Mendelssohn\u2019s revival of the St. Matthew Passion is a subject that attracts a large amount of scholarly writing, but most of that writing is so generic that it actually took a long time to sort through. Multiple books (both biographies and compilations) which I thought would be quite enlightening went no further than \u201c\u2026and then in 1829 he revived the St. Matthew Passion. In 1830\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
The two best sources I was able to find were actually secondary sources, despite the number of primary sources I had. They were Olga Termini\u2019s article, \u201cBach Pupils and the Bach Tradition,\u201d and a book written entirely on the subject of Mendelssohn\u2019s 1829 accomplishment alone: Celia Applegate\u2019s Bach in Berlin: Nation and Culture in Mendelssohn\u2019s Revival of the St. Matthew Passion<\/i>. Termini\u2019s article focused on specifically how the performance was received, which is exactly what I was looking for, and Applegate\u2019s book had so much pertinent information that I was surprised at how much of it I had to cut out for the sake of getting to the point. I hope to utilize her work more thoroughly in my final draft.<\/p>\n
A surprising primary source was Elvers\u2019 compilation of Mendelssohn\u2019s various letters. I\u2019m interested in what insights I would have been able to come across had Elvers decided to include important letters that Mendelssohn received<\/i> as well as those he sent. The point of view of Zelter, Mendelssohn\u2019s mentor, would have been invaluable, seeing as he initially opposed the Bach performance but changed his mind at the last minute.<\/p>\n
It would be fantastic if I could find record of a review of that first performance, but there are two possible reasons for why I haven\u2019t yet: 1 – I\u2019m not looking hard enough, or 2 – they don\u2019t exist. I can solve the first issue easily as we come closer to reaching the final draft, but the second one is more disappointing, if it\u2019s true. Looking back from the vantage point of the 21st century, that event was such a momentous occasion that it would be sad if there weren\u2019t any existing reviews of it. My goal is to determine the cultural impact of the revival and to place its importance into the category of either \u201creligious event\u201d or \u201csecular renewal of a religious artifact.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Mendelssohn\u2019s revival of the St. Matthew Passion is a subject that attracts a large amount of scholarly writing, but most of that writing is so generic that it actually took a long time to sort through. Multiple books (both biographies … Continue reading