When I had completed the largest part of the composition, my longtime friend Mosevius, the founder and director of the Singakademie in Breslau, visited me. When he asked what I was occupied with, I named my oratorio, and played the part that was ready to him, at his request. He immediately announced that he had to be the first to perform the work. I was delighted about this. He reserved the right to direct it; it could not have been in better hands.

Soon the score went to Breslau and the rehearsing began.

Here I had the same experience that I have related above of the later performance in Strelitz. At the beginning I received news that obviously were concealing more than they revealed. My hopes sank. Then a short letter arrived from Mosevius, in which he begged my forgiveness; I did not know for what. Immediately thereafter a second, explanatory letter arrived. He had, wrote the excellent musician, begun to rehearse the work; but it wouldn't get started on the right foot, he himself had taken the wrong approach. Then he had decided on a final attempt, and to let the work be performed in its entirety. Now for the first time he had really comprehended it, and the performers as well had gone into it with understanding and pleasure. Soon thereafter I received the invitation to come to the dress rehearsal and performance. At the appointed time I was there.

I had, however, a curious feeling, when I entered the great hall of the former Jesuit College, which has now become the Aula of the University, and found the long arched space full of listeners up to the orchestra. It was in fact the custom that the students received free admission to the dress rehearsals; many others had arranged admission as well. The Singakademie, including the best singers of the seminar of Breslau, large at the time, with men's and boys’ voice, and the instrumentalists behind them, were in place. With my wife I took my place in the twilight of the space for listeners on one of the benches placed there.

Excited to the greatest degree I awaited the opening, for I had sent off the score without having heard a single movement of the chorus, or a stroke of the instrumental music.