Bach’s St. John Passion marks Good Friday
Choir will be playing composer’s original version dating from 1724
Bringing Bach’s beautiful Passions to Waterloo Region audiences on Good Friday has long been a staple for the Grand Philharmonic Choir but even traditions can grow too familiar without a few surprises.
“What’s new is that I have my University of Waterloo Chamber Singers joining us, augmenting the choir,” said music director Mark Vuorinen who also leads the auditioned chamber singers.
“That’s 135 singers on stage.” The sheer power of so many highly trained voices performing with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony is spine tingling and coupled with Bach’s score, Good Friday is given renewed emotional significance.
St. John Passion is based on the gospel of St. John and tells the story of Christ’s suffering and his Resurrection, all told through music that is powerful and deeply moving. Jesus’ own prophetic words are predictions of the events leading to his Crucifixion.
The history of this piece of music starts in 1724, during Bach’s first winter as director of music at two Leipzig churches where he composed “St. John Passion” for the Good Friday service.
Never quite satisfied with his composition, the piece would evolve as Bach revised the score several times, though the final revision is lost to three centuries of history. This performance of the Passion will be Bach’s original version.
“For the Phil it’s exciting to find new things,” said Vuorinen.
“The last time, we did an alternative version (2014). We’re returning to the original and well loved version.”
Vuorinen is fascinated with what must have propelled Bach at the time, his motivations, “understanding what he lived through.” Undoubtedly Bach would have been inspired by the biblical passages he based the music on, chapters 18 and 19 of the Gospel of John where a mystical, philosophical Jesus predicts the events that would lead to his death by Crucifixion.
The music will be sung in German with English surtitles, the choir acting several roles as the story unfolds. There is the angry crowd calling for Jesus to die, the soldiers gambling to win the prize of Jesus’ clothing and there are also the faithful, those sorrowful worshippers who sing as they recall the sad events of their leader’s Crucifixion.
Soloists include Canadian Lawrence Wiliford performing the critical role of the Evangelist, the narrator of the gospel story. Opera Canada described the tenor as “one of this country’s finest song interpreters.”
Vuorinen describes Wiliford’s style as singing a “beautiful, light lyrical tenor, sensitive to the text.”
American singer, Jesse Blumberg performs the role of Christus with “depth and beauty,” said Vuorinen.
Jean-Philippe Lazure is originally from Waterloo Region and, though in the early stages of his career, the tenor is much in demand. Soprano Hélène Brunet is also Canadian with a busy solo career in the U.S. and Canada.
Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Enns Modolo is known to local audiences and also runs a private voice studio in Kitchener as well as enjoying a professional career.
New Brunswick native and bass Dion Mazerolle recently made his debut with the Canadian Opera Company and Opera de Quebec, among other highlights in this newly emerging career.
Yet another star of this production will be the viola de gamba, a stringed instrument similar to the cello that would have been common in Bach’s time, having first appeared in Europe in the late 15th century and becoming popular as a Renaissance and baroque instrument.
“The viola de gamba has a sweeter sound,” said Vuorinen.
“It has gut strings and that gives it a silky sound. There’s an authenticity to it.”