Structure
The St. Mark Passion begins with an organ introduction, followed by the four stanzas of the tune Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle. The first Lesson, concluding with Jesus and his disciples processing to the Mount of Olives, is followed by four verses of the hymn The Heavenly Word proceeding forth; the second verse ("By false disciple...") anticipates the coming Lesson of the betrayal.
After Jesus is betrayed by Judas and his disciples flee from the garden of Gethsemane, the choir and congregation sing the hymn Lord, when we bow before thy throne, reflecting on the abandonment of Jesus by his disciples after his seizure by the authorities.
The Jewish priests and elders condemn Jesus to death in the third Lesson. In the concluding section of the Lesson, Peter denies his association with Jesus, ultimately realizes his error in doing so, and weeps in despair; the choir sings the hymn My God, I love thee; not, commenting on Peter's desolation and his recognition of Jesus as Christ.
In the fourth Lesson, the crowd assembled before Pilate calls for Jesus' death by crucifix, ending with another stanza of Sing, my tongue for divided trebles and altos, foreshadowing the Lesson of the Crucifixion ("Faithful Cross! above all other...").
The final Lesson is performed a cappella except for a five-measure organ prelude to the Lesson. After the chorus narrates that Jesus "gave up the ghost," the congregation prays in silence for a moment then recites a prayer of confession. The organ and male voices return with the musical material of the third stanza of Sing, my tongue from the opening set to another verse ("Bend thy bough, O Tree of Glory!"). The organ recapitulates a selection of the music from the introduction of the piece, and the choir and congregation close the Passion, once again singing the first verse of Sing, my tongue.
Read more about this topic: St. Mark Passion (Wood)
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