Note to moderator: Please read the answerline carefully.Description acceptable. Roger Norrington and the Orchestra of the Age of the Enlightenment recreated this event for a 2005 series that called its central figure a “generous spirit.” Gaspare Spontini tried to preempt this event and unsuccessfully sought to prevent repeat instances of it. Two clarinets replaced an oboe d’amore and oboe da caccia (“CAH-chuh”) in the featured piece of this event, made possible by a Christmas gift from its central figure’s grandmother. Eduard Devrient (“duh-FREENT”) helped convince Carl Friedrich (*) Zelter to host this event at the Singakademie (“ZING-uh-kah-deh-mee”). An aria that opens with an obbligato violin over pizzicato strings was sung by a soprano instead of an alto at this event, whose central figure cut many arias and chorales, such as settings of “O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden,” from it. That composer later conducted this concert’s featured piece at the Thomaskirche (“TOH-mas-keer-shuh”) for the first time in 100 years. For 10 points, what 1829 performance of a 1727 oratorio began the Bach Revival? ■END■
ANSWER: Felix Mendelssohn’s 1829 performance of J. S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion [accept Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy in place of “Mendelssohn”; accept Matthäus-Passion or BWV 244 in place of “St. Matthew Passion”; prompt on answers that describe Mendelssohn performing, conducting, or reviving pieces by J. S. Bach but do not mention the St. Matthew Passion; prompt on performances of the St. Matthew Passion that do not mention Mendelssohn by asking “whose performance?”]
<Rob Carson, Classical Music and Opera>
= Average correct buzz position