Kurt Masur returned to the New York Philharmonic on Wednesday night. He was music director of the orchestra from 1991 to 2002. During that time, he programmed some Bach — which is rare for a symphony orchestra. And Bach is what he is conducting this week: the St. Matthew Passion.

Is this the greatest of all Bach’s works — and the greatest of all works? It is an argument, certainly.

Mr. Masur has lived with this work a long time. He was born in 1927, and started studying the Matthew in his teens. He did not conduct it until he was in his 50s. And he has decided views on the passion — and those views are right.

Mr. Masur conducted this work with wisdom and musicianship. He was no-nonsense but far from unfeeling. The music had bounce, subtlety, drama, sensitivity. It also had proper pacing. Pacing is as important to the St. Matthew Passion as it is to “Parsifal” and “Les Troyens.”

All in all, you were in good hands, with Mr. Masur on the podium. You could become absorbed in Bach, and his work, and this story. I might mention, too, that Mr. Masur’s energy and keenness were unflagging.

The Evangelist was the number-one Bach Evangelist in the world today: James Taylor, a tenor from Houston. He is the “Sweet Baby James” of the classical world. His singing is almost impossibly fresh, lovely — and accurate. It is also extraordinarily easy. Mr. Taylor goes for a high note like other people reach for a grape.

And he has a thorough understanding of what he is doing. He can put some vinegar in his voice, when he needs to. And his diction is very, very clear. As I’ve noted in reviews past, Mr. Taylor is almost eerily perfect.

He had many outstanding moments on Wednesday night, and I will cite just one: the moment when the Evangelist is describing the darkening of the world, in the middle of the day. This was surpassing.

The baritone singing the part of Jesus was Matthias Goerne — who brought his usual vocal beauty, and plenty of musical intelligence. At first, his voice seemed heavier than normal. But it lightened up, and it filled Avery Fisher Hall glowingly — with no forcing. Mr.Goerne’s voice was better in the higher register than in the lower. But we’ll take it anywhere, of course.

When he rebuked, those rebukes were not so much fearful as elegant — Mr. Goerne can’t help himself. But, he, the music, and the text still made their points. And Mr. Goerne sings an exceptionally beautiful German.

Singing the alto arias was Anna Larsson, who was in good voice. Sometimes that voice has a husk around it, or some fur. On this occasion, it was clearer. Occasionally, Ms. Larsson went off the rails: Her pitch would falter, her sound would become hooty. Also, she might have provided more volume, now and then.

She can sing “Erbarme dich, mein Gott” — that great aria — much better than she did. And Glenn Dicterow, the concertmaster, can play the violin lines in that aria much better than he did. He was oddly careless.

Christiane Libor was the soprano, and she sang warmly, importunately — endearingly. She did not show a large voice, but she did no straining at all, and her voice penetrated nicely. Also, her technique was utterly secure — until, strangely, her last lines, which are almost the last lines of the oratorio. Then she flatted.

The other soloists were adequate to not-so-adequate. And the Westminster Choir was excellent. So was the American Boychoir, which allied with the larger chorus. These forces, as a whole, were well-drilled and well-balanced. The chorale that begins “Bin ich gleich von dir gewichen” had what I can only describe as an urgent glow. Other chorales or utterances were heavenly, terrifying — whatever they needed to be.

As for the orchestra, it did some neat playing, to go with some sloppy and woeful playing. I have a feeling the orchestra will tighten up considerably, as these performances continue. Particularly to be commended on Wednesday night was the oboist, Liang Wang. He played both respectfully and stylishly.

The low strings are to be commended, too. There is a moment when the graves open up, and the sleepers awake. Those strings were fantastically stirring here.

We in New York can applaud the return of Kurt Masur. We can especially applaud his Bach. I believe that the last piece he ever conducted, as music director of the Philharmonic, was the Air on the G String. This was an encore. And it was just right: touching and correct. Mr. Masur has always said that he wishes only to serve composers and their music. It shows. And it showed magnificently in the St. Matthew Passion.