# Top 5 pieces in St Matthews Passion



## johankillen

Hi guys,

just wonder which pieces in St Matthews Passions that are your favorites. I wonder because I need some pieces to begin my journey though Bach's passions!

So please guys, rank your top 5 and I would be more that happy if you can put an comment about why!

Thanks guys and have a nice evening!


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## DavidA

Just put it on, sit and listen! And wonder!


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## johankillen

I do, but it is heavy ****. I love Bach, but in this case I need some hints. Hints sometimes helps a lot!


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## KenOC

Don't know about top five, but here's a 53-minute all-highlights version. Track information is from the Herreweghe recording.

1-01 1. Chorus I & II, Kommt, ihr Töchter
1-06 6. Aria (Alt). Buß und Reu
1-08 8. Aria (Sopran), Blute nur, du liebes Herz
1-15 15. Choral, Erkenne mich, mein Hüter
1-27 27. Aria a doi Cori So ist mein Jesus
1-29 29. Choral, O Mensch, bewein' dein Sünde
2-01 30. Aria (Alt, Chorus I & II), Ach! Nun
2-10 39. Aria (Alt), Erbarme dich
2-20 49. Aria (Sopran), Aus Liebe will mein Heiland
3-13 65. Aria (Baß), Mache dich, mein Herze,rein
3-16 68. Chorus I & II, Wir setzen uns mit Tränen nieder


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## johankillen

KenOC said:


> Don't know about top five, but here's a 53-minute all-highlights version. Track information is from the Herreweghe recording.
> 
> 1-01 1. Chorus I & II, Kommt, ihr Töchter
> 1-06 6. Aria (Alt). Buß und Reu
> 1-08 8. Aria (Sopran), Blute nur, du liebes Herz
> 1-15 15. Choral, Erkenne mich, mein Hüter
> 1-27 27. Aria a doi Cori So ist mein Jesus
> 1-29 29. Choral, O Mensch, bewein' dein Sünde
> 2-01 30. Aria (Alt, Chorus I & II), Ach! Nun
> 2-10 39. Aria (Alt), Erbarme dich
> 2-20 49. Aria (Sopran), Aus Liebe will mein Heiland
> 3-13 65. Aria (Baß), Mache dich, mein Herze,rein
> 3-16 68. Chorus I & II, Wir setzen uns mit Tränen nieder


Thank you! I'm listening right now!


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## tdc

Sometimes I listen to individual movements from this epic masterpiece, they work fine as a part of the whole or as stand alone works - just as the chaconne works well as a stand alone piece separated from the rest of BWV 1004. 

My favorite are the first and last movements, masterpieces in their own right.


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## St Matthew

The St Luke Passion, Luke and I go way back


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## Art Rock

1-4:
Buß und Reu
Blute nur, du liebes Herz
Erbarme dich
Mache dich, mein Herze,rein

5:
The rest

Although it really should be listened to from start to finish.


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## tdc

Art Rock said:


> Although it really should be listened to from start to finish.


I like your enthusiasm for this work and the tradition in your country in regards to it.

*The 'Dutch' passion*
_Whether or not they are lovers of classical music, practically everyone in the Netherlands knows the St Matthew Passion. Every year, there is a real 'Matthew madness' in the month before Easter. Each town has its own performance and any reasonably large concert hall has at least two or three. The first performance of the St Matthew Passion in the Netherlands was in Rotterdam in 1870. Amsterdam followed suit in 1874. With the Concertgebouw orchestra, Willem Mengelberg then instituted a Passion tradition in Amsterdam that still continues today. In reaction to the Mengelberg performances, the Netherlands Bach Society was formed in 1921. The founders thought that the St Matthew should be performed where it belonged - in a church. The annual performance by the Bach Society in Naarden grew to become 'the' Dutch St Matthew Passion. _

Hopefully you've had a chance to see the work performed by the Netherlands Bach Society.
http://allofbach.com/en/bwv/bwv-244/


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## Pugg

tdc said:


> I like your enthusiasm for this work and the tradition in your country in regards to it.
> 
> *The 'Dutch' passion*
> _Whether or not they are lovers of classical music, practically everyone in the Netherlands knows the St Matthew Passion. Every year, there is a real 'Matthew madness' in the month before Easter. Each town has its own performance and any reasonably large concert hall has at least two or three. The first performance of the St Matthew Passion in the Netherlands was in Rotterdam in 1870. Amsterdam followed suit in 1874. With the Concertgebouw orchestra, Willem Mengelberg then instituted a Passion tradition in Amsterdam that still continues today. In reaction to the Mengelberg performances, the Netherlands Bach Society was formed in 1921. The founders thought that the St Matthew should be performed where it belonged - in a church. The annual performance by the Bach Society in Naarden grew to become 'the' Dutch St Matthew Passion. _
> 
> Hopefully you've had a chance to see the work performed by the Netherlands Bach Society.
> http://allofbach.com/en/bwv/bwv-244/


The schedule for next Easter is already promote in the Dutch papers, all sorts, from the Concertgebouw towards local churches performances.


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## isorhythm

I agree that this is best taken in all at once, maybe once a year. But of course there are highlights. My favorites:

Kommt, ihr Toechter, helft mir klagen
O Mensch, bewein' dein Sunde gross
Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben
The section of recitative that includes Jesus' death, which starts with "Und von der sechsten Stunde..."
Mache dich, mein Herze, rein

Though after writing that, it seems like nonsense...you really do need to listen to all three hours at once without stopping to feel the full (overwhelming) emotional impact. There are also many more than five highlights. But those are my favorites at this moment.


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## Oreb

My favourite recording of this masterwork is Klemperer's.

The moment when the chorus sings "Wahrlich, dieser ist Gottes Sohn gewese" is, for me, just about the peak of Art. But I think part of its power comes from the context and everything that has gone before.


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