Heinrich Schütz’ Lukas-Passion is a masterwork of austerity and expressiveness. What could I add to that? Nothing, indeed. However, I could look at the passion itself and refer to the idea of the cross also being seen as the tree of life (as is often done in works of art). The passion of Christ is thus inextricably connected with the creation of man.

 

According to the ‘Secrets of Enoch’ (part of the biblical apocrypha), man was created by God using seven consistencies: Earth, Dew, Sun, Stone, Clouds, Grass and Wind. Helmut Krausser wrote seven short poems which deal with each one of these elements and within the Lukas-Passion Evangelist’s narrative there are statements, words or associations that corresponded to these seven elements.

 

Here I thought one could pause and meditate on what has just been said. These ‘mediations’ are directed at the text of the Passion and its implications on the idea of creation, life and resurrection. Schütz is the undisputed master of realising this text through music so my aim was not to provide a further musical interpretation, but to be expressive and serve the words; to elevate, construe and enhance them.

 

T.R.