Bach’s ‘little Passion’, as Schumann famously called it, was unveiled to the Leipzig congregation on Good Friday 1724, 300 years ago almost to the day. It was Bach’s first Passion, and although more slender than the Matthew that would follow three years later, it remains his first piece of grand storytelling. While the Matthew Passion is a more monumental, contemplative piece, the John is arguably more dramatic, placing greater emphasis on the tensions and humanity at the heart of the passion story.