Part’s ‘Passio’ evokes disquiet

People can debate whether the Gospel according to St. John is the most anti-Semitic of the four. But Arvo Part’s “Passio,” a 1982 Renaissance redux Latin setting of the John text, heard Saturday at St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church in Irvine, relentlessly hammers home the Jews’ responsibility for the Crucifixion.

Other Passion settings try to spread the guilt around by including arias and choral meditations that link the events to the audience. Part’s sets only the New Testament text in easily perceived chant-like lines, until a final chorus invokes mercy on all of us as guilty sinners. Translations were projected on a screen.

Soprano Katharin Rundus, mezzo-soprano Laura Harrison and tenors John St. Marie and J. Lee Graham, alone or in combinations, impressively negotiated Part’s difficult, stop-and-go minimalist settings for the role of the evangelist. Baritone James Martin Schaefer intoned the part of Jesus with reasonable steadiness.

Almost by default, the work became the tragedy of Pilate, so full of musical character and interest were the settings of his lines, especially as sung by tenor Joseph Mathieu. John Alexander conducted the soloists, a group of five musicians and the 20 John Alexander Singers with care. The concert was part of the Eclectic Orange Festival.

It would be an abrogation of criticism, however, to disregard the issue of blaming the Jews for Christ’s death when enlightened Christendom has abjured this position and is trying to overcome a millennium of religious bigotry with real-life consequences. Dressing it up in modern high culture doesn’t make it acceptable. Enough is enough.