
It is some years since the Banbury Choral Society sang this work, (April 2001!) so it is with special anticipation that we look forward to the performance.
Towards the end of his first year as Cantor at the St Thomas School in Leipzig, Bach composed his first large-scale setting of the passion of Jesus Christ, based on the narrative in the gospel according to St John. As there are one or two dramatic omissions in the passion story in John’s Gospel, Bach borrowed from St Matthew for Peter’s lament and for the earthquake. The first performances of this special festival work took place in St Nicholas’ church, Leipzig on the afternoon of Good Friday 1724. The performance in Bach’s day was interrupted by a lengthy sermon of over an hour, deepening the reflections on the passion narrative.
Two huge choral movements begin and end the work and enfold the story of the death of Jesus, beginning with his entering the Garden of Gethsemane where he was arrested. The biblical narrative is mostly set in recitatives sung by the evangelist and other soloists who represent persons in the story. The chorus represents the crowd!
Solo arias serve as points of repose and reflection, as do the numerous well-known chorales or hymns where the choral forces represent the congregation and react and respond to the drama of Christ’s suffering and crucifixion.
For later performances Bach made several revisions of movements, but his final version of 1740 closely resembles the original plan. His second great passion setting was that of St Matthew’s Gospel, first performed in 1727, and he certainly composed others , but these are now lost.
Banbury Tourist Information Centre Tel: 01295 753752
or One Man Band Tel: 01295 266788
Tickets:
£12 adults, £8 students in full time education,
under 12s free
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Spring Term 2010:
Monday 11th January - Monday 29th March
Coffee Evenings:
Monday 22nd March, 7pm prior to rehearsal
Monday 26th April, 7pm prior to rehearsal
Choir trip to Birmingham Symphony Hall:
Tuesday 23rd March, 7.30pm
Muti conducts Beethoven. For further information please use the following link: http://www.thsh.co.uk/view/muti-conducts-beethoven
Choir trip to de Montfort Hall, Leicester:
Saturday 24th April at 7.30pm
Verdi Requiem
Keith Smith to conduct Leicester Philharmonic Choir and the Leicester Symphony Orchestra to help celebrate his 70th Birthday! See Andrea Smith for tickets.
Summer Term 2010:
Monday 12th April - Monday 7th June
(Social event 14th June - tba)
AGM:
Monday 18th October.
- Rehearsal to start at 7.30pm.
- AGM to commence at 8.30pm followed by coffee.