away forever.
Chorus
And then shall your light break forth as the light of morning breaketh; and your health shall speedily spring forth then; and the glory of the Lord ever shall reward you.
Lord, our Creator, how excellent Thy name is in all the nations! Thou fillest heaven with Thy glory. Amen!
UNIVERSITY CHORAL UNION
Donald Bryant, Conductor
William Robertson, Assistant Conductor
Nancy Hodge, Accompanist Stephen Bates, Manager
First Sopranos Patsy Auiler Lola Bradstreet Suanna Breed Letitia Byrd Susan Campbell Elaine Cox Barbara Dombroski Beth Duncan Kathryn Elliott Lisa Fishbaugh Carol Gagliardi Carole Gallas Julie Giuliani Barbara Gockel Sylvia Jenkins Marilyn Jones Rebecca Kress Carolyn Leyh Kathleen Lin Doris Luecke Loretta Meissner Linda Mickelson Cheryl Murphy Anne Nisch Nancy Orr Cassie St. Clair Alice Schneider Caryn Spielman Charlotte Stanek Joanne Westman
Second Sopranos Darby Anderson Christine Arnison Judy Barber Harriet Bell Kathy Berry Virginia Burr Marilyn Buss Young Cho Clair Conrad Jane Covent Ann Dills Deborah Forbes Anita Goldstein Janet Griffin-Bell Kim Richardson Hippler Judith Lehmann Mary Loewen Pamela Meil Charlotte Nametz Eleanor Overdeck Sara Peth Robina Quale Virginia Reese Ann Schebor
Suzanne Schluederberg Marie Schneider Marcia Stalvey Elizabeth
Stewart-Robinson Ann Stout Patricia Tompkins Linda Van Pelt Barbara Wallgren Christine Wendt Kathleen Young
First Altos Martha Ause Susan Berman Phyllis Bogarin Kay Bohn Kathlyn Boyer Ella Brown Marion Brown Lael Cappaert Jari Carver Rosalyn Chrenka Cheryl Cox Mary Crichton Arlcne Dobberstein Molly Egan Carolyn Ehrlich Daisy Evans Marilyn Finkbeiner Ruth Gewanter Kay Hannah Virginia Hmay Margaret Hostetler Nancy Houk Carol Hurwitz Marta Johnson Olga Johnson Nancy Karp Geraldine Koupal Kristine Langabeer Judith Levey Rosemary Lewis Frances Lyman Barbara McCann Bernicc McCoy Anne Merenda Jean Morgan Lois Nelson Kathleen Nolff Patricia Perry Lauren Ruby Cathy Selvius-DeRoo Linda Siebert Debora Slee Claudia Sturmer Georgiana Swinford
Helen Thornton Terri Turner Jane Van Bolt Joanne Veroff Charlotte Wolfe Barbara Wooding
Second Altos Sandra Anderson Marjorie Baird Eleanor Beam Andrea Foote Alice Galbraith Lois Guebert Mary Haab Katherine Klykylo Elsie Lovelace Barbara Maes Cheryl Melby Karen Nowak Mary Peterson Mary Price Mary Quadc Beverly Roeger Marilyn Siegel Carol Spencer Kathryn Stebbins Rosemary Walker Alice Warsinski Helen Welford
First Tenors Hugh Baker Hugh Brown Kenneth Burdette Tim Dombrowski Roy Glover Paul Lowry Robert MacGregor Duane Novelly Bernard Patterson Frederick Schebor
Second Tenors
Dick Bohlander William Bronson Brian Buggy Mark Chancy Harold Clark Merle Galbraith Albert Girod Donald Haworth Theodore Hefley Thomas Hmay Jay Klein
Wayne Klug Michael Kopke Kenneth Nisch Richard Olson James Priore John Rocus Carl Smith Nicolas Williams James Wheaton
First Basses Richard Bachmann Marion Beam Dan Broderick Robert Brothers John Brueger Jeffrey Burke Thomas Cox Peter DeHart Robert Dills II David Duttenhofer James Ellenberger Dwight Fontenot John Jones Marshall Jorgensen Daniel Kaller Klair Kissel Lawrence Lohr Sol Metz Charles Morgan Stephen Price James Schneider Joseph Shacter Richard Stock David Timm Albert Vegter David Waiter Steven White Donald Williams
Second Basses Victor Abdella Charles Breed Gabriel Chin Brian Dent Bruce Dicey John Dunkelberger Lowell Fisher Richard Gong James Leege Charles Lehmann Bruce McCuaig Robert Shellenberger Robert Strozier Terril Tompkins John Van Bolt
On May 8, sixty members of the Choral Union, under conductor Bryant, will begin a two-week concert tour of Spain at the invitation of the Spanish Ministry of Culture. The concerts are in conjunction with the Festival of the 400th Anniversary of El Greco, and will be performed in cathedrals in Toledo, Salamanca, Segovia, and in Madrid's famed Prado Museum. Chorus members will also visit Cordoba, Seville, Granada, Valencia, and Barcelona.
UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY
Burton Memorial Tower, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 Phone: 665-3717, 764-2538