St. John Passion

Composed for Good Friday 1724 and revised through several Leipzig versions, Bach’s St. John Passion unfolds in two parts, bringing together Gospel narration, expressive arias, and chorales long familiar to Bach’s congregation. Tenor Gregório Taniguchi’s “emotionally piercing” Evangelist recounts the scenes of John 18–19 with gripping immediacy, while the chorus and orchestra animate the crowd scenes and offer reflective commentary as the story unfolds. Through this balance of urgency and reflection, this epic work speaks across centuries with a clarity that feels unexpectedly present today.