text: Interpolated text In between the sections or scenes of the Gospel text, other texts are sung as a meditation or underlining the action, in a variety of formats:
  soloists sing arias, in most cases preceded by an accompagnato recitative, and occasionally in a dialogue with the choir. These sections are based nearly exclusively on texts by Picander. The arias are in da capo format (ternary form). "Erbarme dich", for alto, and "Mache dich, mein Herze, rein", for bass, are examples of such arias in Part Two of the oratorio. In these movements the singers are accompanied by one or a few solo instruments and continuo, occasionally completed by other instrument groups of the orchestra.
  Choral movements come in two additional formats (apart from the turba and dialogue with soloist roles already mentioned above):
  Cornerstone choral movements, or chorale fantasias: these are the extended movements, typically used to open or close both parts of the oratorio. In the St Matthew Passion there are three such extended choral movements: the opening chorus ("Kommt, ihr Töchter, helft mir klagen", text by Picander and Nicolaus Decius), the conclusion of Part One ("O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß", text by Sebald Heyden) and the final chorus ("Wir setzen uns mit Tränen nieder", text by Picander)