College Catalog 2019-2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
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GRMUS T606 — Bach’s Matthew and John Passions2 credits
Fall
Kendall Briggs
Bach’s St. Matthew and St. John Passions represent the greatest exemplification of passion composition in the Baroque. St. John’s Passion represents his first foray into the genre as he begins his tenure at the St. Thomas Church in 1723. His Matthew Passion is his last and is perhaps the greatest of all passions ever composed. Its sheer size and scale mark it as the most impressive dramatic work by Bach. This course will analyze and explore these two great works from both compositional and performance viewpoints. Elements of compositional design, allegory, and symbolism will be examined to help elucidate these magnificent works. Performance and practice issues will be discussed in relation to the score and interpretation.
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