St Matthew Passion - Instrumentation

Instrumentation

The St Matthew Passion is set for two choirs and two orchestras. Both include 2 flutes dolce, 2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes, in certain movements instead oboe d'amore or oboe da caccia, 2 violins, viola, viola da gamba, and basso continuo. For practical reasons the continuo organ is often shared and played with both orchestras. In many arias a solo instrument or more create a specific mood, such as the central soprano aria #49, "Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben", where the absence of strings and basso continuo mark a desperate loss of security.