O sacred head sore wounded...

We bring you a musical comment in preparation for Holy Week presented by Monsignor Philip Whitmore: "..what we've just heard is the German version of a famous Passion time hymn: 'O sacred head sore wounded' . It comes from J.S.Bach's wonderful musical setting of the Passion according to Saint Matthew. The same tune comes five times altogether during the Passion with different words and different harmonies each time, the last time we hear it is immediately after Our Lord's death. It's the prayerful response of the Christian grieving for the crucified Lord: Listen to those wonderful expressive harmonies ...".

Listen to this programme produced by Veronica Scarisbrick :