released 1/25/2019

January 25th is the date on which many Christian traditions celebrate the conversion of St. Paul. That dramatic moment in the history of redemption has received little attention from composers in the West. One notable exception is Felix Mendelssohn, whose oratorio Paulus places the theme of light — received by Saul of Tarsus and passed on by the apostle Paul — at the center of his musical account of Paul’s life and work. This archive interview from 2004 features a conversation with Mendelssohn biography R. Larry Todd who provides a context for appreciating Mendelssohn’s work.

24 minutes

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