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theme, which seems to halt at the invocation of the Father, but then resumes with greater force in the final cry (Matthew 27:50). With these elements we are in a position to give a more precise meaning to the “dark” sequence of the crucifixion, with this very particular citation: “Hear- ing you shall hear and not understand, seeing, shall see and not perceive, for the people’s heart is waxed gross and their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears” (Matthew 13:14–15).21 From a Christian perspective, only those who have faith and do not reason with the body can grasp the sense of the crucifixion: not a definitive death, but passage to a new life, and indeed the highest moment of this transformation, which leaves the dead and now useless body behind it. The scene with the collapsing houses, earth tremors and fires is nothing other than the visual transposition of the bodily “collapse”, just as on various occasions Jesus spoke of himself as a building (the true Temple). From this point of view, Mozart’s composition marks this change of perspective in accordance with the Christological doctrine. “DARK WAS THE NIGHT, COLD WAS THE GROUND” The next musical theme is a blues song by Blind Willie Johnson, “Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground”, which evokes the same melancholy as “Mother- less Child”. Johnson’s songs often have religious themes associated with Amer- ican Baptist culture. “Dark Was the Night” is the theme for two scenes: first, when the paralytic man clumsily approaches Jesus, and second, for the belat- ed contrition of Judas. The notes of the song draw the two situations closer, with both featuring a “sick” man. But while the physical defect of the paralytic can be resolved with a miracle, it almost seems as if even Jesus is powerless to treat Judas’ spiritual illness – a bitter association that fits well with the text and rhythm of the blues song. TWO RUSSIAN FOLK COMPOSITIONS: “OH YOU, WIDE STEPPE” AND “YOU FELL VICTIM” The next two musical motifs have a great deal in common, starting with their context of origin. Both are Russian compositions with a popular origin. The first is “Oh You, Wide Steppe” (Ах ты, степь широкая), a folk song sung by the Red Army choir, and it accompanies Jesus at the beginning of his journey through Galilee and during the calling of the first disciples. It has powerful sonorities, 21 Once again, I have cited the passage as it appears in the film. The citation is present in Matthew’s Gos- pel, but it comes from a prophecy attributed to Isaiah and Pasolini does not complete it with verse 16. The Soundscape of The Gospel According to St. Matthew | 97www.jrfm.eu 2019, 5/1