Observe Good Friday this year by watching the Peoria Bach Festival 2010 performance of the St. Matthew Passion. You can find it on the Peoria Bach Festival YouTube page by clicking here or following the link below. Although the performance is in German, English subtitles are provided making the story easy to understand and follow. The translation is a literal one so that the original meaning of the German is as accurate as possible.
First performed on Good Friday in 1727, Bach set all of Matthew 26 and 27 to music interspersing commentary in the form of poems and hymns. The grandest of all passion settings in both size and scope, it remains an eternal expression of the story and Bach’s enduring faith.
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 – Part 1 (June 10 , 2010) www.peoriabachfestival.org
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 – Part 2 (June 11 , 2010) www.peoriabachfestival.org
