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1846, Birmingham. Felix Mendelssohn conducts the premiere of his oratorio Elijah in the monumental Town Hall, putting this industrial city well and truly on the musical map.

1846, Birmingham. Nearly two thousand people pack into Birmingham Town Hall for the premiere of Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah. Conducted by the composer himself and performed by hundreds of local singers, it's one of the great musical events of Victorian Britain.

The success of Elijah owes much to the vision of businessman and philanthropist Joseph Moore, whose Birmingham Music Festival helped establish the city as one of Britain's leading musical centres. As the Industrial Revolution and the arrival of the railways continue to transform the country, new wealth, civic ambition and philanthropy fuel the growth of music festivals, concert halls and choral societies on an unprecedented scale.

From Handel's Messiah to Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius, this is the story of how oratorio became Victorian Britain's most important musical form, bringing together performers and audiences from across society.

Gillian Moore is joined by a roster of distinguished historians for this major 麻豆社 Radio 3 series, charting a course through 1000 years of classical music history. For the next eight programmes, historian Kate Williams is in the chair as together they explore the rich musical world of the 19th Century.

Producer: David Fay
Academic Consultant: Professor Laura Tunbridge, University of Oxford
Story Consultant: Kate Leys
Series Editor for 麻豆社 Audio: Emma Harding

Key Changes theme tune composed by Joseph Howard and performed by the 麻豆社 National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Kerem Hasan.

Felix Mendelssohn: Elijah (Introduction)
Bryn Terfel (Elijah, baritone)
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Paul Daniel (conductor)

Felix Mendelssohn: Help, Lord! (Elijah)
Gabrieli Young Singers' Scheme
Wroc艂aw Philharmonic Choir
Gabrieli
Paul McCreesh (conductor)

George Frideric Handel, arr Mozart: Hallelujah Chorus (Messiah)
Huddersfield Choral Society
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Charles Mackerras (conductor)

George Frideric Handel, transcribed Dupr茅: Organ Concerto No. 16 in F major (March)
Thomas Trotter (organ of Birmingham Town Hall)

Felix Mendelssohn: Symphony No 3, 'Scottish' (2nd mvt)
麻豆社 Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Riley Court-Wood (conductor)

Hans Christian Lumbye: Copenhagen Steam Railway Galop
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Neeme J盲rvi (conductor)

Felix Mendelssohn: Be Not Afraid (Elijah)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chorus
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Sir Neville Marriner (conductor)

Edward Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius (ending)
Karen Cargill (Angel, mezzo-soprano)
Huddersfield Choral Society
RNCM Chamber Choir
Orchestra of Opera North
Martyn Brabbins (conductor)

Dorothy Howell: Lamia
麻豆社 Philharmonic Orchestra
Rumon Gamba (conductor)

To listen to this programme using most smart speakers, just say "Ask 麻豆社 Sounds to play Key Changes."

21 days left to listen

56 minutes

Music Played

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    'Help, Lord!' from Elijah, Op 70

    Choir: NFM Chorus Wroclaw. Choir: Gabrieli Young Singers Scheme. Ensemble: Gabrieli Consort. Ensemble: Gabrieli Players. Director: Paul McCreesh.
    • SIGNUM : SIGCD300.
    • SIGNUM.
    • 3.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras. Choir: Huddersfield Choral Society.
    • Signum SIGCD074-2.
    • Signum.
    • 19.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Concerto No 16 in F major, HWV305a (excerpt)

    Performer: Thomas Trotter.
    • REGENT RECORDS : REGCD-265.
    • REGENT RECORDS.
    • 1.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Symphony No 3 in A minor, 'Scottish' Op 56 (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: 麻豆社 Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Riley Court-Wood.
  • Hans Christian Lumbye

    Copenhagen Steam Railway Galop

    Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme J盲rvi.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON : 4835490.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
    • 10.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    'Be no afraid' from Elijah, Op 70

    Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner. Choir: Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chorus.
    • PHILIPS : 432-984-2.
    • PHILIPS.
    • 2.
  • Edward Elgar

    'Angel's Farewell' from The Dream of Gerontius, Op 38, Part 2

    Singer: Karen Cargill. Choir: Huddersfield Choral Society. Choir: Royal Northern College of Music Chorus. Orchestra: Orchestra of Opera North. Conductor: Martyn Brabbins.
    • HYPERION : CDA68461/2.
    • HYPERION.
    • 14.
  • Dorothy Howell

    Lamia

    Orchestra: 麻豆社 Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.
    • British Tone Poems Volume 2.
    • Chandos.
    • 5.

Broadcast

  • Sat 10 Oct 2026 13:00