Raphaël Pichon's New Recording of Bach's St John Passion Emphasizes Emotional Extremes

French conductor Raphaël Pichon has released a new recording of Johann Sebastian Bach's St John Passion that focuses on intense emotional expression. The recording features tenor Julian Prégardien as the Evangelist, who narrates the biblical events of Jesus's suffering and death. A notable moment occurs when Prégardien delivers the line 'Barabbas was a murderer!' with heightened intensity, conveying disgust, anger, fear, and hatred. This follows the scene where Pontius Pilate asks the crowd in Jerusalem whether to execute Jesus or the criminal Barabbas, and the mob chooses Jesus. Bach's composition already includes emotional cues for the Evangelist, but Prégardien's delivery amplifies them. Subsequently, the torture scene begins with the line 'Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.' Bach assigns the Evangelist 53 rapid notes for the phrase 'had him flogged,' each representing a lash. As Prégardien sings this with a trembling voice, Pichon increases the instrumental accompaniment to fortissimo, with organ and harpsichord creating a whipping effect that some listeners might find overwhelming. The recording aims to explore hysteria in its various forms through this interpretation of the Passion.