Bach: St John Passion

When we hear the word “concerto,” we might think of Vivaldi, Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, and many others. When we hear “symphony,” the names of the Viennese classics immediately come to mind. But when we say “passion,” everyone thinks of Bach first - and then of John and Matthew, as Bach’s settings of the Passion narratives according to these two Evangelists are the ones that have survived. Yet passions were written both before and after Bach; still, these two masterpieces continue to cast a shadow over all others. And for good reason: even for Bach, they held exceptional significance. With the St. John Passion, he applied for the position in Leipzig - it was the first passion performed there during his tenure. He programmed it several times during his life, making changes to it along the way. The St. Matthew Passion, by contrast, he carefully revised at the end of his life, dressing it in a kind of final ceremonial form for posterity.
This season, it is the deeply personal and, in many respects, innovative St. John Passion that prepares us for Easter. In this work, the Evangelist’s recitatives form a seamless unity with the arias and choruses - often flowing into one another without pause. The chorales engage in a delicate dialogue not only with each other and with Bach’s own era, but at times even with the St. Matthew Passion itself. Many have noted that Bach’s music brings an almost theatrical sense of drama to the biblical narrative. It is no coincidence that his passions bring the story of redemption into emotionally vivid, personal proximity - regardless of religious or denominational background.

Collaborating partner: the Haydneum - Hungarian Early Music Centre Foundation.
Haydneum is supported by the Prime Minister’s Office and Bethlen Gabor Fund Management Ltd.