Passion survey

[Mischa]

Good Friday - time for a little survey!

1.) Which passions beside the famous ones do you know, and which one would you recommend?

2.) Have you ever listened to the missing reconstructed Lukas - and Markus-Passionen of Bach?

3.) Choose your favorite part of both Johannes- and Matthäus-Passion

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1.) Penderecki, some Telemann (they appeared to be surprisingly joyful IMO), Schütz Matthäus-Passion and a di Lasso one (can't remember which one).

How is the Passion of Byrd - recommendable?

2.) Yes, and I want to have my time back. Not even a nice try.

3.) Johannes-Passion is easy: the first choir:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDV94Iti5ic&feature=related"]YouTube - J.S. Bach, Johannes-Passion BWV 245 "Herr, unser Herrscher"[/ame]

Even the Gibson disaster seems to be tolerable, music out of this world.

Matthäus-Passion is harder, the "Erbarme Dich"-aria seems to be obvious, but I think the "Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben"-aria tops it all. I was always stunned listen to it - it's the aria sung between the two "Crucify him!"-turba choirs. Accompanied with the shepherd's instruments it creates a mood of a mother caring about an ill child, the most spiritual moment for me:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlvGaJhDg3o"]YouTube - J.S. Bach, St. Matthew Passion - Aus Liebe Will Mein Heiland Sterben[/ame]

Now you!

[Despina41]

I don't have much to add here - don't know many passions and haven't heard the reconstructed versions of the other two passions of Bach.

I also agree that the opening chorus is the best part of Johannes Passion, but my favorite number in the Matthäus is this one (65). The descending bassline gets me every time.

Sadly, I couldn't decide which of these performances I liked better!
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SguNpDynB2k"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SguNpDynB2k[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rTZ6Wreh2c&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rTZ6Wreh2c&feature=related[/ame]

[Dame Hilda Tablet]

Oh, so many Passions, too few Easters. I couldn't really decide as different ones have different moods, as indeed I do.

[haydnguy]

Well, I don't want you to think that I was ignoring your question Mischa, it's just that I don't know any, really, except the one that I have. I think mine is by Karl Richter but I'm not sure. I'm listening to it this weekend though for sure. Also, Bach's cantata for Easter Sunday.

[Herzeleide]

Rare one: Early fifteenth century anonymous English St Luke Passion.

I own all of Bach's passions, though to my chagrin haven't listened to the lesser-known ones.

My favourite has to be Bach's Matthew Passion, and my favourite part thereof, the concluding chorus. Utterly wonderful.

[Philidor]

A favourite from the St Matthew: sandwiched between Peter denying Christ three times - his cataclysmic loss of nerve for which he weeps in this aria - and poor Judas committing suicide.

[ame]http://www.classicalmusicforum.net/music/bach-erbarme-dich.mp3[/ame]

Erbarme dich, mein Gott,
um meiner Zähren willen!
Schaue hier, Herz und Auge
weint vor dir bitterlich.
Erbarme dich, mein Gott.

[Have mercy, my God,
for the sake of my tears!
See here, before you
heart and eyes weep bitterly.
Have mercy, my God.]

Bach liked the tune, also using it in his violin sonata BWV 1017, played here with maximum eccentricity by Glenn Gould and an unknown violinist.

[ame]http://www.classicalmusicforum.net/music/bach-gould-vln-sonata.mp3[/ame]

A Judas Tree. My mother has one in her garden. It blossoms around now. Sometimes known as a Love Tree.

[Florestan]

I choose the aria Zerfließe, mein Herze from Bach's St John Passion.

Zerfließe, mein Herze, in Fluten der Zähren
dem Höchsten zu Ehren.
Erzähle der Welt und dem Himmel die Not,
dein Jesus ist tot.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V1ycCH9iw8"]YouTube - J. S. Bach - Johannes Passion BWV 245 (14)[/ame]

I have this on CD. It's Stephen Cleobury; King's College Choir; the Brandenburg Consort; Catherine Bott (soprano)

[micrologus]

I have the four Passions of Bach and my preference goes to the Mattheus-Passion.