# St John Passion



## Oliver

I'll be hearing the St John Passion next sunday at Corpus Christi college, Cambridge. I'm not as familiar with it as the St Matthew Passion (only heard it a couple times).

What recordings should I get? Gardiner?


----------



## ptr

Gardiner is a safe bet, both his recordings are fine.. If You feel a bit more adventurous my fave is Philippe Pierlot newish release on Mirare is quite intimate but still very expressive, along with Sigiswald Kuijken (Challange Classics), who is slightly faster, and backed up by some fantastically idiomatic soloists.

If You feel very conservative, there are still some who swear by Karl Münchinger's classic Decca set (A bit to romantic for my taste! ).

/ptr


----------



## StlukesguildOhio

Gardiner or Suzuki... or Münchinger for an "old school" take on the work. Münchinger's approach isn't HIP, but he does employ a smaller orchestra and chorus in an attempt to move away from the excess of Romantic Bach.


----------



## ArtMusic

Better to approach HIP. It gives a more intimate experience, remember that Bach would have performed it inside a church for a church service. I like the Saint John, it's more dramatic and than the Saint Matthew.


----------



## DavidA

I have versions by Bruggen and Gardiner of which I prefer the characterful conducting of Bruggen. The recording is made like ve but it is good and Bruggen was an interesting conductor.


----------



## Oliver

How is Nikolaus Harnoncourt? I have been listening to his recording and am really enjoying it. Not a fan of his St Matthew though, much prefer Gardiner.






Edit: he is also pretty HIP apparently


----------



## jenspen

I'm late to this thread but I love the Suzuki. Robin Blaze's singing of "Es ist vollbracht" is moving and thrilling (about 2:29):


----------



## HungarianDancer

Im relatively new to St Johns Passion, and i have recently purchased the Karl Munchinger Decca Recording, is there there any other recordings of this piece worth listening too.


----------



## GioCar

Beside those already mentioned (I love the Suzuki one, but also the Koopman), you may want to explore this quite recent recording by the Scottish Dunedin Consort and their leader John Butt (Linn Records)










This is taken from their website:

_The purpose of this recording is to recreate the context of a passion performance during Bach's time at Leipzig. In addition to the hallmark performance of Bach's masterpiece by the Dunedin Consort, the recording also includes organ preludes, motets by the University of Glasgow Chapel Choir (directed by James Grossmith) and a congregational choir of amateur singers performing hymns and chorales from an original 1682 Leipzig hymn book. This recording even features a German sermon from Bach's own time which will be available for free download on the Linn website. For those who would like a more modern perspective on the possible meanings and implications of this passion, we will also add a range of alternative meditations by theologians, musicologists and other thinkers over the coming months.._


----------



## Art Rock

I have Koopman and Suzuki, and like both. The work itself is imo brilliant, if not at the amazing height of the St Matthew Passion. Still, had Bach not gone on to compose the St Matthew Passion, this is the one Passion that everybody would have talked about it.


----------

