J. S. Bach - St John Passion, BWV 245

J. S. Bach - St John Passion, BWV 245

J. S. Bach composed his St John Passion, BWV 245, in 1724, during his first year as cantor in the German city of Leipzig. The work was first performed on Good Friday, April 7, 1724, in St. Nicholas Church. In the St John Passion, Bach sets to music the Passion story as told in the Gospel of John. In contrast to the other three gospels, where the humanity of Christ is more prominent, the Gospel of John emphasizes Jesus’s divine origin. Although the St John Passion is not quite as well-known as Bach's beloved St Matthew Passion (1727), it is certainly not inferior: moving listeners with its emotional depth and drama, the St John Passion is a magnificent work. On the occasion of the 300th anniversary of its first performance in Leipzig, conductor Marco Berrini leads the Coro Giovanile Italiano, Coro dell’Almo Collegio Borromeo, and the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana in an impressive performance of Bach’s sacred masterpiece. Soloists are Claudia Reinhard (soprano), Martina Baroni (alto), Marcel Hubner (tenor, Evangelist), Oliver Kringel (tenor), Fulvio Bettini (baritone, Pilate), and Diego Maffezzoni (bass, Jesus). This performance was recorded at Cattedrale di Vigevano, Italy, in 2024.