Bach: Matthew Passion

• Movement 1, Chorus:

  G major tonality: The Children's chorus sings a chorale melody in G major throughout, which conflicts with the prevailing minor key of much of the other music

  Ritornello form: lots of dialogue between the two choirs
• Movement 21, Chorale:

  Chorales served the purpose of involving the congregation in the music; everyone would join in with singing the melody- originally a popular song

  Major and minor conflict: phrases alternate between major and minor keys
• Movement 25, Arioso with chorale:

  Soloists: The tenor soloist plays the part of Peter- in the recitative prior to this, Christ has foretold of Peter's betrayal

  Semiquavers in the continuo: Echo the idea of a 'throbbing heart' in the text

  Distinctive three-note 'grief' motif

  Tessitura contrast: Tenor's high tessitura contrasts with the low, deflated tessitura of the chorus

  Disjunct melody: upwards leaps in the melody emphasises important words

  Arioso
• Movement 33, Aria with chorus:

  No bass at start: viola plays lowest line- bassetto texture creates an innocent, heaven-bound mood

  Long melisma in the bass: word paint 'thunder'

  Aria with chorus, but not a da capo aria: to repeat the opening section would interrupt the flow of the story

  Palindromic tonal structure in the chorus: Example of Bach's mastery of counterpoint and musical organisation
• Movement 34, Recitative:

  Sustained string chords when Christ sings: persists throughout the movement and acts as a musical halo- the only time Christ's halo is missing is much later in the story when he speaks his final words on the cross

  Unexpected modulation at the end: Christ finishes with a perfect cadence in A major, but the Evangelist continues narration in C sharp minor
• Movement 47, Aria:

  Violin obbligato: Used in arias connected to Judas' betrayal and Peter's denial

  Aria: again not da capo, wanting to continue the flow of the story
• Movement 63, Chorale:

  Higher key: creates the feeling of anguish: at this point in the story, Christ has been crowned with thorns- relays the emotion of the story to the listener.

  Passing notes and Chromatic chords: the clashing of notes further emphasises the feeling of anguish, tragedy and betrayal
• Movement 72, Chorale:

  Sung immediately after Christ's death- provides a sombre commentary by being reharmonised in the Phyrgian mode, along with being lower in pitch and including even more chromaticism
• Movement 78, final chorus:

  • 'weeping' pairs of descending quavers: featured in the vocal and orchestral parts, relay a sense of anguish and sobriety
  • Final chord major seventh appoggiatura: pungent chord that adds to the atmosphere of mourning that the piece is trying to recreate
  • Ternary-form chorus finishes the Passion