Bach - La Passion selon Saint Matthieu

Julian Prégardien Evangelist

Stéphane Degout Jesus & bass I

Christian Immler Pilate & bass II

Sabine Devieilhe Soprano I

Maïlys de Villoutreys Soprano II

Damien Guillon Alto I

Lucile Richardot Alto II

Samuel Boden Tenor I

Thomas Hobbs Tenor II

Virgile Ancely & Geoffroy Buffière Pontifex I & II

Ensemble Pygmalion Choir and orchestra

Raphaël Pichon Conductor

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) – SAINT MATTHEW PASSION

The pinnacle of Bach's oeuvre: The St Matthew Passion, probably premiered on Good Friday 1727 at St Thomas's in Leipzig, has haunted the history of music for nearly three centuries. Performed several times during Bach's lifetime, it spearheaded the rediscovery of Bach in the 19th century. Almost a hundred years after its creation, Felix Mendelssohn performed a version in Berlin, bringing Bach back to the forefront of German musical heritage, which he would never leave.

The librettist Picander composed 28 madrigal scenes based on St Matthew’s account, which is much more developed than St John's. During these and the Gospel passages, Bach introduced twelve harmonised chorales, to which must be added the canticles embedded in Nos. 1 and 25 as well as the grand chorale that ends the first part.

The presence of a double choir is one of the main distinctive elements of this passion. It intensifies the dramatic force of the work, in which the action scenes bring together the main protagonists of the Passion, as well as the crowd, which is both witness and actor in the drama. The result obtained by Bach is not comparable to the other German passions of his time, which were much more moderate, restrained and predictable. Here we are much closer to a great biblical oratorio such as Handel composed at the same time in England, with alternating arias and choruses, describing and commenting on both the events of the passion and the religious feelings it inspires: indignation, piety, grief. This is the height of Baroque rhetoric, the urgency of the drama being more perceptible than ever.

The Pygmalion choir and orchestra serve Bach's music with fervour, expressing together great purity and power.