Soli SATB, Coro SATB, 2 Fl, 2 Ob, 2 Fg, 2 Vl, Va, Bc
"He was without argument our greatest church composer," wrote the lexicographer E. L. Gerber a few years after Homilius's death in 1785. As a result of the destruction of the Kreuzkirche during the Seven Years War, the longtime Kreuzkantor, a pupil of Bach, performed his professional musical duties primarily at the Frauenkirche in Dresden.
The Passionskantate was well received and widely disseminated during the 18th and 19th centuries: Thanks to its popularity it was published in 1775 by Breitkopf as a full score - a rare honor, accorded to only one other Passion in the 18th century (Graun's "Tod Jesu"). The text describes the events of the Passion from a very personal point of view: The story focuses less on the actual events, then upon the feelings of the observers of these events. The subjective nature of the narrative is reflected in a very dramatically marked style of recitative, which presents a charming contrast to the expressive choral writing and the melodically accented arias.
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