Golijov: La Pasion Segun San Marcos (St. Mark Passion)
Osvaldo Golijov is an inspired Argentinean-Jewish composer, and  his St. Mark Passion, an 86-minute, in-your-face work--drawing from  African American, South American, Cuban, European, and Jewish music--is an  exciting, vibrant, percussion-filled experience with the rhythmic thrust ofCarl Orff. The combination of folk and traditional instruments forms a highly original whole, and his retelling of the Passion story packs an emotional as well as musical wallop. This big, "maximist" work is not lacking in tender moments, however. An aria describing Christ's agony, for instance, is as touching and somber as anything textually similar inBach's Passions. Most of the work here is done by the chorus, but the solo voices, which are uncategorizable (i.e., not operatic, not pop, not folk--just good voices), are impressive and add to the unique flavor of this singular work. The performance was live, not studio-recorded, and the sense of occasion adds to the success of the set. Recommended for the curious and, well, passionate.--Robert Levine