Instead of aping these cultural paradigms, what Golijov does instead is totally reconstruct and reform the idea of the Passion. Structurally and emotionally, Golijov's Pasión plays out as a psychological drama rather than a strictly religious, or strictly linear, narrative. There's a strong hallucinatory element involved: no soloist or choral group is assigned a single role, so characters cross the pendulum between ultimate goodness to ultimate betrayal and back again without clear distinction. Musically, too, elements flow into each other without clear boundaries. Among Golijov's sources are European choral singing, African rhythms, and a variety of South American and Caribbean styles, including Argentine tango, Brazilian capoeira, and Cuban són. Most astonishingly, however, none of this feels forced. Instead, Golijov presents us with a thoughtful meditation not only on the Passion story, but also on what it means to be a 21st-century composer rooted in the music of three continents and nearly innumerable cultures.

Recorded live at the piece's premiere at Stuttgart's European Music Festival, this two-disc set gives a sense of the sheer drama of Golijov's work. Brazilian singer Luciana Souza, Cuban vocalist (and dancer) Reynaldo González Fernández, and the stellar Schola Cantorum de Carácas all give exemplary performances--natural and idiomatic, and yet highly alert to the demands Golijov makes of them. An important recording, then, and one that deserves serious attention. [2/15/2003]