Romantic · 1846

He, Watching Over Israel (Elijah)

F. MendelssohnOp. 70 No. 29

Key: Bb
Time: C
Tempo: ♩=100
AO focus: AO1

Incipit

Form

Chorus from Mendelssohn's oratorio Elijah. Setting of Psalm 121: 'He, watching over Israel, slumbers not nor sleeps'. Compact 4-minute movement, beloved of choral festivals.

Teaching points

Walking-bass orchestration — strings provide steady eighth-note pulse under the soaring chorus
Word-painting: 'slumbers not' is set on tied notes that DO appear to slumber — discuss the irony
AO1: rehearsal-friendly — manageable for school choirs at Grade 3 reading level

Full score ↓CPDL →Public domain

Score: CPDL + IMSLP. Multiple editions including Novello vocal score, public domain.

Topic T9Topic T1