Bach's known Passion compositions follow the 'oratorio Passion' type, which uses biblical text recited by an 'Evangelist' narrator, with dialogues distributed among 'Soliloquents' (individual voices).
Performer Biography
Raimund Nolte, who sings Jesus' Bass-baritone, studied mathematics, school music, and viola before his early success as a concert singer led him across Europe, Israel, Japan, and the USA.
Compositional Technique
The essence of the 'oratorio Passion' is the constant alternation between biblical narrative and dialogue on one hand, and religious reflection on the other.
Historical Context
Leipzig first experienced a figural Passion music performance in 1717, and in 1721, Thomaskantor Johann Kuhnau established a tradition of such performances in the city's main churches.
Performer Biography
Locky Chung, the bass performing Petrus, Judas, and Pilatus, was a prize winner at the 1992 ARD Competition in Munich and won first prizes at the Robert Schumann Competition in 1993 and the Hugo Wolf Competition in 1994.
Performer Biography
Marianne Beate Kielland, a Norwegian mezzo-soprano, has made a name for herself particularly as a Bach interpreter, and has recorded Bach's St. Mark Passion and Christmas Oratorio, among other works.
Compositional Technique
In an oratorio Passion, the narrative is interrupted at key moments for poetic reflections (recitative, arioso, aria) or chorales, interpreting the events and highlighting their religious significance.
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