Help me find this Bach aria video on Youtube

February 17, 2024 10:33 PM

I may not have enough to go on here, but it was really good and I thought it would be easy to find again. It's a male performer who sings (in a relatively high range, if I'm remembering right, not sure how high) and plays violin (in the same song I think but am not totally sure) and I believe it was a Bach aria that prominently mentions god, which I guess doesn't narrow it down much.

I feel like the part that might stand out is that he's both a violinist and a singer, and that it's a youtube video. I think he also has other non-Bach violin and vocal videos. Searching isn't helping much, any ideas?

posted by lgyre to Media & Arts (5 answers total)

My top guess is ‘Erbarme dich, mein Gott’ from Bach’s St Matthew Passion, an alto aria with prominent violin solo. Just haven’t yet found a performer doing both, but haven’t looked long! It’s a masterpiece though.
posted by lokta at 11:54 PM on February 17 [2 favorites]

Searched countertenor and violin: Is it this guy?
posted by Coaticass at 11:57 PM on February 17

Best answer: First track on his YouTube channel.
posted by Coaticass at 11:59 PM on February 17 [1 favorite]

Although OP hasn't confirmed if that is indeed the video, I'd just like to pop in to say that Erbarme Dich is one of Bach's greatest works and amongst the greatest pieces of music ever composed. It is one of the pinnacles of the St. Matthew Passion. It is a meditation on the verses Matthew 26:74-75, when Peter realized he has betrayed Christ and "weeps bitterly."
posted by fortitude25 at 4:58 AM on February 18 [4 favorites]

The only fault of the Erbarme dich is that it ends too soon.

I could go for a lot more of it.
posted by humbug at 7:13 AM on February 18 [1 favorite]