Chilcott: St John Passion | Coventry Cathedral Chorus

For one year, Coventry Cathedral Chorus will break from its tradition of staging a Bach Passion in order to present Bob Chilcott’s wonderful setting of the St John Passion. The simplicity and directness of the writing has an impact which is both moving and captivating. The work does, in outline, follow the structure of Bach’s Passions, and is led by an Evangelist. There are some original settings of hymn texts which are accessible and refreshing.

Having sung the part of the Evangelist in both Bach’s settings, and also both works as a treble in the choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Chilcott says:- “It is the austerity, the agony and ultimately the grace of this story that has inspired me to write this piece”. The concert will open with Bach’s most famous motet, Jesu meine Freude.

2019 will see the choir return to presenting a Bach Passion.