In the early 18th century, the Passion text by poet Barthold Heinrich Brockes became a true bestseller. Händel, by then already settled in London, gave those words a voice of his own — personal, expressive, and deeply felt. Brockes’ vivid and dramatic poetry found a natural ally in Händel’s theatrical instinct.

His Brockes-Passion is a rarely heard work, rich in drama and compassion, with tender arias, duets brimming with tension, and choral passages that cut and console in equal measure. This is not music that narrates, but music that empathises — through sound, silence and breath.