JS Bach: St John Passion | Canterbury Choral Society

Bach’s first great sacred masterpiece, the St John Passion, recounts Christ’s final days from the betrayal of Judas to the preparation for laying the body in the tomb. Bach’s extraordinary music brings to life the humanity of the drama. The chorus takes on the role of the crowd, reflecting, together with the solo arias, on the progression of the Easter story. The narrative is sung by the tenor Evangelist and the entire work is bound together by chorales – German hymns greatly enhanced by Bach’s harmonic invention, culminating in arguably Bach’s finest chorale: ‘Then from death awake me, I will praise you for ever’ – heart-rending and inspirational. Canterbury Choral Society will again be joined by The Hanover Band, alongside an exceptional lineup of soloists.

Sung in German