One of the duties of the office of municipal music director in Hamburg was to perform a Passion every year during Lent, alternating from year to year according to the evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Telemann took on this task with particular fervour and created a total of 46 passions throughout his time in Hamburg, from spring 1722 until his death in 1767, half of which are unfortunately lost today.

The work takes pride of place in the composer's huge oeuvre of 46 large-scale Passions. The release of this major Passion is part of the 40th birthday celebrations of the internationally renowned Dresdner Kammerchor, founded in 1985 by Hans-Christoph Rademann.

Performed by the Dresdner Kammerchor with Jarosław Thiel conducting the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra, the soloists are Sophie Junker, Benedikt Kristjánsson, Maximilian Schmitt and Michael Nagy.