The #EasterOratorio stands apart from Bach’s other sacred works in some interesting ways. There are no chorales or narrator. Instead, the cantata is a dramatization of a single scene- the discovery of the empty tomb by Peter (tenor), John (bass), Mary Magdalene (alto), and the other Mary (soprano).
The Easter Oratorio opens with an orchestral Sinfonia filled with the festive sounds of trumpets and timpani and exuberant moving lines in the strings and winds. This is followed by something unusual for this kind of work- a lamenting, “sighing” Adagio movement which seems worlds away from the D major triumph of the opening.
In the soprano aria, Seele, deine Spezereien (“My soul, your spices”), the voice and solo flute line converse, at times joining in sensuous thirds. Peter’s aria, Sanfte soll mein Todeskummer (“Gentle should be the sorrow of my death”), evokes a serene, pastoral setting, reflecting a sense of eternal peace and quiet joy. In the opening of this movement, listen to the way the gently-rolling lines swell, rising in range, and then falling back into a poignant resolution. A recitative duet leads into Mary Magdalene’s aria, Saget, saget mir geschwinde (“Tell me, tell me quickly”), in which she asks where she can find Jesus, without whom she is “orphaned and desolate.” John’s recitative, Wir sind erfreut (“We are delighted”) seems to summon the trumpets and drums of the triumphant final chorus.
The FSSO will perform this sacred masterpiece at 6pm on Friday, 19 April at the Anglican Cathedral. Admission to the concert is free and this is the ideal Good Friday family outing!
#FSSO #EasterOratorio #Bach #GoodFridayConcert
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