Oratorio credited with writing the first English language oratorio, "Esther". Handel's imitators included the Italian Lidarti who was employed by the Amsterdam Jewish community to compose a Hebrew version of "Esther". Britain continued to look to Germany for its composers of oratorio. The Birmingham Festival commissioned various oratorios including Felix Mendelssohn's "Elijah" in 1846, later performed in German as "Elias". German composer Georg Vierling is noted for modernizing the secular oratorio form. John Stainer's "The Crucifixion" (1887) became the stereotypical battlehorse of massed amateur choral societies. Edward Elgar tried to revive the genre around the turn of century with the composition
St Paul and St Stephen's Church, Gloucester St Paul and St Stephen's Church, Gloucester St Paul and St Stephen's Church is a Church of England church located in Stroud Road, Gloucester, Gloucestershire. St Paul's church was built between 1882 and 1883. St Stephen's church was built between 1898 and 1900. St Stephen's church was closed in 2010 and the church was merged with St Paul's which became St Paul and St Stephen's church. Closely associated with the church is St Paul's Church of England Primary school located in New Street, Gloucester which opened in 1870. The building was constructed in 1882 by Alfred King with Capel Tripp