One of the most performed and recorded of Bach's major works, the St.
Matthew Passion has been a focal point of concert seasons and festivals
around the world for over 150 years. First performed in the late 1720s,
it is a drama of epic grandeur, long considered the noblest, most
inspired musical treatment of the story of the crucifixion of Christ.
Bach set the text, based on two chapters from the Gospel of St. Matthew,
using a large ensemble of two choruses, soloists, and two orchestras.
The full score is reprinted here from the fine edition prepared by the
Bach-Gesellschaft.
Although the St. Matthew Passion is often held to be the apotheosis of
Lutheran church music, this magnificent oratorio reaches out to its
audience in the language, form, and spirit of opera. Richly dramatic and
theatrical, following the general form of Baroque opera, it unfolds its
deeply moving story in recitatives, ariosos, arias, chorales, and mighty
choral movements. This finely produced score offers music lovers the
opportunity -- at a price far lower than comparable editions -- to
follow performances score in hand, and to gain a more intimate knowledge
of the rich musical textures of this great masterwork.