The St Matthew Passion, also known as Passio secundum Matthæum or Matthäus-Passion, BWV 244, is a Passion oratorio completed in 1727 by German composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1865 - 1750). It is the most famous of the two surviving Passions. Spell-binding from start to finish, with one gorgeous melody after another, and full of drama - this is my favourite piece by my favourite composer, and definitely in my top 10 masterpieces of classical music. The average playing time is two hours and 40 minutes (AllMusic). I have eight versions of this work, with a preference for the one by the Munich Bach Orchestra under Karl Richter with a selection of soloists on a Deutsche Grammophon/Archiv triple CD.
