Hello all,
A few bars from J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion are always good for the soul, but they are particularly appropriate during the Lenten season and the Easter celebration. This week’s music, “O Haupt Voll Blut Und Wunden” (O Sacred Head Now Wounded), is perhaps the most well-known portion of St. Matthew’s Passion.
The St. Matthew Passion is a sacred oratorio written by Bach in 1727. It is one of his greatest achievements and one of the best compositions to come out of the Baroque era. The Passion is scored for solo voices, double choir, and double orchestra, and it sets the 26th and 27th chapters of the Gospel of Matthew to music. “O Haupt Voll Blut Und Wunden” is based on a Latin poem, Salve mundi salutare, which addresses the crucifixion of Jesus Christ from a position of remembrance and lament.
Enjoy!
T
This Week's Music 