The London Lounge

I have Bach's St Matthew Passion on the cd player as I write, and for reasons that have as much to do with personal biography as with its value over other musical creations I would probably rank Pergolesi's Stabat Mater second on my list of Easter music. At least as far as orchestral music is concerned (as opposed to hymns actually sung by the congregation in church).

What would be your favourite music for Easter?

Dear Milo,

good choices! As you ask for more... Russia is not so popular these days and I don't go through as a Christian , but Rachmaninov's All Night Vigil is as moving as only music can be: http://youtu.be/VIxQ_B3Wpzg

Cheers, David

The Passions are hard to beat, of course. But two-thirds of Handel's Messiah covers the bit AFTER Christmas.

I absolutely agree about the Messiah. Having grown up in a family where Karl Münchinger and the Stuttgarter Kammerorcherster's version of the Christmas Oratorio was the only orchestral Christmas music that really mattered, I was much surprised to learn as a college student that many would give that place of prominence to the Messiah. I still feel its link to Christmas is not that strong, for the reason you give.

As for Russian music,as mentioned by David, what do you think about this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty8CCHicF40

(Russian Easter Ouverture by Rimsky-Korsakov)