Passio Brevis
by Jordan Tang

The last week of Jesus’ life has long intrigued Christians. The story of that week takes up much of the space in our canonical Gospels—so strong was the impression of Jesus’ death upon the early Christian communities. Very early the dramatic possibilities of this event entered the worship life of the Church. Parts were assigned to various readers and the Passion accounts were enacted during Holy Week. Since the Church was a singing Church right from the first start, it was only natural that she would employ the talents of her musicians to heighten the drama of the Passion and broaden its impact.

Composers of all ages have written music based on the Passion. For his Passion according to St. Matthew and Passion according to St. John, the great German Baroque composer J.S. Bach has been called the “Fifth Evangelist.” Today, a composer has the unique forum to mix a first-century message with the musical means of his age. It is also an awesome responsibility: for he is preaching to his fellow man, not with words, but with feelings engendered by music.

Jordan Tang’s Passio Brevis, to be “performed” as part of our Good Friday service this year, was written over four-and-a-half decades ago, and has several times been included in Holy Week services at churches of different denominations. It is written for a speaking chorus and soloists, piano, strings, and percussion. This “brief passion” has its text taken from the spoken dialogues in all four Gospels (Good News for Modern Man translation). The text of a hymn is also inserted toward the end. The composition is more in the style of a Passion play with music than an oratorio in the traditional sense (such as Handel’s Messiah or Bach’s St. Matthew Passion), though music has the last word.

There are three parts to this work: the trial of Jesus before Pilate, the procession to the cross, and the Crucifixion with the Seven Last Words. It has been described as dramatic, stark, realistic, raw, intense, shocking, haunting, challenging, powerful, and avant- garde.

Come and experience an unusual presentation of the Passion Gospel at our Good Friday service on April 14 at 7:00 p.m. All Saints Choir, additional members, and high school students from our congregation will also participate.