The most startling innovation of the whole oratorio is the short, impressive bass recitative which precedes the overture--Elijah’s dramatic prophecy of the drought. Then follows the sombre, gloomy overture portraying the results of the curse as the drought settles over the land and dries up the waters. It leads without pause into the opening chorus, ‘Help, Lord,’ which voices the anguished appeal of the drought--and famine-stricken people. This dramatic supplication leads into a second chorus, ‘Lord, bow Thine ear to our prayer,’ with a duet for two sopranos, supported by a unison chorus, the theme of which is based on an old Hebrew chant and is intoned first by the male and then by the female voices. The succeeding tenor aria (Obadiah), ‘If with all your hearts,’ is of great beauty. The people are not consoled and again burst forth into vehement complaint, ‘Yet doth the Lord see it not,’ which changes toward the end into a lovely chorale, ‘For He the Lord our God.’ An angel’s voice then calls Elijah to the waters of Cherith. A beautiful double quartet follows, whose simple melody is worked up with fine effect, ‘For He shall give His angels charge over thee,’ Elijah is now bidden by the angel to the widow’s house at Zarephath. The raising of her son follows in a dramatic scene consisting of the mother’s passionate cry, ‘What have I to do with thee,’ and the prophet’s ‘Give me thy son.’ The scene then closes with the chorus, ‘Blessed are the men who fear Him,’ The next scene is one of the most dramatic portions of the work--the appearance of the prophet before Ahab, his defiant challenge to the priests of Baal to the sacrifice on Mount Carmel, and the thrilling trial by fire. This part includes the truly Pagan choruses, ‘Baal, we cry to thee’ and ‘Hear our cry, O Baal’; Elijah’s taunt, ‘Call him louder’; the prophet’s dignified appeal, ‘Lord God of Abraham,’ followed by the simple chorale, ‘Cast thy burden on the Lord’; the summoning of fire from heaven upon the altars, and the picturesque and descriptive chorus, ‘The fire descends from heaven.’ The priests are doomed to destruction by Elijah in an excited recitative. Following a choral response, Elijah sings the highly dramatic and difficult aria, ‘Is not His word like a fire?’ Another aria, ‘Woe unto them,’ for alto voice, succeeds Elijah’s and the rain scene begins. In answer to Obadiah’s appeal to help the people, Elijah sings his expressive invocation for rain, ‘Look down from heaven,’ and after several choral responses, together with the exclamations of Elijah and the youth who is sent ‘to look toward the sea,’ the signs of rain appear. Then follows the most thrilling climax of the whole work. As the clouds grow black with rain and the storm gathers force, the people begin to voice their thanks, the orchestra describes the rushing waters, and finally the whole chorus joins in a tumultuous outburst of thanksgiving (‘Thanks be to God’) which brings the first part to a magnificent close.