Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, usually known as Mendelssohn, was born in Hamburg in 1809. Musical from an early age, he studied piano from the age of six, giving his first public performance at age 9. He also received lessons in composition and counterpoint. His rich parents hired a a small orchestra to perform his adolescent compositions to family and a few invited guests.

In this way he wrote 12 symphonies for strings by the age of 14, before publishing his Symphony Number 1 at age 15, the first that he considered good enough for public performance. From this time onward he produced many different works in a whole range of genres: best known are the overture and wedding march from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', the Violin Concerto, the Italian and Scottish Symphonies, the Hebrides Overture (also known as 'Fingal's Cave'), the melody for 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing', the song for treble 'Hear My Prayer' featuring 'Oh for the Wings of a Dove' and his oratorio 'Elijah'.

Joking apart, Prince Albert had asked me to go to him on Saturday at two o'clock, that I might try his organ before I left England.

Mendelssohn was a celebrity all over Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom, which he visited ten times. His style of music was simple and conservative, hearkening back to the early Classical and Baroque periods rather than breaking new ground. Some considered him a victim of his own success - the public loved his music so much that he didn't feel the need to explore new forms and challenge the ear. Nevertheless his works can be exciting, sad, inspiring and in places meltingly beautiful. His love of the Baroque and in particular the music of JS Bach led to a revival of interest across Europe in that music. He personally organised and conducted the first performance of Bach's St Matthew Passion since the composer's death nearly 80 years earlier.

Sadly, Mendelssohn died in 1847 at the age of only 38, after a series of strokes.

Elijah

Oratorio is a style of musical work which was popularised by George Frideric Handel (). It features songs on a religious theme for soloists and chorus accompanied by orchestra, and generally lasts long enough to provide an evening's entertainment. Handel's most famous oratorio is 'Messiah' which most people have heard of. In the late 1830s Mendelssohn considered writing an oratorio, to be based on the biblical story of the prophet Elijah. He worked with his friend Karl Klingemann to sketch out a few ideas but never got very far. A year later he started from scratch with another friend, the Revd Julius Schubring. Schubring produced a draft of a libretto but again the project foundered. Then in 1845, Mendelssohn was commissioned by the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival to write an oratorio - he immediately thought of Elijah.

In less than a year Schubring had completed the libretto and Mendelsohn had set it to music. Schubring's text was in German. This was then translated into English by poet and composer William Bartholomew, who made some slight changes to note patterns and lengths to fit the English words. Thus Mendelssohn himself was closely associated with both the German and English texts. The first performance was on 26 August, 1846 in the Birmingham Town Hall. It was sung in English and many people consider English the 'authentic' language in which to sing it.

The work is inspired by the cantatas and 'Passions' of JS Bach and the oratorios of Handel - their influence can be heard in the recitative passages and contrapuntal choruses - but the style has been updated to the Romantic harmonies of the 19th Century. It's scored for four soloists, choir and full symphony orchestra, leading to a massive if somewhat long work. The bass-baritone soloist takes the demanding role of Elijah himself while the soprano, alto and tenor play a few roles each.

The first half of the oratorio tells how God punished the people for their worship of the false god Baal. There has been a drought in the land for years and the people are starving. Elijah challenges the priests of Baal to a contest, his God against theirs. The task is to raise fire - the priests of Baal shout to their god, getting more and more frantic, but fail to make a single flame. Elijah says a simple prayer and 'the fire comes down from heaven'. Having proven the superiority of the God of the Hebrews, he prays again, this time for rain. There's a dramatic scene where a small boy is sent to watch out for approaching clouds and fails to see anything, but eventually the rain arrives.

After the drama of the first half, the second half is arguably less impressive. Elijah criticises King Ahab for worshipping Baal. The Queen stirs up the people against Elijah, so he retreats into the wilderness, where he sees a vision of God. He is heartened and returns to his work. At the end of his life he is taken into heaven in a fiery chariot and the oratorio ends praising God.