On Palm Sunday, in St Ninian’s Cathedral, North Methven Street, Perth, there will be a rare opportunity to hear the St John ‘s Passion – by George Fredrick Handel.
Sometimes this work is attributed to Georg Bohm (1661–1733), a Thuringian-born composer who worked in Hamburg and Luneburg and is remembered chiefly for some fine organ music and for his influence on the young Bach.
Either Handel or Bohm – this is a beautiful setting of the Passion.
As in more familiar Passion settings, there is a tenor Evangelist, a crowd chorus with some lively if brief contrapuntal numbers, and contemplative pieces including several arias, three duets and some choruses, of which the concluding one (”Schlafe wohl”) is genuinely moving.
Sung by the choir of Perth Cathedral, with invited soloists, directed by Geoff Bolton.