Matthäus-Passion = Passion Selon Saint-Matthieu = Saint Matthew Passion

The Saint Matthew Passion is widely considered one of the pinnacles of Western sacred music, originally composed by Johann Sebastian Bach in the 1720s for Good Friday Vespers at the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. This particular recording, released on the Erato label under the catalog number NUM 750553, represents a significant 1980s interpretation conducted by Michel Corboz. Corboz, a Swiss conductor renowned for his expertise in Baroque choral repertoire, led the Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne and the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne in a performance that emphasizes clarity, stylistic sensitivity, and the dramatic narrative arc of Bach’s monumental double-choir setting.

The production features an esteemed cast of soloists, including Margaret Marshall and Anthony Rolfe Johnson, whose vocal contributions were highly regarded for their technical precision and emotional resonance. Within the context of the Erato label's discography, this set was positioned as a sophisticated, balanced reading that bridged traditional choral expectations with the emerging insights of the period-informed performance movement. Critical reception at the time of its release acknowledged the recording for its structural integrity and the seamless integration between the vocal soloists and the instrumental ensemble, securing its place as a reliable and thoughtful addition to the extensive recorded history of this masterpiece.