I imagine that, for most Gramophone readers, Elijah should be sung in English, as at the first performance in Birmingham on August 26, 1846. Clearly descended from Messiah, with its rousing choruses and its echo of “For he is like a refiner’s fire”, it became, with St Paul, a model for composers of oratorio for the rest of the century: Bernard Shaw’s devastating reviews of Parry’s Judith and Job bear witness to Mendelssohn’s influence. When Elijah reverts to Elias, though, the perspective seems to change along with the language. We are reminded that it was Mendelssohn who revived Bach’s St Matthew Passion; the cellos of “Es ist genug” recall the St John Passion; and the Allegro maestoso of “Höre, Israel” could almost be Agathe waiting for Max’s return in Der Freischütz.

There’s no information about the location of this 10-year-old radio recording: the only evidence that an audience was present comes with the applause at the end. Wolfgang Sawallisch is in complete command: he was an opera conductor of enormous experience, and it shows. The agitation of the widow whose son Elijah restores to life is palpable and the scene where Jezebel and the chorus call for the prophet’s death has great dramatic force, as does the staccato representation of the “mighty wind” that precedes the earthquake. Equally vivid is Elijah’s ascent into heaven on a whirlwind, complete with trumpet fanfares.

The chorus and orchestra are the real stars of the performance. The former are full-throated when required but capable of delicacy, such as at the end of “He that shall endure to the end”. The orchestra impresses with noble brass and a tender clarinet in “He watching over Israel”, not to mention the flute in an unsentimentally brisk “O rest in the Lord”. What is regrettably missing is the organ, to lend weight to the choruses. Michael Volle is an authoritative Elijah, a bit wobbly in the scene with the widow. I didn’t warm to the reedy tone of the tenor, Herbert Lippert, but Andrea Rost and, especially, Marjana Lipov≈ek are distinct assets. If you are happy with the German, this lively version will afford much pleasure.