Academy of Ancient Music, Richard Egarr - J. S. Bach: St. Matthew Passion (2015) [HDTracks]

Since 1727, JS Bach's "Great Passion" has gripped the hearts and uplifted the minds of audiences all over the globe. Nearly three centuries after its premiere, the work has lost none of its power to evoke feelings of compassion for all those who suffer. Its mix of urgent story-telling, meditative arias and mighty choruses sets St Matthew's account of Christ's betrayal, trial and execution eloquently and emotionally.

Over the past 40 years the AAM has made over 300 recordings of baroque and classical music, winning Brit and Gramophone Awards along the way, however – remarkably – this is our first recording of the St Matthew Passion. With a superlative cast including James Gilchrist, Sarah Connolly, Thomas Hobbs, Elizabeth Watts, Christopher Maltman and Matthew Rose, and directed by Richard Egarr, this is a landmark project.

The version performed here was the first version of 11 April 1727, originally performed in the Thomaskirche, Leipzig, and while the larger part of the oratorio remains the same as in later versions, there are a few differences that make this version uniquely interesting.

The first chorus opened at an unusually swift pace, with lyrical, flowing phrasing, both urgent and elegant. The choir of 20 singers – fine singers in their own rights, as many of them showed, stepping out of the choir to take the smaller solos – set the tone for the concert with an uninhibitedly rich collective sound. The flautists soon showed their quality in this movement, with a perfectly smooth tone floating over the warmth of the strings.