Good Friday

Bach Cantata Day Information:
Good Friday or Passionis Domini

Friday before Easter. Liturgical period : Lent.

Occurrences: March 29 2024, April 18 2025, April 3 2026, March 26 2027, April 14 2028, March 30 2029, April 19 2030, April 11 2031, March 26 2032, April 15 2033, April 7 2034, March 23 2035, April 11 2036, April 3 2037.


Music for this day

  • Passio secundum Matthaeum, BWV 244
    (first performance 11 April 1727, Leipzig period)


Good Friday or Passionis Domini is the opener of Easter weekend, and the end of Lent. A very important liturgical holiday, marking the death of Jesus Christ. The performance of a passion oratorio was customary at that time, with notable works from composers like Händel, Telemann or Fasch.

Bach's Matthaeus Passion, BWV 244, is of course a monumental work, often performed and well-loved around the world. It was probably first performed for the Vespers of Good Friday on April 11th, 1727, in the Thomas Kirche in Leipzig.

I've chosen a recording by John Eliot Gardiner, the English Baroque Soloists and the Monteverdi Choir, but there are so many great recordings to choose from, like the minimalistic recording by La Petite Bande, where the soloists also perform the choir parts as was possibly the case in Bach's time.


Extra information

The Netherlands Bach Society website has more information and a performance of BWV 244, the Matthaeus Passion:
https://bachvereniging.nl/en/bwv/bwv-244/. You can also find this performance on their Youtube channel: httpss://youtu.be/ZwVW1ttVhuQ