(1) Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, known generally as Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847) was a German composer, pianist, organist, and conductor of the early Romantic period.
Mendelssohn was born on 3rd February 1809 in Hamburg, Germany into a notable Jewish family (his grandfather was the philosopher Moses Mendelssohn). He was a child prodigy, though his family were careful not to allow this to distort his upbringing, and only approved of his following a musical career when it was clear that he was serious about music.
Early success in Germany was followed by travel throughout Europe; Mendelssohn was particularly well received in Britain as a composer, conductor and soloist, and his ten visits there (during which many of his major works were premiered) form an important part of his adult career. His essentially conservative musical tastes however set him apart from many of his more adventurous musical contemporaries such as Franz Liszt, Richard Wagner, and Hector Berlioz. The Conservatory he founded at Leipzig became a bastion of this anti-radical outlook.
Mendelssohn’s work includes symphonies, concertos, oratorios, piano works, and chamber music. He also had an important role in the revival of interest in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. After a long period of relative denigration due to changing musical tastes and antisemitism in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, his creative originality has again been recognised, and re-evaluated. He is now among the most popular composers of the Romantic era. He died on 4th November 1847 in Leipzig.
(2) The other Felix Mendelssohn was a popular British crooner of the 1930s and 1940s. He became fascinated with Hawaiian music and became best known performing as Felix Mendelssohn & His Hawaiian Serenaders. See the Wikipedia article about this band and their Last.fm artist profile.
Elijah: Hear Ye Israel
Felix Mendelssohn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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,
cnd His Holy One to him oppressed by tyrants,
Thus saith the Lord:
Be not afraid, for I am thy God!
I, the Lord (thy God,) 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,
cnd laid the earth's foundations?
Say, who art thou!'
I am He that comforteth!
Be not afraid, for I am thy God!
I, the Lord (thy God,) will strengthen thee!
The lyrics to Felix Mendelssohn's song "Hear Ye Israel" are rooted in a biblical context and convey a message of divine comfort and strength. The song begins by calling upon the people of Israel to listen, emphasizing the importance of paying attention to the words of the Lord. It then delves into a reflection on the consequences of not following God's commandments, expressing a sense of disbelief that people fail to heed the divine message.
The lyrics express the idea that despite the disbelief and lack of faith, the power of the Lord is still revealed to those who believe. It presents the Lord as the redeemer of Israel, addressing those who have been oppressed by tyrants. In this part, the Lord reassures and comforts the listeners, declaring that He is the one who provides solace and support.
As the song progresses, the lyrics challenge the notion of fear in the face of mortal beings. It questions why one should be afraid of a mere mortal who will eventually perish, while forgetting the Maker who has created the heavens and established the earth's foundations. The message ultimately reaffirms the Lord's role as the ultimate source of comfort, urging the listener to find strength in God and not succumb to fear.
Overall, "Hear Ye Israel" offers a powerful spiritual message, emphasizing the significance of obedience to divine commandments and the comfort and strength that can be found in God.
Line by Line Meaning
Hear ye, Israel,
Listen carefully, O people of Israel,
Hear what the Lord speaketh:
Pay attention to the words of the Lord:
Oh, hadst thou heeded my commandments'
If only you had obeyed my commandments
Who hath believed our report!
Who has believed the message we bring!
To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed!
To whom has the Lord's power been made known!
Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel,
This is what the Lord, the Savior of Israel, says:
And His Holy One to him oppressed by tyrants,
And His Holy One speaks to the one oppressed by tyrants,
Thus saith the Lord:
This is what the Lord says:
I am He that comforteth!
I am the one who brings comfort!
Be not afraid, for I am thy God!
Do not fear, for I am your God!
I, the Lord (thy God,) will strengthen thee!
I, the Lord your God, will give you strength!
Say, who art thou,
Ask yourself, who are you,
That thou art afraid of a man that shall die? and forgettest the Lord thy Maker,
That you are afraid of a mortal man who will die? Have you forgotten the Lord your Creator,
Who hath stretched forth the heavens,
The one who has spread out the heavens,
And laid the earth's foundations?
And established the foundations of the earth?
Say, who art thou!'
Ask yourself, who are you!'
I am He that comforteth!
I am the one who brings comfort!
Be not afraid, for I am thy God!
Do not fear, for I am your God!
I, the Lord (thy God,) will strengthen thee!
I, the Lord your God, will give you strength!
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
michael roberts
One of the clearest soprano voices I have ever heard. High notes are right on target! No one equals her today!
scott grunow
One of the greatest pieces of singing in the last century. The heart and the power are unparalleled
MrSkylark1
THERE ARE NO SINGERS ON THE OPERATIC STAGE WHO CAN COME UP TO THIS LEVEL OF SINGING.
JL B
This sound is beyond amazing. I was wondering why no one performs this in recitals.
Cynthia Geria Ganga
It’s usually Hore; Hore Israel and therefore in German. So it’s much harder in the original form
Shlomo Hoffert
This is vocal artistry on the highest level.
Homoclassicus
Possibly the best rendition of this wonderful aria.
Phil Hall
Gosh--I LOVE her voice. I wore out her recording of Barber's Knoxville Summer of 1915. But I do not know her other recordings well. She has both a beautiful bright trumpet-like and warm spinning sound at the same time. Plus she is consummately musical. Beautiful!
XxSaruman82xX
Definitely check out her recording of Berlioz’s Les nuit d’été, and her as Minnie in La fanciulla del West with Del Monaco, Guelfi and Mirtopoulos live from Florence in 1954. Best fanciulla ever.
Southern Biscuits
What a wonderful voice. And, a fantastic actress to boot.