J.S. Bach: St John Passion

Teresa Suschke - Soprano

Ewa Zeuner - Alto

Jonas Finger - Tenor

Johannes Wollrab - Bass (Arias)

Cornelius Uhle - Bass (Christ)

Dresdner Bachchor | Sinfonietta Dresden

Conductor: Elke Voigt

With the St John Passion, Bach wrote a work that presented the Passion narrative with an unprecedented passion; he created a rousing performance that was unrivalled at the time - and at the same time showed himself to be conscious of tradition.

With boldness on a harmonic and stylistic level, Bach evokes an overwhelming sense of drama in the St John Passion, so that the urgency of the narrative goes far beyond what the mere reading of the text could ever achieve. The Turba choruses prove to be particularly gripping. Bach succeeds in using musical means to create a captivating setting - the events are almost visualised. In addition to the recitatives and turbae that drive the action forward, the arias and chorales are more contemplative in character and serve to make the listener pause for a moment and reflect on the story. In this way, the St John Passion, despite its emotionally charged nature, always gives the listener space to relate what they are hearing to their own thoughts, feelings and hopes.

You are cordially invited to experience this impressive work on Good Friday in the Martin Luther Church!