Bach’s St. John Passion and St. Matthew Passion are two of the towering achievements of Western sacred music, yet they approach the Passion story in strikingly different ways. Join us in this eight-session Armchair Journey, as we explore both works in depth, considering their historical and liturgical context, their librettos, and the musical language Bach uses to shape each Gospel narrative.

 

Studying the works side by side will allow us to compare Bach’s very different responses to the Gospels of John and Matthew: the concentrated dramatic intensity of the St. John Passion and the broader, more contemplative architecture of the St. Matthew Passion. Together, the two works offer a remarkable window into Bach’s development as a composer and the possibilities of the Passion genre.

 

We will examine the biblical texts, chorales, and poetic interpolations that form the librettos, and perform some light musical analysis to illuminate Bach’s treatment of character, drama, structure, and text. Over the course of the class, we will listen to both Passions in their entirety.