St. Matthew Passion
An exceptional arrangement for one orchestra
J.S. Bach
Jorma Hynninen, Jesus
Tom Nyman, evangelist
Elina Rantamäki, soprano
Jeni Packalen, alto
Simo Mäkinen, tenor
Jussi Merikanto, bass
Canzonetta Nova (training Elina Rantamäki)
Choir of the Järvenpää Parish for children and youth (training Toni Hintsala)
Finnish Baroque Orchestra
Jonas Rannila, conductor
The culmination of the spring season of the Järvenpää based oratorio choir Canzonetta Nova happens in March, when the choir performs the St. Matthew Passion twice in the churches of Sipoo and Järvenpää. The choir has performed many sacred works, and they have sang the St. Matthew Passion once before in 2013, so the upcoming concerts are an anticipated highlight in the 40 year long history of the choir.
The St. Matthew Passion by J.S. Bach is an almost 300 years old major work and a classic, which is still part of many a listeners Easter traditions. The work is over three hours long and considers the various moments of the Passion of Christ with a more reflective and humane approach than in Bach’s other passion, the shorter and more dramatic St. John Passion. The narrator in the St. Matthew Passion is the evangelist (tenor), a bass sings the role of Jesus, the choir represents crowds and reactions, the recitativos advance the plot while the arias reflect the different emotions that the situations give rise to. The musical content of the passion brings up deep, complicated and even repressed feelings and in the current global situation it’s therefore a topical as well as comforting experience for the listener.
Jonas Rannila conducts the St. Matthew Passion, which is performed in an arrangement for one orchestra by Dominique Sourisse. The 70 singers of Canzonetta Nova sing the choir parts. The soloist ensemble of the concerts is skilful and impressive, topped off by the renowned baritone Jorma Hynninen as Jesus.
Duration: 3 h (incl. intermission)