Bob Chilcott

Chilcott: St John Passion

Matthew Owens / Wells Cathedral Choir

Label: Signum Classics
Format: CD
Barcode: 0635212041222

Catalog number: SIGCD 412
Releasedate: 13-03-15

- A dramatic yet optimistic retelling of the Passion tide story
- The work combines 13th and 17th century English poetry
- As well as with Bach’s great Passion settings, the role of the Evangelist is taken by the tenor soloist,
- The work further confirms Chilcott’s status as one of the world’s most popular active choral composers.

Composer Bob Chilcott’s mighty setting of words from St John’s Gospel is a dramatic yet optimistic retelling of the Passiontide story. The work combines 13th and 17th c. English poetry with the King James Bible text settings and, as with Bach’s great Passion settings, the Evangelist role is taken by the tenor soloist, providing a melodious narrative throughout. Including 5 well-known hymn texts set to new, original melodies, the work further confirms Chilcott’s status as one of the world’s most popular active choral composers. “... a successful and most impressive piece of writing by Bob Chilcott ... one would have had to be pretty stone-hearted not to have been moved.” (Seen & Heard, Review of the St John Passion’s premiere performance at Wells Cathedral)

Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle