Proms last night, Bach Collegium Japan, St John Passion. Third time I've seen this ensemble but the first time with full choir. Things I learned: It's really useful to have a libretto (in the original and translation) rather than relying on your own vague memories of the Passion story - the programme had this. The recitative is *musically* extraordinary (the brilliant Benjamin Bruns was the Evangelist). And a baroque contrabassoon is *huge*: like an eight-foot tall wooden peppermill.