Bach: St. John Passion

Saturday, March 14, 2026 | 7:30 PM
Needham Great Hall, Needham

The Program

Bach: St. John Passion
Noah Horn, Music Director

Bach’s St. John Passion is one of the most profound and emotionally gripping works in Western music. First performed on Good Friday in 1724, this dramatic oratorio sets the story of Christ’s crucifixion from the Gospel of John, blending intimate arias, turbulent choruses, and haunting chorales into a deeply human musical experience.

While the subject is sacred, the emotions are startlingly real—rage, sorrow, tenderness, and hope. From the anguished crowd scenes to the sorrowful beauty of the final chorus, Bach’s St. John Passion invites listeners into a vivid and deeply reflective journey.

What’s Interesting About This Concert

  • Operatic Drama, Sacred Depth: Though written for church, the St. John Passion unfolds like a sacred opera. The Evangelist’s narration moves the story swiftly along, while the chorus shifts roles—becoming the crowd, the soldiers, and the conscience of the piece. It’s intensely dramatic, without ever stepping foot on a stage.

  • A Window Into Bach’s World: Bach composed the St. John Passion during his first year in Leipzig, making it his earliest surviving Passion setting. It’s rawer, more urgent, and more emotionally direct than the later St. Matthew Passion—a glimpse of Bach experimenting boldly with musical storytelling.

  • Music That Still Speaks: Nearly 300 years after its premiere, this music still feels alive. Its mix of choral power and solo intimacy gives space for personal reflection and communal reckoning—making it as resonant today as it was in 1724.

Cantata Singers is sensitive to the anti-Semitic undertones in the text of the St. John Passion. Tom Hall, Music Director of the Baltimore Choral Arts Society, has written the following:

“People should understand that, from a Jewish perspective, the Passions have very strong emotional consequences. To ignore that fact is to put your head in the sand. Performers should be sensitive about these issues. Performances of the Bach Passions can be an occasion to understand the differences in perspective on this text and on this music, from Christian and Jewish points of view. Performances can be used to bring people together and to understand the history of anti-Semitism and to promote religious tolerance.”

We invite you to read further about how the text of the Passions are problematic for Jewish people.

  • Approximately 2 hours. There will be an intermission.

  • The concert is held in James Hugh Powers Hall, on the second floor of the Needham Town Hall, 1471 Highland Avenue, Needham, 02492.

  • All seating is open seating, except for the first two rows reserved for Sponsors. The Hall doors open for seating at 6:45 pm, and concerts begin at 7:30.

  • There is limited handicapped parking available at/near Powers Hall.  All other patrons are asked to park in the municipal lots on Dedham Avenue or Lincoln/Chestnut Street. There is no charge for evening parking in the municipal parking lots.  Please DO NOT park in the Walgreens lot, since the store is open for business during concert hours.

  • Powers Hall is a fully-accessible facility, and some handicapped parking is available.

  • Wear what makes you feel comfortable!