It takes 75 minutes to relate the story of the Passion according to the Latin of St John's Gospel, Pärt uses solo singers for the roles of Pilate and Christ, and a group of four soloists (soprano, counter tenor, tenor and bass) for the Evangelist, together with a small chorus. Understatement is all: the instrumental accompaniment is confined to a quartet of woodwind and strings that underpins the Evangelist quartet, and an organ to support the remaining singers. Each distinct group has its own s