There are 2 survival oratorios composed by Bach based on the Gospels of Matthew & John. The music to the oratorio based on the Mark Gospel was lost. The other masterpiece is the Christmas Oratorio divided into 6 shorter cantatas performed on Sundays between Christmas & Epiphany in several churches in Leipzig, Germany including the famous St. Thomas church.

The Matthew Passion is an oratorio with recitations, arias & chorales in different keys. The opening is in E minor and the final chorale #78 is in C minor. Bach did not put in numbers to the pieces. The numbers were added by music scholars later.

In the oratorio you hear the theme "The Mighty Fortress is Our God" a few times since Bach was a devout Lutheran and supporter of the Reformation that started in Germany a century earlier by Martin Luther.

In Bach's time it was performed with 2 groups of instruments with a strings ensemble (violin 1 & 2, viola, cello), oboe & flute. The theorbo which was common in the Baroque may have been used (not in a copy of the orchestral score downloaded). The last instrument would be an organ which accompanies the 4 voices (SATB). The church of the original performance has a second organ for Christmas & Easter.

The final chorale is in A-B-A format. The top & bottom halves of the A section starts as an instrumental piece and then repeats with the voices giving a very loud sound. The B section is performed once (no repeat) with instruments and voices. Then the piece returns to the A section with the top & bottom repeats as before.

The piano arrangement tried to incorporate the instrument parts included in the score and the voices into a piece that can be performed solo or accompany other instruments. After the B section, the A section was played without the repeats.

St. Matthew Passion - Chorale 78 (a personal arrangement for piano)

Dr. Christopher Jackson, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, speaking about the 2023 Gala Anniversary Concert on Saturday, November 4, 2023, at Packer Memorial Church at Lehigh University in Bethlehem. PA, at 3:00, to mark the group's 125th anniversary.  Performing will be the Bach Choir & Bach Festival Orchestra & national soloists, all under Dr. Jackson's direction.  Featured will be the world premiere of a new scholarly edition of the
Bach St. Matthew Passion in the version by Felix Mendelssohn.  The
concert will be recorded for general release.  There will be a reception and dinner to follow as a benefit for the Choir.
www.bach.org/

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