Is St Matthew Passion an opera?
Matthew Passion, as performed by the Berlin Philharmonic with stage direction by Peter Sellars. Johann Sebastian Bach never wrote an opera, but his St. Matthew Passion comes close — especially in an extraordinary new DVD of a semi-staged performance featuring the Berlin Philharmonic.
How is St Matthew Passion different from opera?
John Passion” and the “St. Matthew Passion.” Neither is remotely an opera. Instead, the story of Jesus’ crucifixion is mostly told by the Evangelist, and the narrative is regularly interrupted with timeouts for ruminative arias and reflective chorales.
What is the St Matthew Passion?
The St Matthew Passion (German: Matthäus-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. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest masterpieces of Baroque sacred music.
Where was Bach’s St Matthew Passion found?
Leipzig
Matthew Passion for a single purpose — to present the Passion story in music at Good Friday vesper services. Bach’s Passion continues to move audiences nearly three centuries after it was first heard in St. Thomas’s Church in Leipzig, Germany.
How long is St Matthew Passion Bach?
three and a half hours
Matthew Passion’: A Monumental Bach Feast Bach’s oratorio The St. Matthew Passion has been called the Mount Everest of Western classical music. For some three and a half hours, it tells the story of Jesus’ last days, based on the Gospel of St.
What is St Matthew the patron saint of?
Matthew’s relics were reputedly discovered in Salerno (Italy) in 1080. His symbol is an angel, and he is a patron saint of tax collectors and accountants.
Why is Matthew’s Passion important?
Matthew Passion in the 1720s, the Passion, as a musical form, had grown to allow orchestra, choirs, and non-scriptural choruses and arias. But even by the standard of the Baroque Passion, the Passion According to St. Matthew is exceptional for its musical richness and its grand scope.
How long is St Matthew Passion?
The St. Matthew Passion is divided into two parts, and its performance takes somewhat less than three hours.
Where was Bach born?
Eisenach, Germany
Johann Sebastian Bach/Place of birth
How was saint Matthew killed?
According to tradition, the saint was killed on the orders of the king of Ethiopia while celebrating Mass at the altar. The king lusted after his own niece, and had been rebuked by Matthew, for the girl was a nun, and therefore the bride of Christ.
Who wrote the Gospel Matthew?
It has traditionally been attributed to St. Matthew the Evangelist, one of the 12 Apostles, described in the text as a tax collector (10:3). The Gospel According to Matthew was composed in Greek, probably sometime after 70 ce, with evident dependence on the earlier Gospel According to Mark.
Who is the author of the St Matthew Passion?
St Matthew Passion. The St Matthew Passion (German: Matthäus-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.
Who was the cantor of the St Matthew Passion?
The Passion was performed under the Cantor of St. Thomas until about 1800. Specifically, in 1780, the Cantor, Doles, had three of Bach’s Passions performed, assumed to include the St. John and St. Matthew, and “possibly the St. Luke”.
Where was the first performance of the St Matthew Passion?
Since 1975 it is usually assumed that Bach’s St Matthew Passion was first performed on Good Friday 11 April 1727, although its first performance may have been as late as Good Friday 1729 as older sources assert. The performance took place in the St. Thomas Church (Thomaskirche) in Leipzig.
Who was Bach’s librettist for the St Matthew Passion?
Bach worked together with his librettist, Christian Friedrich Henrici, known as Picander who published the text of the libretto of the St Matthew Passion in 1729.