The Saint John Passion, Bach's earliest known Passion music, was first performed on Good Friday, April 7, 1724, in Saint Nicholas's Church, Leipzig.
Recording & Production
This album is a collection of recordings from the Wiener Symphoniker archives, prepared for 2010.
Performer Biography
Paul Angerer, the author of some of the booklet notes, was the principal violist of the Wiener Symphoniker from 1952 to 1956.
Recording & Production
The sound restoration for this album was performed by Albert Frantz, utilizing the Algorithmics Audio Repair Processor.
Compositional Technique
The Saint John Passion's structure is divided into two parts, following the theological division of the Passion narrative into five 'acts'.
Compositional Technique
The Saint John Passion incorporates instruments that were considered somewhat archaic at the time, such as the lute, viola d'amore, and viola da gamba.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Bach's Saint John Passion uses a libretto that combines the biblical narrative with commentary through interpolated arias, choruses, and congregational hymns, serving both didactic and artistic purposes.
