us," is twice used,--once where the
Saviour announces that he will be crucified after the Feast of the
Passover, when the whole congregation sings it, and again in the scene at
Gethsemane, sung by select choirs. The whole work is written for double
chorus, the two choruses singing the harmony of the chorales, accompanied
by the instruments, while the congregation sing the tune in unison. They
display to the utmost the breadth, richness, ingenuity, and power of Bach
in this form of writing. The reflective portions of the work, the text
written by Picander, are composed of arias introduced by recitative, with
the first part repeated in the close; of arias accompanied by chorus; and
of single choruses constructed in the most massive manner. Speaking of
the melodies in these portions of the work, Spitta says,--

"The grades of feeling traversed by Bach in the solo songs of the 'St.
Matthew Passion' are all the more impressive because every sentiment of
joy in its various shades is wholly excluded; they are all based on the
emotion of sorrow. The most fervent sympathy with the sufferings of the
Son of Man, rising to the utmost anguish, childlike trustfulness, manly
earnestness, and tenderly longing devotion to the Redeemer; repentance
for the personal sins that his suffering must atone for, and passionate
entreaties for mercy; an absorbed contemplation of the example offered
by the sufferings of Jesus, and solemn vows pronounced over his dead
body never to forsake or forget him,--these are the themes Bach had to
treat. And he has solved the difficult problem as if it were child's
play, with that inexhaustible wealth of resource which was most at his
command precisely when he had to depict the sadder emotions. In no
other of his works (unless it be in the 'Christmas Oratorio') do we
find such a store of lovely and various solo airs, nor did Bach even
ever write melodies more expressive and persuasive than those of the
arias in the 'St. Matthew Passion.'"

As we have said, the music is arranged for double chorus, and each chorus
has its own orchestra and its own organ accompaniment. The double
orchestra is composed of oboes, flutes, and stringed instruments. Drums
and brass instruments are not used, the sentiment of the work, in Bach's
estimation, not being fitted for them, sweetness and expressiveness of
tone rather than power being required. As Spitta says, sorrow is the
characteristic of th