St John Passion - JS Bach

Harrow Choral Society

Rare opportunity to attend a concert that concentrates not only on the high quality of the performance but also on its authenticity. Harrow Choral Society’s performance of Bach’s St John Passion in the magnificent surroundings and acoustics of St Albans Cathedral, will be in English using a recent translation that replicates the phrasing of the original German. The result should sound very much as the composer intended while absolving the audience of the need to keep their heads buried in a translation!

The authenticity will be further enhanced by the period instruments of the renowned baroque orchestra Charivari Agréable (‘one of the classiest baroque bands’ The Observer ‘specialising in the ingenious use of period instruments to produce ravishing sonorities and full-bodied textures’ Gramophone).

Our soloists have been very carefully chosen:

 Nicholas Hariades (counter tenor) has been working in Germany where he is highly acclaimed for his performance of St John Passion and this is a rare opportunity to hear him in the UK.
 Tom Raskin (tenor) as the Evangelist will narrate the story with great clarity, conviction and drama.
 The richly resonant voice of Trevor Bowes (bass) will bring authority to the role of Christus.
 The beautiful soprano voice of Hilary Musgrave is ideally suited to the works of J S Bach and to St John Passion in particular.

The story transcends faith and belief and Is about a person who was unjustly persecuted for most of his life and eventually killed. It was transcribed by one of the world’s greatest composers into a masterpiece that includes some of the most moving and compelling music ever written.