On 6 of March 2020, Bach Collegium Japan began their long-awaited 30th anniversary tour of Europe with a performance of Bach's St John Passion in Katowice, Poland. The same week Europe was becoming aware of the very stark reality of the threat posed by the new Corona virus, Covid-19. Consequently, as Masaaki Suzuki and his ensemble went on to perform in Dublin and then London, concert halls across Europe were closing down and the remaining tour dates were cancelled. Before making their return to Japan, the BCJ agreed with the KÃ¶lner Philharmonie to go ahead with the concert that had been planned, in the form of a live streaming without an audience. This meant that the ensemble had time on their hands, and the idea was born to use it for making a recording. Having received permission to use the hall of the Philharmonie for the recording, Bach Collegium Japan and BIS jointly decided to go ahead with the idea, and during a few hectic hours arrangements were made for a recording team to come to Cologne. Over the next few days, Suzuki, the BCJ and a team of soloists headed by James Gilchrist as the Evangelist, recorded Bach's rendering of the Passion of Christ, finishing just ahead of complete lockdown. Their efforts are now available as a testimony not only to the drama of Bach's score, but also to the urgency of a week when the world changed.

Tracklist:

St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 1, Herr, Unser Herrscher
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 2, Jesus Ging Mit Seinen Jüngern
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 3, O Große Lieb, O Lieb Ohn Alle Maße
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 4, Auf Dass Das Wort Erfüllet Würde
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 5, Dein Will Gescheh, Herr Gott, Zugleich
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 6, Die Schar Aber Und Der Oberhauptmann
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 7, Von Den Stricken Meiner Sünden
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 8, Simon Petrus Aber Folgete Jesu Nach
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 9, Ich Folge Dir Gleichfalls Mit Freudigen Schritten
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 10, Derselbe Jünger War Dem Hohenpriester Bekannt
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 11, Wer Hat Dich So Geschlagen
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 12, Und Hannas Sandte Ihn Gebunden
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 13, Ach, Mein Sinn
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 14, Petrus, Der Nicht Denkt Zurück
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 15, Christus, Der Uns Selig Macht
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 16, Da Führeten Sie Jesum
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 17, Ach Großer König
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 18, Da Sprach Pilatus Zu Ihm
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 19, Betrachte, Meine Seel, Mit Ängstlichem Vergnügen
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 20, Erwäge, Wie Sein Blutgefärbter Rücken
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 21, Und Die Kriegsknechte Flochten Eine Krone
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 22, Durch Dein Gefängnis, Gottes Sohn
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 23, Die Jüden Aber Schrieen Und Sprachen
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 24, Eilt, Ihr Angefochtnen Seelen
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 25, Allda Kreuzigten Sie Ihn
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 26, In Meines Herzens Grunde
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 27, Die Kriegsknechte Aber
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 28, Er Nahm Alles Wohl In Acht
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 29, Und Von Stund An Nahm Sie Der Jünger Zu Sich
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 30, Es Ist Vollbracht
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 31, Und Neiget Das Haupt Und Verschied
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 32, Mein Teurer Heiland
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 33, Und Siehe Da, Der Vorhang Im Tempel Zeriss
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 34, Mein Herz, Indem Die Ganze Welt
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 35, Zerfließe, Mein Herze
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 36, Die Jüden Aber, Dieweil Es Der Rüsttag War
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 37, O Hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 38, Darnach Bat Pilatum Joseph Von Arimathia
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 39, Ruht Wohl, Ihr Heiligen Gebeine
St. John Passion, Bwv 245: No. 40, Ach Herr, Lass Dein Lieb Engelein

UPC: 7318599925516
Label: Bis
Release Date: 9.4.20
Format: CD

J Bach S / Suzuki - St John Passion (CD)