St Matthew Passion facts for kids
The St. Matthew Passion is a famous piece of music. It was written by Johann Sebastian Bach. Its words tell the story of Jesus's death. This story comes from the Bible, specifically chapters 26 and 27 of the Book of St Matthew.
The music is for a choir, solo singers, and an orchestra. Both the choir and orchestra are split into two groups. These are called Chorus 1 and 2, and Orchestra 1 and 2. The words are partly from the Bible. Some parts were written by a poet named Picander.
Other composers also wrote music called St Matthew Passion. Heinrich Schütz wrote a famous one. But many musicians believe Bach’s St Matthew Passion is the greatest choir music ever made. Bach also wrote other amazing choir pieces. These include his St John Passion and Mass in B minor.
Contents
History of the Music
Singing the story of Jesus's passion is a very old tradition. It goes back hundreds of years. It happened during Holy Week, the week before Easter. At first, a priest would sing the story. Later, choirs started singing it.
During the Baroque period, a type of music called the Passion oratorio grew popular. Bach's St. Matthew Passion is the most famous example. He wrote it in 1727. It was likely first performed on Good Friday (April 11) 1727. This happened in the Thomaskirche in Leipzig. Bach was the music director there.
He made some changes to the music by 1736. He performed it again on 30 March 1736. After that, the music was almost forgotten. Most of Bach's music was not well-known then.
Rediscovery by Mendelssohn
In 1829, the composer Felix Mendelssohn found the music. He decided to perform a shorter version of it in Berlin. People loved it right away. From that time on, Bach has been known as one of the greatest composers ever.
How the Music Works
The words of Bach’s St Matthew Passion come from two places. Some are directly from the Bible (Matthew Chapters 26-27). Other words were created by the poet Picander. The Bible words tell the main story.
The Singers and Their Roles
A tenor soloist sings the Bible story parts. He is called the evangelist. He tells the story like a narrator. The words spoken by Jesus are sung by a baritone or bass soloist. The evangelist is joined by a continuo. This is usually an organ and a cello, double bass, or bassoon. Jesus's singing is accompanied by strings.
Arias and Chorales
Between the story parts, there are arias. An aria is a song for one singer. Each of the four soloists sings arias: a soprano, an alto, a tenor, and a bass. Arias often start with an "arioso." This is a musical style between speaking and singing. The orchestra plays with the arias. Often, one instrument plays an important solo part. The words of the arias explain feelings and thoughts about the story.
The choir is split into two groups. They sing parts where they act as the crowd in the story. Some of these parts are long, others are very short. Sometimes a soloist sings, and the choir comments on their words. There is also a small extra choir. This group sings a chorale tune over the music in the first movement. This is called a "ripieno." Sometimes a boys’ choir sings this part.
There are also several chorales sung by the whole choir. These are like hymn tunes. In Bach’s time, people in the congregation likely joined in. These chorales were often sung in church services.
Smaller Roles and the Ending
Some choir parts have very small sections for a solo voice. These represent one person from the crowd. Soloists from the choir might sing these. Besides Jesus, there are small parts for Judas, Peter, two high priests, Pontius Pilate, Pilate's wife, two witnesses, and two ancillae (maids). Different soloists can sing these small parts. Sometimes, one soloist sings several of them.
In these musical Passions, Jesus's Resurrection is not mentioned. The story ends with the choir crying. This happens after Jesus has died.
Instruments Used
The orchestra uses many instruments. These include violins, violas, cellos, and double basses. There are also two organs, one for each choir. Other instruments are two flutes, two oboes, and a bassoon. Orchestra I plays with Choir I. Orchestra II plays with Choir II.
There are also some special instruments. These are two recorders, three different kinds of oboe, and a viola da gamba.
Bach’s St Matthew Passion is very long. It takes almost 3 ½ hours to perform. It is divided into two parts. There is usually a long break between parts. This lets musicians and the audience rest.
Both the St Matthew Passion and the St John Passion are great works. They have different feelings. The St John Passion is very dramatic. It focuses on the story's excitement. The St Matthew Passion is calmer and more thoughtful. But it also has dramatic moments.
Images for kids
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Fair copy in Bach's own hand of the revised version of the St Matthew Passion BWV 244 that is generally dated to the year 1743–46
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"Small" organ loft in the St. Thomas Church, that would have fitted Chorus II and Orchestra II of the St Matthew Passion in Bach's time (note: the organ on this photograph is a late 20th-century addition)
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"O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden", vocal score
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Performance part for Mendelssohn's 19th-century staging of the St Matthew Passion
See also
In Spanish: Pasión según San Mateo para niños
