He’s also mostly aided by opting to follow the layout of the Good Friday Vespers service of Bach’s day, placing the choirs in front and back – not side by side – and, on disc, this choice brings out some wonderful details in the music (especially the textural layering between soloists and chorus in the duet “So ist mein Jesus nun gefangen”).
This is accomplished partly through tempo: Jacobs’ direction emphasizes the lithe, dance-like quality of Bach’s writing, and, as a result, this huge piece never feels really cumbersome. It’s a piece that’s been both gifted and cursed to be the recipient of countless performances and recordings: approaching its 300th birthday in 2027, there’s really not anything new for conductors or performers to uncover in this sprawling recreation of Christ’s final hours.īut what René Jacobs has done in his new recording with the RIAS-Kammerchor and Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin has been to capture the inherent drama of this cornerstone of the repertoire and to bring it impressively to life. Matthew Passion marks the summit (or, if not the zenith, at least one of the two or three highest peaks) of Western music.
Harmonia Mundiįor many listeners, regardless of ecclesiastical affiliation, Bach’s St. Harmonia MundiĬhe Puro Ciel, featuring Bejun Mehta and the Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin conducted by René Jacobs. Matthew Passion, featuring the RIAS-Kammerchor and Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, conducted by René Jacobs. Two discs released by Harmonia Mundi benefit from the dramatic flair of conductor René Jacobs.
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