St. Paul (oratorio) a translation by Mendelssohn's friend, Karl Klingermann. Contralto Mary Shaw was one of the soloists at the English premiere. The first performance in the United States was in Boston on March 14, 1837. Mendelssohn himself conducted the first performance in Leipzig in the Paulinerkirche on 16 March 1837. Numerous performances followed in Europe and in the United States. During Mendelssohn's lifetime, "St. Paul" was a popular and frequently performed work. However, compared with such oratorios as Handel's "Messiah", Bach's "Christmas Oratorio" and "St Matthew Passion" or even Mendelssohn's own "Elijah", it has failed to maintain its place in the choral
Christus. Mysterium in a Prelude and Three Oratorios International Draeseke Society, he played them in the town church of Coburg. Christus is composed of four separate sections: Though the work is composed of three oratorios, it bears more resemblance to Wagner's "Ring Cycle" than to traditional oratorio. Draeseke intended for it to fit into the category of Wagner's "Musikdrama," and in fact he used leitmotif throughout the work. Because of its length, a performance of "Christus" spans three evenings. The work was only performed twice in its entirety and, unlike Wagner's "Ring Cycle", Draeseke preferred that his work be performed in a church. Draeseke wrote in program notes