1993, Mendelssohn's Elijah (audio files)
Audio files of the final performance, at Dallas Brookes Hall, with a professional orchestra and some professional soloists.
Part 1 11Overture and opening chorus ‘Help Lord’ 12 Lord bow thine ear to our prayer 13 If with all your hearts - David Ashton-Smith 14 Yet doth the Lord see it not 15 Elijah get thee hence - Judith O'Shea 16 For He Shall Give His Angels 17 Now Cheriths Brook - Judith O'Shea 18 What have I to do with Thee - Mavis Ford, Ian Cousins
Part 2 21 As God the Lord 22 Baal we cry to Thee 23 Hear our Cry 24 Lord God of Abraham - Ian Cousins 25 Cast Thy Burden 26 The Fire Descends from Heaven 27 Woe unto them - Judith O'Shea 28 O Man of God
Part 3 31 Hear ye Israel - Mavis Ford 32 The Lord hath exhalted Thee 33 Man of God 34 It Is Enough - Ian Cousins 35 Lift Thine Eyes 36 He watching over Israel
Part 4 41 Arise Elijah 42 O rest in the Lord - Judith O'Shea 43 He that shall Endure 44 Night falleth round me - Ian Cousins 45 Behold God the Lord 46 Holy Holy Holy 47 Then did Elijah 48 Then shall the righteous - David Ashton-Smith 49 And then shall your light
Show Program
1993 seemed to be a year of ambitious projects, and with the first (Yeomen) successfully completed it was now time to move on to the second - a number of performances of Mendelssohn's Elijah. Plans for this had been afoot for some time, the original plan being to work with the Glen Waverley Uniting Church Choir, using organ only. That plan fell through, but a new one formed to join with the Eltham College Parents' Choir with Graeme Wall conducting. Graeme is a well-known musical identity who has performed as a lead tenor both locally and overseas, particularly with the V.S.O. Graeme suggested using an orchestra and professional soloists and it was agreed to have one major performance, preferably in the city, with orchestra and soloists who would be selected at auditions, plus some local performances with organ and in-house soloists. Rehearsals would be at Eltham College with Rob Simpson as accompanist - Roger could have a sing! They duly commenced in late July.
Early in September auditions were held for Elijah, with Diamond Valley Singers forming the bulk of the candidates. It was decided the Mavis Ford and Judith O'Shea would be suitable for the major city performance, but Graeme Wall preferred to obtain professional tenor and baritone soloists. At this stage not all soloists were chosen for the local performances, although Graham Ford would be singing the title role. A little further down the track Ian Cousins and David Ashton-Smith were hired for the major performance.
Preparations were now complete for four performances of Elijah, the first at Glen Waverley Uniting Church with a very disappointing audience. Rob Simpson was unable to play, due to illness, but Peter Nichols stepped into the breach for this and subsequent performances where organ was required, and did a magnificent job. Graham's notion of a "roving" Elijah singing from various parts of the church worked well. Two more suburban performances followed, at Ormond and Diamond Creek Uniting Churches. At all these performances there was a wide range of soloists consisting of Mavis Ford and Nancy Cornwallis (sopranos), Judith O'Shea, Marilyn Billing, Gail Grove and Diane Morgan (altos), David Cox, Michael Try and Ken Neate (tenors) and young Catherine McGain playing the role of the youth, which she did in the city performance. Graham played the demanding title role very well.
Just prior to the city performance the choir participated in Eltham College's Speech Night celebrations, presenting a chorus from Elijah and joining with the school community in the singing of Anthem from Chess. It was exciting to have the privilege of singing at the Dallas Brooks Hall, but singers found it very difficult to hear each other.
The culmination of all the hard work was the final performance at Wesley Church, with a really superb orchestra. All agreed this had been the best performance yet, as the large audience were most appreciative. Graeme Wall was extremely pleased that his hopes and expectations had been fulfilled, and David Ashton-Smith asked if he could play the tape on his program on 3MBS. 1993 had indeed been a year of great achievement.
These history notes have been kindly provided by our long-term artistic director and co-founder, Graham Ford.
