Table of Contents
What is the form of St Matthew Passion?
Johann Sebastian Bach’s St Matthew Passion (Matthäuspassion), BWV 244, is structured on multiple levels: the composition is structured in three levels of text sources (Gospel, libretto and chorales) and by the different forms that are used for musical expression (arias, recitatives and choruses).
Why did Bach write Matthew’s Passion?
Johann Sebastian Bach wrote his St. Matthew Passion for a single purpose — to present the Passion story in music at Good Friday vesper services. Bach divided the music into two parts. Highlights of the first part include the last supper and the betrayal and arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.
How was Bach’s St. Matthew Passion found?
Matthew Passion was first heard on Good Friday, 1727 in Leipzig, Germany. Matthew Passion for a single purpose — to present the Passion story in music at Good Friday vesper services. Bach’s Passion continues to move audiences nearly three centuries after it was first heard in St. Thomas’s Church in Leipzig, Germany.
What vocal part predominates in the St. Matthew Passion?
the tenor Evangelist
The narration of the Gospel texts is sung by the tenor Evangelist in secco recitative accompanied only by continuo.
How long is St Matthew Passion by JS Bach?
The St Matthew Passion is the longest of all Bach ’s works. While recordings vary based on tempo, most performances last between two-and-a-half to three hours. Why did JS Bach write St Matthew Passion?
When did John Eliot Gardiner record the St Matthew Passion?
John Eliot Gardiner’s benchmark Archiv recording of Bach’s St Matthew Passion, which will be reissued on vinyl on 10 April 2020, was recorded back in 1989, a masterstroke that remains a milestone in the catalogue. The new pressing from original sources is on 180gm vinyl and, to enhance audio quality, no side exceeds 30 minutes.
When was the St Matthew Passion composed?
First written and performed in 1727, the score as we know it now comes from the revised editions of 1743-6. Performances of the St Matthew Passion were revived in 1829 by Felix Mendelssohn who, describing it as ‘the greatest of all Christian works’, also instigated a wider renaissance of the composer’s sacred choral music.
Who are the soloists in Bach’s Passion?
The soloists of Bach’s Passion reflect important characters in the narrative: Jesus, Judas, Peter, two high priests, Pontius Pilate and his wife, two witnesses and two maids. Soloists are often given arias, but also perform with the choruses, who represent small groups of people separately or large crowds ( turba choruses) collectively.