Building a Collection #22
St. Matthew Passion
By Johann Sebastian Bach
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“The final aim and reason of all music is nothing other than the glorification of God and the refreshment of the spirit.”
-J.S. Bach
We have reached #22 on the Building a Collection survey of the 250 greatest classical works of all-time. I hope you will excuse me jumping forward in the liturgical year to J.S. Bach’s epic St. Matthew Passion, which should properly lead us up to Easter. However, in this case we just celebrated Christmas, and so the timing is not ideal. On the other hand, when we arrive at the season of Lent in a few months, you will be well prepared to listen to Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, one of the greatest religious works ever composed, and also one of the most important works in the history of music.
Johann Sebastian Bach
There is a tremendous amount of biographical information available on Johann Sebastian Bach online and in print. For some general information, I refer you to my post from June 19, 2022 which contains more information about Bach the man and composer. Here is the link to that post:
A biography of Bach published in 2015 titled Bach: Music in the Castle of Heaven authored by acclaimed English conductor John Eliot Gardiner has garnered many positive reviews if you want to dive deeper.
St. Matthew Passion BWV 244
As I begin to write about Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, I am again struck by the almost overwhelming task before me to do justice to such an important piece of music. The St. Matthew Passion (1727) is the second passion written by Bach that has survived, the first being the earlier St. John Passion (1724). The St. Matthew Passion is in the form of an oratorio (an oratorio is a large-scale musical work for orchestra and voices, typically a narrative on a religious theme, performed without the use of costumes, scenery, or action). The St. Matthew Passion we hear today is usually the revised version which Bach completed in the 1740s, but some conductors use the original version.
For many years I was more familiar with the St. John Passion because it is more dramatic and the length is more manageable. But in recent years, and particularly in preparation for this post, I made a commitment to learning more about the St. Matthew Passion. It has been a rewarding process, and although I still love the St. John, the St. Matthew is more devotional, reflective, and heartfelt. It is emotional, as befits the subject, and considering when it was written there is a rare depth of expression.
According to scholar Christoph Wolff, Bach’s own family came to refer to the St. Matthew Passion as “the great Passion”, because the work surpassed anything Bach himself had composed or indeed anything that had ever been conceived of by anyone else. Its dimensions were far greater than any other vocal work ever attempted, and Bach used every form and technique in his repertoire. The emotional range is also wider than virtually any other composition by Bach, and he goes further in St. Matthew than he did in St. John in terms of his use of extra-biblical texts such as the lyrical contemplations from Picander (see more below).
Setting the passion of Jesus to music had been done before Bach, but Bach greatly expanded the format in terms of length and style. For the St. Matthew Passion, Bach scores it for two choirs, two orchestras, and a soprano, alto, tenor, and bass in each choir. Some scholars have maintained that Bach’s intentions were to use relatively small choirs and smaller orchestras, which allows for quicker tempos and more transparency. However in the first half of the 20th century, tradition dictated the use of large choral and orchestral forces. The main disadvantages to that approach were slower tempos and thicker textures, which sometimes made the piece drag on quite long and rendered some of the text difficult to understand. For the past forty years or so, recordings and performances have been dominated by smaller period instrument groups and choirs, although occasionally you may hear a recent modern instrument recording that most likely employs some historically informed performance practices. Today we tend to hear quicker performances on period instruments which use smaller forces, leading to more clarity and transparent textures. The original German language is used for most recordings and performances, although you can also find some recordings performed in English.
The sources used for the text come mostly from the 26th and 27th chapters of the Gospel of Matthew in the Luther Bible. This is the primary text used of course, and these parts are represented in music by the Evangelist (tenor), Jesus (bass or baritone), and other characters such as Judas, Pilate, and the crowd (sung by choirs). The next source can be heard in the chorales in the piece, these are similar to what we would know as hymns and the tunes were often familiar to the audience and at times the audience would even sing along as a congregation would in a liturgical service. Finally, for all of the arias, a few chorales, and some recitatives, Bach includes texts that may be considered a theological “libretto” if you will. Bach turned to Christian Friedrich Henrici, also known as Picander, for those texts, and you will notice these are more poetic in nature.
The structure for the passion is in two parts. Part I may be considered setting the scene (the Last Supper, the Agony in the Garden, the betrayal of Judas, and the arrest of Jesus), while Part II is more tragic and reverential (Jesus’ appearance before Caiaphas, His appearance before Pilate, Jesus carrying his cross to Golgotha, the crucifixion and death of Jesus, the claiming of the body by Joseph of Arimathea, and burial). It may be helpful to know that the biblical material can be divided into 15 scenes (and two introductions) as follows:
Introduction Part I
The anointing at Bethany
Judas’ betrayal
The Last Supper
The agony in the garden
Prayer in the garden
Jesus’ arrest
Introduction Part II
Interrogation by the high priests
10. Peter’s denial
11. Judas in the temple
12. Jesus before Pilate
13. The scourging of Jesus
14. Simon of Cyrene
15. The crucifixion
16. Descent from the cross
17. Burial
Bach did not number the movements in the St. Matthew Passion, although others have since done so. Although Bach doesn’t follow a rigid structure in form, in general the larger choral movements are followed by the Gospel parts with the Evangelist and related narrative, sometimes then followed by another choral interlude, then often a recitative followed by an aria. The rather seamless integration from one section to the next is remarkable, and it is clear that Bach worked hard at making it seem natural within the context of the story. A complete listing of all the movements can usually be found in the liner notes of CDs, but these days it may be easier to find the listing online. I found this reference on Wikipedia which you may find helpful: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Matthew_Passion_structure#Numbering_of_the_movements
Bach also works genius in using the two choirs to represent different groups of believers, interweaving the choirs at times with different texts and musical lines. Advancing the action in this way also enhances the drama. Similarly, Bach uses various groups of instruments to achieve the effect of painting the text to indicate a symbol, a feeling, or a particular person. This was quite revolutionary at the time. For example, when Jesus speaks there appears a “halo” of strings around him in softly sustained chords. The Evangelist is given a cello and the organ. When Jesus carries his cross, there is a deep pedal on the organ to represent His tiring and agonizing walk. Bach also puts greater emphasis on highly charged, emotional words and varies the obbligato part to fit the mood (the obbligato is a music part usually played by one instrument that accompanies the music and is integral to the musical whole). Little touches like this abound, and Bach was quite resourceful in making the most of what he had at his disposal.
In his excellent essay available online and referenced in the notes, Tufts University Chaplaincy Music Director Thomas Dawkins outlines that Bach’s passions were performed in Leipzig on Good Fridays as part of the Vespers service. Dawkins also notes the performances would alternate churches each year between the Thomaskirche and the Nikolaikirche in Leipzig. As we know, Bach’s music fell out of favor for many years until its revival by Felix Mendelssohn. The entire St. Matthew Passion had not been heard outside of Leipzig when Mendelssohn performed it in Berlin in 1829 (though it should be noted Mendelssohn cut out some arias and choruses). The performance was a great success, and thereafter Mendelssohn brought many of Bach’s works to greater attention.
Listening to the entire St. Matthew Passion as a devotional work, or as a form of prayer around Holy Week, is one thing. However, listening to it for purely musical purposes takes as much patience as a Wagner opera. Maybe that is the point in terms of appreciating the entire story, and anyway it is not really a suitable subject for entertainment purposes. But if you persevere and stick with it, this music can be quite rewarding in its own way. If you don’t want to listen all the way through, another option is to refer once again to Thomas Dawkins in his fine essay to find the movements highlighted that are most essential to the narrative both in terms of the drama and the music.
Recordings of St. Matthew Passion
We are spoiled when it comes to recordings of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, there are many fine recordings on the market. As with many works from the baroque or classical periods, recordings are available on both period instruments and modern instruments depending on your taste. I am partial to period recordings, but below I have listed my favorites in both categories. The four period recordings I have listed are all outstanding, and any of them could be the top choice depending on your preferences. However, there are two recordings which rise above the others and both deserve to take the top spot.
Top Overall Choices (it is a tie)
Period instrument pioneer and Bach specialist Nikolaus Harnoncourt first recorded the St. Matthew Passion in 1970. He finally revisited the work in this 2001 release on Teldec (now Warner), recorded with his own Concentus Musicus Wien, the Arnold Schoenberg Choir, and the Vienna Boys Choir. Recorded in the warm acoustic of the Jesuitenkirche in Vienna, this recording is something special. Soloists are sopranos Christine Schäfer and Dorothea Röschmann, altos Bernarda Fink and Elisabeth von Magnus, tenors Christoph Prégardien, Michael Schade, and Markus Schäfer, and basses Dietrich Henschel, Matthias Goerne, and Oliver Widmer. Prégardien is a sensitive and effective Evangelist, and Goerne is a captivating Jesus, with a wonderful tenderness of tone. The choral work is superlative. Harnoncourt’s tempos are brisk, and yet in the context of other period recordings nothing unusual. Where Harnoncourt rises above many others is in the intensity of expression in the solo singing, as well as the leaning into the musical phrases when appropriate based on the text. It is the most emotional St. Matthew Passion I have heard, and that is a positive quality in my estimation. Alto Bernarda Fink is particularly moving in Ebarme dich, as is tenor Michael Schade in his aria in the garden Ich will bei meinem Jesu wachen. Christine Schäfer is stunning in her aria while Jesus is before Pilate. Dietrich Henschel is just wonderful in his aria Mache dich. This is a passion which makes you feel the drama more than others, it is more theatrical, and less austere than some. But it is never less than gripping, and Harnoncourt knows when to push the dramatic impulse, but also when to give us relief. Some complain about less than incisive choral singing and orchestral execution, but I hear nothing like that to warrant any reservations. A perfect St. Matthew Passion does not exist. However, this recording gives consistent pleasure and satisfaction. It also keeps the listener engaged, not an easy thing to do with this work.
The other top choice is by John Eliot Gardiner and The Monteverdi Choir, the English Baroque Soloists, and The London Oratory Junior Choir. Recorded in 1988 by Archiv (Decca), this remains a jewel in the discography of Gardiner. Soloists are a starry cast and include tenor Anthony Rolfe Johnson as the Evangelist, baritone Andreas Schmidt as Jesus, sopranos Barbara Bonney and Ann Monoyios, alto Anne Sofie von Otter, countertenor Michael Chance, tenor Howard Crook, baritone Olaf Bär, and bass Cornelius Hauptmann. I recall that this recording set a new standard when it was released, and it still sounds great today. Similar to Gardiner’s first recording of Bach’s Mass in B Minor, the choral singing here is beyond reproach in my view. Crisp, precise, energetic, and captured wonderfully, the Monteverdi Choir is at the top of their art. They are recorded quite closely and loudly, so beware of your volume.
I quite like Rolfe Johnson’s Evangelist, and Andreas Schmidt is very good, though less vulnerable than Goerne for Harnoncourt. Barbara Bonney is resplendent as usual in her arias, and von Otter produces a beautiful tone. Michael Chance in Ebarme dich is wonderful, but for me doesn’t top Bernarda Fink for Harnoncourt. Howard Crook is superb in his aria Ich will bei meinem Jesu wachen in the garden , as well as in the emotionally difficult Geduld! Wenn mich falsche Zungen stechen. Olaf Bär is understated but quite effective in Gerne will ich mich bequemen. I’m not terribly fond of Ann Monoyios’ voice, but she at least doesn’t detract from the recommendation.
Gardiner’s conception is more restrained than Harnoncourt, but perhaps more reverential. There is less emotional involvement than with Harnoncourt, but also more control. I have a marginal preference for the voices in Harnoncourt’s recording, but that is a small matter. The choral work and orchestral contributions are better for Gardiner, but again nothing to tip the scales. Both performances are top notch and highly recommended.
Other Recommended Period Recordings
The 2022 recording by the group Pygmalion and their leader Raphaël Pichon is a more intimate affair, but also extremely effective. The balance, precision, and dynamics of the choral singing is simply stunning. The overall transparency is beautiful, though occasionally you might wish for greater weight of sound. There is an austerity about this recording that is almost minimalist, and I find that it does have a greater reverential impact. While not as emotionally involved as Harnoncourt or Gardiner, both sopranos Hana Blažiková and Sabine Devieilhe are exceptional, as is the Evangelist Julian Prégardien. Indeed, Prégardien is the finest Evangelist on record and is a constant delight. The Jesus of Stéphane Degout is not as distinguished, but still very good. So Pichon and forces present a more contemplative recording, and that may be exactly what you are wanting.
Conductor Philippe Herreweghe recorded the St. Matthew Passion 15 years apart for the Harmonia Mundi label, and it is his second effort from 1999 that goes to the top of the pile. With his Collegium Vocale Choir and Orchestra, Herreweghe leads a more dramatic reading than either Pichon or Suzuki, and he rivals Harnoncourt in sheer intensity. Tenor Ian Bostridge is very fine at the Evangelist, while the Jesus of baritone Franz-Josef Selig is contemplative but alert to the text and phrasing. Soprano Sibylla Rubens brings a bright tone to the proceedings, and countertenor Andreas Scholl is impassioned and clear. Dietrich Henschel is solid, similar to his appearance a few years later with Harnoncourt. But Herreweghe injects real life into this recording by placing more accents and emphases on important words, phrases, and notes. This is more exciting than Herreweghe’s first recording, but he still manages to bring his typical clarity, warmth, and humanity to the performance.
Also worth exploring in the period instrument category are both recordings by Masaaki Suzuki and his Bach Collegium Japan on BIS. I also enjoyed the recording by Jos van Veldhoven and the Netherlands Bach Society on Channel Classics.
Recommended Modern Instrument Recordings
Apologies at the outset for not including Otto Klemperer’s account of the St. Matthew Passion from the early 1960s. Many people love it, but I just can’t countenance the weighty textures, turgid tempos, and completely unidiomatic approach. There are lovely moments, but I cannot honestly recommend it.
Bach pioneer Karl Richter and his Munich Bach Choir and Orchestra which he founded in 1951, recorded the St. Matthew Passion a few times but it is this 1958 recording by Archiv Produktion (Decca) that has remained a classic and one of the finest versions available. Richter began to use smaller choral and orchestral forces, which allowed for quicker tempos, and his performances opened new vistas for Bach performance. Actually though, Richter had become the Kantor at the age of 23 at Bach’s own Thomaskirche in Leipzig, so in a sense Richter was bringing back Bach’s original performing tradition. There are some sound limitations, but this still sounds amazingly good for its age. The great tenor Ernst Haefliger is a characterful and memorable Evangelist, while Kieth Engen is an imposing Jesus. If some of the other soloists are more “operatic” in their sound, we can forgive this when Richter leads such an understanding and profound reading. This recording was to have an inestimable influence on future recordings of the St. Matthew Passion, and it is still a landmark.
A nice discovery was Italian conductor Riccardo Chailly’s 2009 recording of the St. Matthew Passion with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and the Thomanerchor Leipzig and the Tolzer Knabenchor. Chailly achieves a near perfect balance between historically informed performance practice (for example quicker tempos, less vibrato, and more transparent textures using smaller forces) and the full sound of modern instruments. The recording is given a fully spacious and resonant sound by Decca. Chailly brings a spirited and energetic response from the choirs, and the extra sonority of modern instruments is welcome. Tenor Johannes Chum as Evangelist is in fine form, and Hanno Müller-Brachmann is a commanding and sensitive Jesus. I like soprano Christina Landshamer’s pure tone. Bass Thomas Quasthoff is well-known to many and makes a strong contribution in his arias. Chailly does add some zip in places, but he is selective about it, and in general I find most of his choices are effective. A larger sound than usual is created, and in that sense I enjoy the different take on this work. Some will protest, but if you are looking for a modern instrument version, this is very attractive.
You may want to also sample Peter Schreier’s fine 1984 recording with the Staatskapelle Dresden and the Rudfunkchor Leipzig and Dresdner Kapellknaben on Philips (now Universal).
That brings us to the end of this post. I hope you will eventually be in the mood to listen to Bach’s magnificent St. Matthew Passion. It is a work which I have come to love. Look for the next post on our classical hit parade when we come to #23: Johannes Brahms’ Symphony no. 4. See you then.
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Notes:
Agam, Tal. Review: Bach – St. Matthew Passion – Bach Collegium Japan – Suzuki (2020). Online at https://theclassicreview.com/album-reviews/review-bach-st-mathew-passion-bach-collegium-japan-suzuki-2020/. February 2020.
Anderson, Nicholas. BBC Music. https://www.classical-music.com/reviews/bach-87
Applegate, Celia (2005). Bach in Berlin: Nation and Culture in Mendelssohn's Revival of the St. Matthew Passion. Ithaca, London: Cornell University Press.
Classics Today. St. Matthew Passion. Karl Richter. Online at https://www.classicstoday.com/review/review-6085/
Clements, Dominy. St Matthew Passion. Review of Thomanerchor Leipzig; Tölzer Knabenchor Gewandhausorchester/Riccardo Chailly. Online at https://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2010/May10/Bach_St_Matthew_Chailly_4782194.htm.
Dawkins, Thomas. A Listening Guide to J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. Tufts University Music Director. PDF format online. April 2020. Link at https://chaplaincy.tufts.edu/wp-content/uploads/document.pdf.
McConnell, David. Review: Bach – Matthäus Passion – Pichon (2022). Online at https://theclassicreview.com/album-reviews/review-bach-matthaus-passion-pichon-2022/. April 2022.
Rathey, Markus. 2016. Bach's Major Vocal Works. Music, Drama, Liturgy, Yale University Press.
Spitta, Philipp. "Fünftes Buch: Leipziger Jahre von 1723–1734" in Johann Sebastian Bach, Zweiter Band. Breitkopf & Härtel, 1880.
van Elferen, Isabella (2009). Mystical Love in the German Baroque: Theology, Poetry, Music. Contextual Bach Studies. Scarecrow Press. p. 106. ISBN 9780810861367.
Wolff, Christoph. Bach’s “Great Passion”. Bach St. Matthew Passion Liner Notes. English Baroque Soloists, The Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardiner. Archiv Produktion. Pp. 24-30. 1988.
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/13498-the-final-aim-and-reason-of-all-music-is-nothing
Gramophone Magazine online at https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/bach-st-matthew-passion-6
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Matthew_Passion_structure#Numbering_of_the_movements