Excerpts from The Star Online News.....
"JOHANN Sebastian Bach’s oratorio masterpiece St Matthew’s Passion, first performed in 1727, stands as a monumental work and was considered the most dramatic large scale work of the composer from the Baroque period."
"Written according to the Gospel of Matthew, St Matthew’s Passion tells of the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ through narration and dialogue, arias and chorals. The piece of work contains many important theological thoughts and reflects the solemn, noble and reflective music created to honour God’s love.
Lovers of sacred music will have the opportunity to enjoy St Matthew’s Passion in a concert staged by local sacred music group Yin Qi Music Centre. St Matthew’s Passion will be the finale of the Yin Qi’s Sacred Music Festival 2011, a biannual event that aims to promote awareness and understanding, and raise the profile of sacred music in Malaysia.
St Matthew’s Passion will be a large production comprising a double choir, double orchestra, a ripiena youth (or children) chorus, and as many as 10 soloists. There are 78 songs divided into two parts. The songs will be sung in German, the original language in which they were written, with subtitles in English and Chinese.
The soloists are Solomon Chong as The Evangelist,
Eddy Chin as Jesus, James So as Judah, Samuel Lim as Peter, and other soloists namely Cecilia Yap, Anna Koor, Ashley Tan, Stephanie Wong, Choy Jenn Wai and Chin Vun Chieh."
“We are privileged to have guest performers Eddy Chin and Anna Koor. Renowned soloists like Solomon and Eddy carry significant roles in the act, while soprano Cecilia and Mezzo Anna will be singing ‘weighty’ arias. The rest are mainly members of the Yin Qi Choir,” says conductor and Yin Qi music director Elaine Pao.
“The research and studying of the work began more than a year ago and the rehearsals started from the beginning of this year. As we are performing in German, it took a longer time for the choir members to learn the music with its unfamiliar diction and to understand the meaning,” says Pao.
The 55-member Yin Qi choir was established in 1993. They come from different churches of different denominations through auditions. More than half of them have not had any formal musical training.
Eddy Chin, who sings the part of Jesus, is known for his German lieder repertoire and has performed various sacred music works such as Handel’s The Messiah, Haydn’s Creation, Mendelssohn’s Elijah (the baritone solos), Mozart’s Coronation Mass and some cantatas for solo voice by Bach.
“It’s the first time I’m singing all the lines of Jesus, and in German,” says the baritone. “The uplifting nature of the music as Bach weaves cleverly and beautifully the story of the final days of Christ on Earth as narrated in the book of St Matthew in the New Testament. It’s a piece of inspiring music for solo and choral singers.
“There’s an Evangelist who narrates the passion of Jesus and introduces Jesus at each stage of the music composed just right by Bach.”
St Matthew’s Passion concert will be held on Oct 7 (8pm) at PJ Luther Centre, 4, Jalan Utara, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. For enquiries, contact Yin Qi Music Centre (03-7982 1576, 016-337 0997 / yinqi@streamyx.com / www.yinqi.org.my). Tickets are priced at RM65 and RM100.
By CHOW EE-TAN
(For complete Report, please refer to The Star on September 20, 2011)
