This week we’ll explore music inspired by Good Friday and Easter, both sacred and secular. We’ll start in one of the most sublime and powerful corners of J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion: the alto aria, Erbarme dich, mein Gott (“Have mercy Lord, My God, for the sake of my tears”). In the drama, this aria reflects Peter’s solitary heartache in the garden after he denies knowing Jesus three times. It’s set in a lilting 12/8 time, suggesting the baroque dance rhythm of the siciliano.
Aching beauty and profound sadness coexist in this music, along with a mix of other emotions which transcend description and literal meaning. The Polish poet and novelist Adam Zagajewski has called Erbarme Dich “the center and the synthesis of western music.” The violinist Yehudi Menuhin called the aria’s lamenting solo violin obligato “the most beautiful piece of music ever written for the violin.” (You can hear Menuhin performing this aria both early and late in his career).
Last month, we heard excerpts from Sir John Eliot Gardiner’s newly-released live-concert recording of the St. Matthew Passion. This performance, sung by English countertenor Michael Chance, comes from Gardiner’s earlier 1988 recording:
Recordings
- Bach: St. Matthew Passion, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner, Monteverdi Choir iTunes
- a live concert clip with Michael Chance
- Christa Ludwig’s 1962 recording with Otto Klemperer
Haunting beauty in this piece. It is incredible and defies explanation. Except that Bach was pure genius.
Michael Chance sings this aria like no other. It truly blossoms within him!
Please also check out this beautiful performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBeXF_lnj_M
Oh yeah! One of my favorite pieces of music. We did this at church this Easter with a wonderful violinist and mezzo. Couldn’t agree more with Menuhin. Well, except for the 2nd movement of Prokofiev 2nd Concerto. Or the Brahms G major sonata. Or the slow movement of the Beethoven c minor….or the 2nd movement of the Bach No. 3 for violin and hpschd. Etc.
Here is Karaoke of “” I made with A=415Hz and less vibrato.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UwumYpoMNQ
surely one of the most memorable and moving performances of Erbarme dich, Marian Anderson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E7zjNiz2ZI
It should be sung by a man as this was Peter’s lament
No. It is an otherworldly voice singing about Peter’s lament.
Yeah…I wonder why Bach did chose an alto female voice.
Very beautiful, but the recording by Julia Hamari under Karl Richter is the one I go to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPAiH9XhTHc