This piece was composed in the spirit of Mendelssohn's Baroque predecessors Bach and Handel, whose music he loved. In 1829 Mendelssohn had organized the first performance of Bach's St Matthew Passion since the composer's death and was instrumental in bringing this and other Bach works to widespread popularity. By contrast, Handel's oratorios never went out of fashion in England. Mendelssohn prepared a scholarly edition of some of Handel's oratorios for publication in London. Elijah is modelled on the oratorios of these two Baroque masters; however, in its lyricism and use of orchestral and choral colour the style clearly reflects Mendelssohn's own genius as an early Romantic composer.[citation needed]

Librettist Composer, with Julius Schubring ; Karl Klingemann; William Bartholomew
Date of composition 1846 (revised in 1847)
Premiered 1846, August 26th in Birmingham, United Kingdom by Felix Mendelssohn
First published 1846
Type Oratorio
Catalogue Op. 70
Instruments Voice - Solo voices ;
Chorus/Choir
Orchestra
Autotranslations beta Felix Mendelssohn: Elijah, Op. 70
Felix Mendelssohn: Elijah, Op. 70
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Elijah, Op. 70