The project was never carried out; but the deep earnestness with which Mendelssohn considered it shows how thoughtfully he must have devoted himself to the scheme which took its place. Neither his letters nor his biographers throw much light upon the history of "Christus." Lampadius says: "The oratorio was laid out upon a grand scale. It was to be in three parts,--the career on earth, the descent into hell, the ascent to heaven." This plan must have been subsequently changed, for the fragments of the oratorio are included in two parts, though they entirely pertain to the earthly career. There are in all eight complete numbers,--three from the first part, and five from the second. The first part opens with a soprano recitative ("When Jesus our Lord was born in Bethlehem"), leading to a strong trio for tenor and two basses ("Say, where is he born?"), the question of the Wise Men from the East. The chorus replies, "Then shall a Star from Jacob come forth," closing with the old German chorale, "Wie schoen leuchtet der Morgenstern" ("How brightly shines the Morning Star!"), in plain, flowing harmony. The fragments of the second part are in the form of the passion-music, and include five tenor recitatives, narrating the dialogue between Pilate, the Elders and the People, and his final order, "Take ye him and crucify him, for I cannot find a fault in him," and several short, angry choruses of the Jews, accusing Jesus and calling for his death, leading to a beautiful chorus for mixed voices ("Daughters of Zion, weep"), and closing with an effective chorale for male voices in the genuine Bach style:-- "He leaves his heavenly portals, Endures the grief of mortals, To raise our fallen race. O love beyond expressing! He gains for us a blessing, He saves us by redeeming grace. "When thou, O sun, art shrouded, By night or tempest clouded, Thy rays no longer dart; Though earth be dark and dreary, If, Jesus, thou art near me, 'Tis cloudless day within my heart." MOZART.