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Our programme on Palm Sunday starts with the opening chorus of Bach’s St.Matthew Passion, one of the best-loved interpretations of the events of the first Holy Week.  In the next few days, this re-telling of the story of the trial, suffering and death of Jesus Christ will be heard in cathedrals, churches and concert halls around the world.  So will many other versions of these events, and their climax in Easter resurrection.   They’re seen by Christians as the most significant in human history, so maybe it’s hardly surprising that the theme continues to attract composers eager to put their own stamp on the music of the Passion.   Today we meet three who’ve done just that.

We begin with Bob Chilcott, described by one commentator as ‘a contemporary hero of British choral music.’   Trained as a chorister and organ scholar of King’s College, Cambridge, and once a member of the celebrated King’s Singers, he turned to composition full-time 18 years ago. He’s worked with singers and choirs in more than 30 countries.  Sacred works are an important element in his output, among them his St. John Passion.

Johann Sebastian Bach’s St. John Passion has been inspiring listeners for nearly 300 years, along with his St. Matthew.  There’s also his much lesser known version of St. Mark’s account, and over the years a dozen or so attempts have been made to reconstruct this ‘lost Passion’.  The latest is here in Wales, where composer and conductor Andrew Wilson-Dickson has been putting the final touches to his work with the Welsh Camerata.

We spoke to him during rehearsals at a church in Cardiff as they prepared without the soloists and orchestra who’ll be joining them for their Good Friday premiere at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.

Paul Mealor (pictured) came to worldwide attention when his music for the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge reached two-and-a-half billion people - the largest audience in broadcasting history.   Born in St. Asaph, where he sang in the cathedral choir, he’s professor of composition at the University of Aberdeen, and among many other positions he’s current Music Director of the National Youth Choir of Wales.   His constantly growing body of work wins acclaim in many settings, and he has the distinction of being the first classical composer to hold both the classical and pop chart No.1 spots at the same time.  Among his many sacred choral works is his version of the Passion  -  The Crucifixus.