In this riveting new account of Bach’s masterwork, Raphaël Pichon and the members of Pygmalion take nothing for granted except the dramatic intensity of the St John Passion to plumb the depths of the human condition and move listeners profoundly. 

From the first note of the opening maelstrom which so strikingly signals tragedy, malevolence and supplication all at once, the listener knows this will be no ordinary performance. Entering with devastating precision, like nails into the cross, the chorus’s first chords also signal the passionate dramaturgy of Pichon’s vision.

Apart from the keenly sensitive orchestra and chorus, Pichon has gathered a lineup of soloists that combines experience and youthful brilliance. Julian Prégardien as the Evangelist is a vivid storyteller, unafraid to use a huge range of expression and pacing to animate the narrative. His recounting that Barabbas was a murderer is more like a horrified shout, yet when he recalls Jesus’ silence before Pilate there is actually a prolonged pause. Peter’s weeping is also one of many moments to treasure. Prégardien’s truly chameleonic qualities suit him perfectly in this pivotal component of the...