Some of the most intense and moving sacred music in the Western classical canon has been written for Holy Week — the days between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. It's hardly surprising, considering the dramatic nature of the story of the Passion of Jesus Christ.
What music do you return to? Is it Tallis's Lamentations of Jeremiah? One of the Passions by Bach or Heinrich Schütz? Or maybe Allegri's Miserere? Let us know in the comments below. And watch for the return of CBC Music's 24/7 Classical Easter stream, which runs from 12 p.m. ET on Maundy Thursday, April 2, to 12 p.m. ET on Monday, April 6.
Our vote goes for the aria "Erbarme dich, mein Gott" from Bach's St. Matthew Passion, especially this rendition by contralto Maureen Forrester, violinist Dragotin Hrdjok and I Solisti di Zagreb, recorded in 1964. Of course, there are many wonderful versions of this aria performed with greater historical accuracy, but Forrester's stately tempo, opulent voice and incredibly long lines are staggering:
