Wer bis an das Ende beharrt

1847 motet by Felix Mendelssohn

SATB four-part choir
orchestra

Wer bis an das Ende beharrt (He that shall endure to the end),^[1] is a motet for a four-part choir by Felix Mendelssohn. He wrote it as part of his oratorio Elijah, published in 1847.

History

Mendelssohn composed the motet with orchestral accompaniment as part of his oratorio Elijah, as movement 32,^[2] published in 1847.^[3] It was published in a critical edition by Carus-Verlag.^[3]

Text and music

In the oratorio, the motet is placed like a chorale as a point of rest and reflection. Elijah is in the desert and has given up, reviewing his mission as a failure, but an angel requests him to arise.^[2]^[3] The text of the motet occurs twice in the Gospel of Matthew, in Matthew 10:22 and Matthew 24:13. Mendelssohn used the translation by Martin Luther. The English translation is from the King James Version of the Bible.

German	English
Wer bis an das Ende beharrt, der wird selig.	He that shall endure to the end, shall be saved.

The music is in one movement in F major and common time, marked Andante sostenuto. The instruments play colla parte with the voices.^[3]^{: 153–155} It has been described as "delicate".^[4]

References

^ Wehner, Ralf. Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Thematisch-systematisches Verzeichnis der musikalischen Werke (MWV) von Ralf Wehner. Saxon Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
^ ^a ^b Scobel, Cordula. "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy / Elias" (PDF). Frankfurter Kantorei. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Todd, R. Larry (1995). "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy / Elias · Elijah op. 70" (PDF). Carus-Verlag. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
^ Quinn, John (June 2016). "Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847) / Elias, Op. 70". musicweb-international.com (review of a 2015 live recording). Retrieved 1 February 2024.

External links

Elijah, Op. 70 (Mendelssohn, Felix): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
Free scores of Elias (Elijah), Op. 70 (Felix Mendelssohn) in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
"Wer bis an das Ende beharrt [He that shall endure to the end] from Elias [Elijah] (Matthew 24:13) – by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy", bibleasmusic.com
"Sei stille dem Herrn und warte auf ihn" – Digitaler Fastenimpuls (in German) evangelischekirchehochdahl.de

Felix Mendelssohn

Vocal

Stage	A Midsummer Night's Dream Antigone Oedipus at Colonus Die beiden Neffen Die Heimkehr aus der Fremde Die Hochzeit des Camacho
Sacred	Oratorio: St. Paul / Paulus Elijah / Elias Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen Wer bis an das Ende beharrt Christus Other: "Psalm 42" Vom Himmel hoch (chorale cantata) Drei Motetten Lobgesang (Symphony No. 2) Verleih uns Frieden "Hear my prayer" Lord, have mercy upon us Jauchzet dem Herrn, alle Welt (Psalm 100) Mitten wir im Leben sind
Other	Die erste Walpurgisnacht "On Wings of Song" Festgesang Festgesang an die Künstler

Orchestral

Symphony	13 String Symphonies No. 1 No. 2 (symphony-cantata Lobgesang) No. 3 (Scottish) No. 4 (Italian) No. 5 (Reformation)
Concerto	Violin and Strings Violin Piano, Violin and Strings Piano: No. 1 – No. 2 Two Pianos: in E major – in A♭ major
Other	Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage The Hebrides Die schöne Melusine "Wedding March"

Chamber

String quartet	String Quartet in E♭ major No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 Four pieces for string quartet
Other	Violin Sonata: No. 1 – No. 2 – No. 3 Viola Sonata Cello Sonata: No. 1 – No. 2 Assai tranquillo for cello and piano Clarinet Sonata Piano Trio: in C minor – No. 1 – No. 2 Piano Quartet: No. 1 – No. 2 – No. 3 String Quintet: No. 1 – No. 2 Piano Sextet String Octet