One of Bach’s two famous momentous sacred Easter oratorios, St Matthew Passion was first performed at Easter in 1727 in Leipzig.

The music is based on the Biblical account of Jesus’ crucifixion, and the manuscript bears the Latin title: Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the Evangelist Matthew. It’s a brilliant combination of the best of Baroque choral music: chorale passages with a full choir, recitative passages where the narrator – the Evangelist – tells the story with impassioned speech-inspired singing, and gorgeous solo arias.

Bach’s attention to detail is also pretty striking; on words like ‘crucify’, he uses chilling chromaticism to highlight the emotional nature of the words, and when Jesus sings, high strings accompany the singing to represent a musical ‘halo’.

He revised the music in 1736, again in 1742, and once more between 1743-6 (Bach’s attention to detail strikes again). The latest version is the version we know today, and is now seen as one of the masterpieces of sacred Baroque music – and indeed sacred music in general.

We are fortunate that 10 of our wonderful choristers at FHS are performing this incredible piece this Sunday 24^th March, at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Street at 6pm. We are very proud of them and please do go along if you would like to hear this in the glorious flesh.

A very Happy Easter to you and your family when it comes and, from us in the Music Department, we wish you all a wonderful holiday. Looking forward to a fantastic summer term of joyous music!

Mr Mercer, Head of Co-Curricular Music