Bach: Johannes-Passion / Klaas Stok

It is the first courtroom drama in history. In Johann Sebastian Bach’s St John Passion, Jesus stands before Pontius Pilate to answer for his actions while the Jews gathered outside demand his death. The St Thomas cantor created a gripping tragedy from the sparse Gospel, which is still one of the most dramaturgically effective works in music history. Bach translated the almost scenic plot into vivid tonal colours. The orchestral prelude opens the ...