Bach, J.S.: St. Matthew Passion

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Cat No: 8110880-82

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Release Date: 31 March 2004

Label: Naxos - Historical / Naxos Historical

Packaging Type: Jewel Case

No of Units: 3

Barcode: 636943188026

Genres: Classical

Composer/Series: BACH, J.S.

Description
Great Conductors: Willem Mengelberg (1871-1951)BACH: St Matthew Passion Suite No. 2 Air from Suite No.3 Concerto for Two ViolinsJohann Sebastian Bach moved to Leipzig in 1723 when hebecame an employee of the Town Council as Thomaskantor. The following year thefirst version of the composer's St John Passion was performed on Good Fridaybut for the revival in 1725 Bach made a number of revisions. For the ensuingyear F. N. Braun's setting of the St Mark Passion was presented, with additionsby Bach. For Good Friday 1727 the Thomaskantor directed the premi?â?¿re of his StMatthew Passion in its first version. Two years later the work was repeated butthen remained unheard until 1736 when a revised score was used. Bach's ownfinal version is based on his own hand-written autograph that he preparedimmediately after the 1736 performance. Thepurpose of the Passion is to portray the events in the life of Jesus Christduring the Holy Week leading up to Good Friday and the Crucifixion. By theseventeenth century Passions were being written for settings in both Latin andthe local language of a given composer. In Germany Johann Walther (1496-1570)began adapting texts into the vernacular in an attempt to bring the story to awider audience. TheSt Matthew Passion is designed on a large scale. The composer calls for twofour-part choruses, with an additional soprano ripieno choir in the openingmovement, two orchestras comprising pairs of flutes and oboes, a bassoon,strings and organ. Also included are parts for a viola da gamba, two recordersand three differing types of oboe. Then there are solo parts for soprano, alto,tenor and bass, with an Evangelist who acts as a narrator (a tenor part) andJesus (a bass). There is also an array of lesser characters that come and go inthe action. The composer then deploys his choral forces with a precise plan:the two main choirs, when used separately, represent in turn the twelvedisciples and a wider group of believers: but when these forces participate incrowd choruses they represent the throng. They also join forces as a doublechorus in the opening chorus of the Passion and in the fifteen chorales. Inorder to heighten the dramatic story Bach, and his regular supplier of textsPicander (the nom de poesie for Christan Friedrich Henrici), interpolate anumber of chorales, accompanied recitatives and fifteen arias. The choice ofwhere and when these insertions are made is one of great skill and perception,contributing to the overall spiritual quality of the work. Afterthe opening large scale double chorus, there follows the anointing of the feet,the betrayal by Judas, the Last Supper with his disciples, the agony of Jesuson the Mount of Olives, and the capture of Jesus. The second part op
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