The Cleveland Orchestra
Bach's St. Matthew Passion

The Cleveland Orchestra with chorus and soloists presented Bach's St. Matthew Passion on three successive evenings last week, in advance of both Passover and Easter.

The preceding Friday evening, Music Director Franz Welser-Möst presented a special lecture at Reinberger Chamber Hall, providing special insight into the symbolic language used by Bach in his St. Matthew Passion.

In spite of his notion that his English is not so good as his German, Mr. Welser-Möst is a charming, intelligent and witty speaker. He is also extremely informed on this topic, having spent many years in the study and preparation of this massive score.

With great clarity, he explains the many numerical references to be found in Bach's work, as well as the significance of key signatures, vocal range and instrumental selection. It was an absolutely fascinating evening, and I was delighted to discover that it had been recorded and was then broadcast on WCLV last week. (I was as fascinated then as I had been the first time!)

Now, due to popular demand, it is available "on demand" on the web as an mp3 audio stream at WCLV 104.9FM. You can get to it from this page.

And, if you were unable to hear the the concert or broadcast version of it from last week, the St. Matthew Passion will be re-broadcast in its entirety on WCLV and WCLV.com this Friday evening, April 14, at 8 pm.

If you would like program notes for this performance, go to: http://www.clevelandorchestra.com and click on April 6 on the calendar. At the bottom of the new screen is a link to the PDF version of the program notes, as well as the list of soloists.

--By Kelly Ferjutz