A cornerstone of our classical music program, and one of the most important days in the liturgical calendar, Saint Peter's presents The Passion According to Saint Mark by Johann Sebastian Bach, BWV 247, in a contemporary reconstruction for Saint Peter's by Dr. Bálint Karosi.
This special musical event is in person only, with recordings available online at a later date.
About Saint Mark's Passion
This is a contemporary reconstruction of Bach's lost and mysterious Saint Mark's Passion. Reconstructed from previous cantatas, only the arias and chorales are by Bach, based on a libretto discovered in St. Petersburg.
Awarded with a grant from the Hungarian Council of Arts, Bálint Karosi composed the missing parts, the recits and turba choruses, the connective tissue, and the biblical narrative in English.
When prompted, the congregation will have the opportunity to sing the chorales in English. Classical music and audience participation is a tradition for Good Friday at Saint Peter's, and our continuation shows
The musical settings for the Passion narrative, the biblical text, are newly-composed by Bálint Karosi in English, and are in a completely different musical language than Bach's, whose contributions, in German, were lost. For Saint Peter's, these elements prove the performance and composition to be a true contemporary reconstruction.
Karosi is preparing a new edition of this work. This version will be scored for period instruments, including lutes, viola da gambas, and percussion.
Tickets: $30