The St Matthew Passion , BWV 244, is a Passion, a sacred oratorio written by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1727 for solo voices, double choir and double orchestra, with libretto by Picander (Christian Friedrich Henrici). It sets chapters 26 and 27 of the Gospel of Matthew (in the German translation. 'Accatone,' Bach, 'Casino': or, a short history of the St. Matthew Passion in cinema. A couple of weeks ago my boyfriend was talking to me about Bach’s St. Matthew Passion and playing a bit of it on our piano. Somehow we go to talking about Bach’s music being used in films. Joe didn’t seem to be aware of many films that had made use of. Find classical music concert listings St Matthew Passion, BWV244. Bach: St Matthew Passion, BWV244. Herreweghe conducts Bach’s St Matthew Passion. More info Buy tickets. Bach, St Matthew Passion, BWV244. St Matthew Passion. More info Buy tickets. Bach, St Matthew Passion, BWV244. At the start, Scorsese pours Bach's St. Matthew Passion over the sight of Rothstein exploding in a car bombing: but in the three hours he takes to flash back and tell Rothstein's story, he doesn't.

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'St. Matthew Passion' redirects here. For other musical settings of the passion after St Matthew with similar titles, see St Matthew Passion (disambiguation).

Fair copy in Bach's own hand of the revised version of the 'St Matthew Passion', BWV 244, that is generally dated to the year 1743–1746

The St Matthew Passion, (also frequently St Matthew's Passion) BWV 244, (German: Matthäus-Passion), is a sacred oratorio from the Passions written by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1727 for solo voices, double choir and double orchestra, with libretto by Picander (Christian Friedrich Henrici). It sets chapters 26 and 27 of the Gospel of Matthew (in the German translation of Martin Luther) to music, with interspersed chorales and arias. It is widely regarded as one of the masterpieces of classical sacred music. The original Latin title Passio Domini Nostri J.C. Secundum Evangelistam Matthaeum translates to 'The Passion of our Lord J[esus] C[hrist] according to the Evangelist Matthew.' It is also rendered in English as St. Matthew Passion and in German as Matthäuspassion.

Although Bach wrote four (or five) settings of the Passions only two have survived; the other is the St John Passion. The St Matthew Passion was probably first performed on Good Friday (11 April) 1727^[1] in the Thomaskirche in Leipzig, where Bach was the Kantor of the School and Directoris Chori musici of Leipzig. He revised it by 1736, performing it again on 30 March 1736, this time including two organs in the instrumentation. He further revised and performed it again on 24 March 1742. Possibly due to the second organ being under repair, he switched the continuo instrument to harpsichord in Coro II, reinforced the continuo group in Coro II with a viola da gamba, and inserted a ripieno soprano in both movements 1 and 29. There is evidence of a further revision in 1743–1746, when the score as we know it originated, but no performance.

6Movements

Composition

Beginning of a recitative (No. 61), the Bible words written in red

Many composers wrote musical settings of the Passion in the late 17th century. Like other Baroque oratorio passions, Bach's setting presents the Biblical text of Matthew 26–27 in a relatively simple way, primarily using recitative, while aria and arioso movements set newly written poetic texts which comment on the various events in the Biblical narrative and present the characters' states of mind in a lyrical, monologue-like manner.

Two distinctive aspects of Bach's setting spring from his other church endeavors. One is the double-choir format, which stems from his own double-choir motets and those of many other composers with which he routinely started Sunday services. The other is the extensive use of chorales, which appear in standard four-part settings, as interpolations in arias, and as a cantus firmus in large polyphonic movements. This is notable in 'O Mensch, bewein dein’ Sünde groß', the conclusion of the first half – a movement which Bach also used as an opening chorus for the second version (1725) of his St John Passion (later – ca. 1730 – he reverted to the originally composed 'Herr, unser Herrscher' there).^[2] The opening chorus, 'Kommt, ihr Töchter, helft mir klagen' is also notable for the use of chorale cantus firmus, in which the soprano in ripieno crowns a colossal buildup of polyphonic and harmonic tension, singing a verse of 'O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig.' This was sung in only in 1742 and 1743–1746 and had been played on the organ before.

The surviving manuscripts consist of twelve concertato scores, used for eight soloists who also served in the two choirs, additional parts for one soprano and two basses who perform 'bit parts' such as the Wife of Pilate, Peter, Judas, High Priests, etc., and a part for the soprano in ripieno (stemming from 1742 and 1743–1746). It is believed that Bach wrote and performed the St. Matthew Passion using one voice per part, rather than the two conventional choirs (plus ripienists and soloists) which is common for performances and recordings today.^[3] This concept is still being hotly debated. In 1730 (in response to his perceived harassment by the officials and out of concern for the deteriorating condition in religious music), Bach wrote a treatise he entitled “Kurtzer, iedoch höchstnöthiger Entwurff einer wohlbestallten Kirchen Music; nebst einigem unvorgreiflichen Bedenkken von dem Verfall derselben.' (“Short, but most Necessary Draft on a well-regulated Church Music, with some modest Thoughts on the Decline of the same”). In it, he outlines both what he thinks would be a well-regulated Church music and also the current circumstances he faced in Leipzig. For the vocal ensembles he states that in the main churches (Hauptkirchen) of St. Thomas, St. Nicholas, and the New Church (Neukirche), each would use three voices per part, meaning three sopranos, three altos, three tenors, and three basses, with the residual (2 per part) for the Petruskirche (University Church). This residual would also act as the Concertists (soloists) in the Cantatas and other Vocal works.^[4] So in this work, therefore, it would require two 12-16-voice Choirs with a 3-voice Ripieno Soprano Choir (for Movements 1 and 29 in versions 1742 and 1743–1746).

The narration of the Gospel texts are sung by the tenorEvangelist in seccorecitative accompanied only by continuo. Soloists sing the words of various characters, also in recitative; in addition to Jesus, there are named parts for Judas, Peter, two high priests, Pontius Pilate, Pilate's wife, two witnesses and two ancillae (maids). These are not always sung by all different soloists. The 'character' soloists are also often assigned arias and sing with the choirs, a practice not always followed by modern performances. Two duets are sung by a pair of soloists' representing two simultaneous speakers. A number of passages for several speakers, called turba (crowd) parts, are sung by one of the two choirs or both.

The words of Jesus, also termed Vox Christi (voice of Christ), usually receive special treatment. Bach created particularly distinctive accompagnato recitatives in this work: they are accompanied not only by continuo but by the entire string section of the first orchestra using long, sustained notes and 'highlighting' certain words, thus creating an effect often referred to as Jesus's 'halo'. Only his final words, written in Aramaic, Eli, eli, lama sabachthani (My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?), are sung without this 'halo'. In the revision of 1743–1746, it is also these words (the Vox Christi) that receive a sustained continuo part. In all prior versions (1727/1729, 1736, and 1742), the continuo part was sustained in all recitatives.

Some arias and choruses of the St Matthew Passion have a parody connection to the lost funeral canta

St Matthew Passion Bach Casino