St Matthew Passion – Mendelssohn’s 1841 version
A music review by Shirley Politzer
Photo: Keith Saunders
No matter how devoted a Bach lover you were, over 3 hours of Bach’s St Matthew Passion in 1727 (its premiere in Leipzig) was a long listen, even with a strong storyline filled with fame, love, power and betrayal.
Mendelssohn realised that, stating, an entire evening of nothing but Sebastian Bach might be considered unmelodious, dry and unintelligible. So, in 1841, well after Bach’s death, Mendelssohn carefully transformed the Passion to be more concise and accessible to a 19th century audience (around 2 hours).
The Sydney Philharmonia Choirs (SPC) has premiered in Australia this first historically authentic and rare performance of Bach’s St Matthew Passion, Mendelssohn version, at the Sydney Opera House.
The St. Matthew Passion, sung in German, follows the Gospel of Matthew’s account of Jesus’s crucifixion, moving through key events like the Last Supper, the betrayal, the agony in the Garden, the trial before Pilate, and finally, the crucifixion and burial. The work also includes other noteworthy sections, such as the various arias and chorales, that contribute to the overall dramatic and emotional impact.
St Matthew was special. He was one of the twelve apostles – the first to respond to the call to follow Jesus. He wrote the first Gospel, recording the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. St. Matthew, before he was called by Jesus to become his apostle, was a Jewish tax collector.
The world’s most acclaimed and loved New Zealand-born star of opera and musical theatre, Teddy Tahu Rhode, is convincing as Jesus. Singing from the back of the stage between the orchestra and choir, setting himself apart from the other soloists, he projected his rich and warm bass-baritone voice.
Penelope Mills (soprano) soulfully sang the well-known aria Erbarme dich. The other soloists, Emily Edmonds (mezzo-soprano) and Andrew O’Connor (bass) also sang admirably, but Andrew Goodwin (tenor) was the star in his role as the Evangelist, a narrator who recounts the events of this story.
Goodwin’s huge role is to help create a dramatic atmosphere and emphasise the key moments of the story. This he did with super clear diction and superb reliability, even in the very high notes. There were some emotional pin-drop moments to put a chill up one’s spine.
It delights me that most of the soloists are Australian. We have so much talent in this country as is evident from the beautiful singing displayed in this performance.
Another Australian talent, Dr Elizabeth Scott, the Associate Music Director of SPC, conducted with a minimalist conducting style, but with maximum effect, the combined Chamber Singers and VOX choirs, the soloists and the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra (ARCO) performing on period instruments.
She had the choir blending perfectly and musically whether singing with high drama or softly and gently. The anthem O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden was sung with great reverence. The choir performed as one well-oiled machine and looked as good as they sounded.
Bach wrote some very beautiful music for this Passion, with his orchestral accompaniment played brilliantly by ARCO. This includes a mesmerising flute quartet and oboe solo, as well as featured violin parts performed superbly by Rachael Beesley, the Concertmaster and Co-Artistic Director of ARCO.
St Matthew Passion is recognised as being in the top ten of Bach’s all-time best pieces of music. It was enjoyed and appreciated by the full house, but I believe that having surtitles would enhance the audience enjoyment further by being able to follow the storyline better, for this and any other work not in English.
Sydney Opera House 17/4/25
