Other notes - Schütz

Last year at the Emmanuel Church Good Friday service at noon, Emmanuel Music offered a performance of Heinrich Schütz’ St. Matthew Passion. In description such a piece sounds formidable; no instrumental accompaniment, nothing but the scriptural text, delivered in a kind of speech-song, punctuated by the crowd’s reactions (at rare intervals), a new hour of austere ritual.  Yet in the very crowded Lindsey Chapel, listeners were enthralled by the sheer eloquence and drama of the music and its presentation, and Emmanuel Music was gratifyingly besieged by requests to bring another of these great autumnal works by the then 83 year old Saxon master. 

On Good Friday on April 2 at noon, Emmanuel Music presents Schütz’ St. Luke Passion (Luke is the Gospel emphasized in the present Episcopal lectionary cycle).