How does Bach use viola and cello to depict the tension of the council deciding the fate of Jesus in this recitative? Learn!
Who's behind the notes? Discover Johann Sebastian Bach: Master of Baroque Music
The recitative "Sie hielten aber einen Rat" (But they held a council) is a brief but dramatic moment from Bach's monumental St. Matthew Passion. It narrates the moment where the chief priests and elders conspire to arrest Jesus by trickery and put him to death. Bach's setting, though simple as is typical for biblical narrative recitative, uses the continuo and vocal line to convey a sense of ominous deliberation and mounting tension, perfectly setting the stage for the betrayal to come.