Many famous musicians performed at the festival. In 1837 Felix Mendelssohn conducted a performance of his oratorio "St. Paul", played the organ, and played the piano part in the first performance of his Piano Concerto No. 2 which had been especially commissioned by the Festival. In the next festival he played his Piano Concerto No. 1. In 1846 (a year before he died) the festival commissioned him to write his oratorio "Elijah". It was a huge success. He was paid 200 guineas. "Elijah" was played at every festival after that.