A mere sixty to eighty years before the most famous St Matthew Passion of all − Bach’s −, there were already quite a few (in vernacular language of course), by composers such as Selle, Flor, Furchtheim, Funcke and our subject of interest, Johann Sebastiani (1622-1683). His was written in 1663 for the Königsberg Cathedral, of which he had just been named Kantor, a position he held – as well as that of Kapellmeister for the court – almost until his death. The result is stylistically far, very far from Schütz’ austere Passion (virtually contemporary), as for instance Sebastiani, drawing from most contemporary Italian sources – the Roman, Venetian and Neapolitan opera and oratorio – unfolded a proper lyrical drama in which the recitatives, woven into the main discourse, are systematically accompanied by a rich instrumental polyphony rather than a simple continuo. Sebastiani’s Passion is without a doubt his most important work, and even in his time, was performed, published and broadcasted throughout Prussia. The orchestral accompaniment is entrusted to a great polyphonic ensemble of violas for the written part, while the composer himself, in the preface, specifies that continuous must be given to the largest possible number of instruments: positive organ, spinet, harpsichord, lute, theorbos. An instrumental richness that the Boston Early Music Festival ensemble perfectly gathers with vocalists taking their narrative roles to heart, as well as the dramatic and human content of the text they’ve been entrusted with. No doubt a wonderful discovery for many music lovers who possibly ignored the existence of this major baroque composer, from whom, unfortunately, most manuscripts were lost in World War II air raids that left Königsberg in ruins. © SM/Qobuz