Bach: St John Passion | Bury Bach Choir / Suffolk Baroque Players

Bach’s St John Passion was composed in 1724 and first performed as part of the Good Friday liturgy in Leipzig’s Nikolaikirche. This evening’s performance is given in celebration of the Bury Bach Choir’s 90th anniversary.

In his St John Passion, Bach dramatises in music Jesus’s final hours on earth, tracing the story of his arrest, the disciple Peter’s denial, Christ’s trial before Pilate and, finally, his crucifixion and burial. While the narrative is conveyed in music of direct emotional power, this is offset by a sequence of arias and chorales in which we are invited to contemplate our own response to this timeless story.

Tonight’s soloists are second to none, led by Robert Murray as the Evangelist; the orchestra is pure baroque, and the choir will be at their best. This anniversary concert will be a performance to remember. Don’t miss it!