In 1846, Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) began to work on CHRISTUS, an oratorio based on the birth, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ. Set to a libretto by Christian Karl Josias von Bunsen, it was left incomplete at the time of the composer�s death. Appealing to his Jewish background, Mendelssohn focused on a distinctly Lutheran theme of universal guilt to deflect the idea of placing blame on the Jews for the Crucifixion. Published posthumously in 1852, it is primarily known for its chorus THERE SHALL COME FORTH A STAR FROM JACOB, frequently performed during the Christmas season. Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2: 2.0.3.0: Timp: Str (4.4.3.3.3): Mx Chor.