We know that Bach wrote a setting of each of the passions (the dying of Jesus) in the gospels. In 1724 he had set that by St John – a vigorous, urgent setting – and in 1727 set that by St Matthew in an expansive setting for two choirs and two orchestras.
In the church where it was performed – St Thomas in Leipzig – it is believe that Bach utilised the two organ lofts, one large and one small, with the first choir and orchestra in the larger space usually used for services, and the second in the other, affording a quasi-Venetian polychoral effect.
From a compositional point it combines the parts of oratorio – recitative, aria/duet, and chorus, with Lutheran chorale settings. Of the eighteen chorales sung in this Passion, Bach uses one chorale melody for six of them – that for the hymn O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden – to the point where it is now known as the Passion Chorale.
It’s long, but genuinely worth listening to the whole thing in one go to get a sense of the drama of the work – Bach wrote no operas. Notable moments to listen out for are the double chorus opening movement, the soprano and alto duet So ist mein Jesus nun gefangen which leads to the storm chorus Sind Blitze, sind Donner in Wolken verschwunden?, the alto solo Erbarme dich, mein Gott, the bass solo Mache dich, mein Herze, rein, and the final chorus (there is no final uplifting chorale as in St John) Wir setzen uns mit Tränen nieder.
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