St Marc Passion of J.S. Bach

Friday, 3 April - 15:00

Abbatiale de Payerne

Association des Concerts de Payerne

J. S. Bach: St. Marc Passion Since 2024, every Good Friday, the Payerne Concert Association has invited the public to rediscover the Passions as Johann Sebastian Bach programmed them in Leipzig three hundred years earlier. This original approach allows us to follow the evolution of musical practice and the composer's creative process. In 2026, the journey continues with the Markuspassion, a shorter and more intimate work than the great Passions according to John and Matthew. Based on the Gospel of Mark, it was probably not written by Bach, but originated in the rich musical milieu of Hamburg in the early 18th century. Although anonymous, it may have been written by Friedrich Nicolaus Bruhns or Gottfried Keiser. Johann Sebastian Bach nevertheless conducted it on several occasions, adapting it for each performance and sometimes completing it with handwritten pages. In 1726, Bach was to conduct the Passion in St. Nicholas' Church in Leipzig, where the galleries are less spacious than those of the Thomaskirche. He therefore chose this work, which requires only a string orchestra. Presented in Payerne in a version that is as close as possible to the original sources, this Passion reveals the discreet beauty and expressive depth of everyday music in Bach's world. The musical direction is entrusted to Jean-David Waeber, who will conduct a group of young, highly talented soloists from French-speaking Switzerland.   Passio Christi secundum Marcum à 5 Strom. 4 Voci, attributed, according to sources or studies, to R. Keiser, G. Keiser or Fr. Nic. Bruhns, revised in 1726 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) Maël Graa, tenor (evangelist), Estelle Poscio, soprano (servant), Valérie Pellegrini, alto (high priest, Judas, soldier and centurion), Kevin Hernández Toledo, tenor (Pilate, Peter), Grégory Follonier, bass (Christ). Ad Astra Ensemble ChoirCapella Paterniacensis Orchestra Conducted by Jean-David Waeber