Bach St. Matthew Passion
Major Spring Performance

Sunday, May 17, 2009, 3 p.m.
CSUF Concert Hall

Ticket Prices: $20 adults / $10 students - Only 300 tickets

** Tickets only available from chorus members **
or by calling 559.906.3392 (Alan Peters' cell)

By the 1720s when Johann Sebastian Bach composed his St. Matthew Passion, the musical retelling of the story of Christ’s crucifixion had grown from simple beginnings in the Middle Ages. Exceptional for its grand scale and musical richness, the St. Matthew Passion is composed for double orchestra, double choir, and soloists. Its dramatic scope encompasses the point of view of the Evangelist who provides narrative, the words of Jesus and of his disciples, the haughty self-righteousness and indignation of the enraged crowds, and the reflective meditations of the individual believer. The voices of the Fresno Community Chorus Master Chorale, the skilled instrumentalists of the fine orchestra, and Director Anna Hamre are privileged to present this moving masterwork in concert. This performance will be sung in English.

Today Johann Sebastian Bach might be the first name thought of when asked to name a classical European composer. But it was the persistence of Felix Mendelssohn, who recognized the brilliance of the St. Matthew Passion and the genius of its composer, that renewed interest in Bach’s works. In 1829, Mendelssohn, at the age of 20, conducted a revival performance of the nearly forgotten work over one hundred years after it was composed. The ensuing interest in the works of Bach continued throughout the 19^th century and endures still.