St Matthew Passion
John Butt conducting the Concertgebouw Orchestra, choirs and soloists
Composed nearly 300 years ago, Bach’s St Matthew Passion still leaves few listeners unmoved. Bach specialist John Butt conducts the immortal masterpiece.
The Concertgebouw Orchestra’s annual Passion performance is one of the longest-running concert traditions in the world.
Composed nearly 300 years ago, Bach’s St Matthew Passion still leaves few listeners unmoved. Bach specialist John Butt conducts the immortal masterpiece.
The Concertgebouw Orchestra’s annual Passion performance is one of the longest-running concert traditions in the world.
Concert programme
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Johann Sebastian Bach
St. Matthew Passion
Performers
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John Butt
conductor
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Nicholas Mulroy
tenor
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Benjamin Appl
bass
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Sophie Bevan
soprano
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Jess Dandy
alto
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Hugo Hymas
tenor
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Stephan Loges
bass
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Netherlands Radio Choir
choir
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Netherlands National Children's Choir
choir
Dates and tickets
About this concert
The Concertgebouw Orchestra’s annual Passion performance is one of the longest-running concert traditions in the world. In 1899, the orchestra’s then chief conductor Willem Mengelberg introduced the annual performance of Bach’s powerful St Matthew Passion around Easter. Later, the orchestra alternated the Passion story according to St Matthew with Bach’s equally brilliant St John Passion, and more recently also with Passions by other composers. But the St Matthew is still number one in the Netherlands, having topped the favourites lists of classical music lovers for decades.
Bach composed the Passion nearly 300 years ago in such an emotional and compelling way that it leaves few listeners unmoved. The British conductor, harpsichordist, organist and musicologist John Butt is one of the pre-eminent Bach specialists to emerge in recent years. It’s high time he came to share his vision of this immortal masterpiece with the Concertgebouw Orchestra.