Johann Sebastian Bach's St John Passion
Johann Sebastian Bach's St John Passion, his first masterpiece of musical depiction of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ based on the Gospel of John, is Bach's only completely preserved authentic Passion music alongside the St Matthew Passion. First performed in Leipzig's Nicolai Church on Good Friday 1724, the approximately 120-minute work tells the dramatic story of Jesus' betrayal, imprisonment and condemnation by Pontius Pilate until his crucifixion. The impressive recitatives and lyrical arias of the high-calibre soloists are crowned by wonderful chorales and choral parts from the Dresdner Kreuzchor. They are traditionally accompanied by the excellent orchestral sound of the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday in Saxony's largest church.
