This magnificent medieval cathedral
in the heart of the city of Durham
is the ancient setting for a piece of contemporary music,
which, since its premiere in1981,
has deeply moved audiences both here and in Europe,
establishing itself as something of a masterpiece.
It is a passion, a form that Bach successfully explored
in the early 18th century,
but one that in our secular age,
composers turn to less frequently.
It is the work of Arvo Pärt, a man in his early fifties,
Estonian by birth,
now an Austrian citizen living in West Berlin,
but until 1980, living and working in Soviet Russia.
He has written symphonies, orchestral works,
chamber pieces, a cello concerto,
a cantus in memory of Benjamin Britten,
a collage on B.A.C.H. and much, much else.
Many leading musicians have been drawn to his work
as diverse as Gidon Kremer, the violinist,
the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra,
Keith Jarrett, and of course, the Hilliard Ensemble itself.
At the center of his work are his vocal pieces,
most of them overtly religious.
Indeed, he dates his most recent period of creative development
in the 1970s to his encounter with plain chant
and the spirituality of the Eastern Church.
It is this influence we are to hear tonight.
Arvo Pärt's ”St. John Passion" is a setting in medieval style
of chapters 18 and 19 of The Gospel of St. John,
The Easter Story:
Christ and his disciples' journey
from the Garden of Gethsemane, the trial by Pilate
and Christ's death on the cross.
Pärt has used as his text the Latin of the vulgate
and he employs it with the utmost clarity.
His musical forces are simple: a small choir,
four soloists who take the part of the Evangelists,
two singers as Christ and Pilate
and five solo instruments, including the organ.
Tonight, these are provided by the Hilliard Ensemble,
a group which specializes in music written before 1600.
They have nevertheless a broad repertoire
with a particular commitment to Pärt's music,
and since their foundation in 1974.
they have become recognized
as one of the world's finest vocal ensembles.
The St. John Passion is simple, almost mesmeric music
that speaks of an ancient world
with a total awareness of modern times.
Pärt makes great use of silence during the piece.
He says, ”The devotional anticipation of the pause
is precisely what I value so much.”
Here now are the musicians of the Hilliard Ensemble
with their conductor, Paul Hillier
performing Arvo Pärt's St. John Passion.
The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ,
according to John.
When Jesus had spoken these words,
he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron,
where was a garden,
into the which he entered,
and his disciples.
And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place,
for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.
Judas then, having received a band of men
and officers from the chief priests
and Pharisees,
cometh thither with lanterns,
and torches
and weapons.
Jesus therefore, knowing all things
that should come upon him,
went forth,
and said unto them,
Whom seek ye?
They answered him,
Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus saith unto them,
I am he.
And Judas also which betrayed him, stood with them.
As soon then as he had said unto them,
I am he,
they went backward, and fell to the ground.
Then asked he them again,
Whom seek ye?
And they said,
Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus answered,
I have told you
that I am he.
If therefore ye seek me,
let these go their way.
That the saying might be fulfilled,
which he spake,
Of them which thou gavest me
have I lost none.
Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it,
and smote the high priest's servant
and cut off his right ear.
The servant's name was Malchus.
Then said Jesus unto Peter,
Put up thy sword into the sheath.
The cup
which my father hath given me,
shall I not drink it ?
Then the band and the captain
and officers of the Jews took Jesus,
and bound him,
And led him away to Annas first;
for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas,
which was the high priest that same year.
Now Caiaphas was he,
which gave counsel to the Jews,
that it was expedient
that one man should die for the people.
And Simon Peter followed Jesus,
and so did another disciple.
That disciple was known unto the high priest,
and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.
But Peter stood at the door without.
Then went out that other disciple,
which was known unto the high priest
and spake unto her that kept the door,
and brought in Peter.
Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter,
Art not thou also one of this man's disciples?
He saith,
lam not.
And the servants and officers stood there,
who had made a fire of coals;
for it was cold, and they warmed themselves.
And Peter stood with them,
and warmed himself.
The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples,
and of his doctrine.
Jesus answered him,
I spake openly to the world;
I ever taught in the synagogue,
and in the temple,
whither the Jews always resort;
and in secret have I said nothing.
Why askest thou me?
Ask them which heard me,
what I have said unto them;
behold, they know what I said.
And when he had thus spoken,
one of the officers which stood by
struck Jesus with the palm of his hand,
saying,
Answerest thou the high priest so?
Jesus answered him,
If I have spoken evil,
bear witness of the evil.
But if well,
why smitest thou me?
Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.
And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself.
They said therefore unto him,
Art thou not also one of his disciples ?
He denied it, and said,
I am not.
One of the servants of the high priest,
being his kinsman
whose ear Peter cut off, saith,
Did not I see thee in the garden with him ?
Peter then denied again,
and immediately the cock crew.
Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas
unto the hall of judgment.
And it was early;
and they themselves went not into the judgment hall,
lest they should be defiled;
but that they might eat the passover.
Pilate then went out unto them,
and said,
What accusation bring ye against this man?
They answered and said unto him,
If he were not a malefactor,
we would not have delivered him up unto thee.
Then said Pilate unto them,
Take ye him,
and judge him according to your law.
The Jews therefore said unto him,
It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.
That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled,
which he spake,
signifying what death he should die.
Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again,
and called Jesus, and said unto him,
Art thou the King of the Jews?
Jesus answered him,
Sayest thou this thing of thyself
or did others tell it thee of me?
Pilate answered,
Am I a Jew?
Thine own nation
and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me.
What hast thou done?
Jesus answered,
My kingdom is not of this world.
If my kingdom were of this world,
then would my servants fight,
that I should not be delivered to the Jews.
But now is my kingdom not from hence.
Pilate therefore said unto him,
Art thou a king then?
Jesus answered,
Thou sayest that I am a king.
To this end was I born,
and for this cause came I into the world,
that I should bear witness unto the truth.
Every one that is of the truth
heareth my voice.
Pilate saith unto him,
What is truth?
And when he had said this,
he went out again unto the Jews,
and saith unto them,
I find in him no fault at all.
But ye have a custom,
that I should release unto you one at the passover.
Will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews ?
Then cried they all again,
saying,
Not this man,
but Barrabbas.
Now Barrabbas was a robber.
Then Pilate therefore took Jesus
and scourged him.
And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns,
and put it on his head,
and they put on him a purple robe,
and they came up to him again and again,
And said,
Hail, King of the Jews!
And they smote him with their hands.
Pilate therefore went forth again,
and saith unto them,
Behold, I bring him forth to you,
that ye may know that I find no fault in him.
Then came Jesus forth wearing the crown of thorns,
and the purple robe.
And Pilate saith unto them,
Behold the man!
When the chief priests therefore
and officers saw him,
they cried out,
saying,
Crucify him,
crucify him.
Pilate saith unto them,
Take ye him,
and crucify him,
for I find no fault in him.
The Jews answered him,
We have a law,
and by our law he ought to die,
because he made himself the Son of God.
When Pilate therefore heard that saying,
he was the more afraid;
and went again into the judgment hall,
and saith unto Jesus,
Whence art thou ?
But Jesus gave him no answer.
Then saith Pilate unto him,
Speakest thou not unto me ?
Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee,
and have power to release thee?
Jesus answered,
Thou couldest have no power at all against me,
except it were given thee from above.
Therefore he that delivered me unto thee
hath the greater sin.
And from henceforth Pilate sought to release him.
But the Jews cried out, saying,
If thou let this man go,
thou art not Caesar's friend.
Whosoever maketh himself a king
speaketh against Caesar.
When Pilate therefore heard that saying,
he brought Jesus forth,
and sat down in the judgment seat
in a place
that is called the Pavement,
but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.
And it was the preparation of the passover,
and about the sixth hour;
and he saith unto the Jews,
Behold your King!
But they cried out,
Away with him,
away with him,
crucify him.
Pilate saith unto them,
Shall I crucify your King ?
The chief priests answered,
We have no king but Caesar.
Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified.
And they took Jesus,
and led him away.
And he bearing his cross went forth into a place
called Calvary,
which is called in the Hebrew, Golgotha;
Where they crucified him,
and two others with him,
on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.
And Pilate wrote a title,
and put it on the cross.
And the writing was,
JESUS OF NAZARETH
THE KING OF THE JEWS.
This title then read many of the Jews,
for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city.
And it was written in Hebrew,
and Greek, and Latin.
Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate,
Write not,
The King of the Jews;
but that he said,
I am King of the Jews.
Pilate answered,
What I have written,
I have written.
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus,
took his garments,
and made four parts,
to every soldier a part;
and also his coat.
Now the coat was without seam,
woven from the top throughout.
They said therefore among themselves
Let us not rend it,
But cast lots for it, whose it shall be;
that the scripture might be fulfilled,
which saith,
They parted my raiment among them,
and for my vesture they did cast lots.
These things therefore the soldiers did.
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother,
and his mother's sister,
Mary, the wife of Cleophas,
and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus therefore saw his mother,
and the disciple standing by,
whom he loved,
he saith unto his mother,
Woman,
behold thy son!
Then saith he to the disciple,
Behold thy mother!
And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
After this, Jesus knowing all things were now accomplished,
that the scripture might be fulfilled,
saith,
I thirst.
Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar,
and they filled a spunge with vinegar,
and put it upon hyssop,
and put it to his mouth.
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar,
he said,
It is finished.
And he bowed his head,
and gave up the ghost.
You who died for us
Have mercy upon us.
Amen.