St Matthew Passion

*St Matthew Passion*
St Matthew Passion
BWV 244
Passion by J. S. Bach
	Title page of Bach's autograph score
Native name	Passio Domini Nostri J.C. Secundum Evangelistam Matthaeum
Related	BWV 244a
Occasion	Good Friday
Text	Matthew 26–27; Picander; chorales;
Performed	11 April 1727: Leipzig
Scoring	Two choirs SATB; Evangelist; Vox Christi; Solo: soprano, alto, tenor, bass, soliloquents; Two orchestras of woodwinds, strings and basso contiuo;

The St Matthew Passion (German: Matthäus-Passion), BWV 244, is a Passion, a sacred oratorio written by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1727 for solo voices, double choir and double orchestra, with libretto by Picander. It sets the 26th and 27th chapters of the Gospel of Matthew (in the Luther Bible) to music, with interspersed chorales and arias. It is widely regarded as one of the masterpieces of Baroque sacred music. The original Latin title Passio Domini nostri J.C. secundum Evangelistam Matthæum translates to "The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the Evangelist Matthew".^[1]

^ Markus Rathey. 2016. Bach's Major Vocal Works. Music, Drama, Liturgy, Yale University Press