Markus-Passion

The Markus-Passion, composed by Robert Schollum, was released by Preiser Records in 1983 as a significant exploration of modern Austrian liturgical music. Schollum, a prominent figure in the post-war Austrian musical scene, crafted this work to bridge traditional religious structures with the complex harmonic language of the twentieth century. The recording captures an ambitious collaborative effort involving the ORF Symphonieorchester and several esteemed vocal ensembles, including the Arnold Schoenberg Chor and the Mozart-Sängerknaben, reflecting the high cultural priority placed on Austrian radio-sponsored contemporary music at the time.

The production serves as a testament to the commitment of Preiser Records to document contemporary compositions that might otherwise be overlooked by larger commercial labels. Schollum’s design for the piece emphasizes a stark, reflective atmosphere, utilizing the diverse choral forces to create a textured narrative. Upon its release, the recording was received by critics as a sincere, if demanding, addition to the modern passion tradition, providing an essential sonic archive of the specific musical milieu within the Vienna-based ORF performance circles during the early 1980s.