Admin

Organization

Singer

Bass

Josep-Ramon Olivé

Jesus

Soprano

Marta Mathéu

Tenor

Ilker Arcayürek

Andreas Wolf

Conductor

Simon Halsey

James Gilchrist

Evangelist

Alex Potter

Palau de la Música Catalana

Orchestra

Orquestra Simfònica Camera Musicae

Others

Orfeó Català

Cor Infantil Orfeò Català, Cor de Cambra del Palau de la Música Catalana

Matthäus Passion, BWV 244 -  (St. Matthew Passion)

Barcelona

Spain

Sala de Concerts

Matthäus-Passion Bach,JS

Public

St. Matthew Passion

Approved

To speak of the Passion according to St. Matthew is also to speak of the recovery of ancient music; after Bach's death the work fell into oblivion. At that time the religious music of the Lutheran environment had a practical purpose and it was difficult, therefore, for the works to have repercussions outside the churches. 

Composer and conductor Felix Mendelssohn reinterpreted the Passion in 1829, conducting an abbreviated version adapted to the aesthetic tastes of the time. From then on, the reinterpretation of this work aroused great interest in the study of Bach's works. In Catalonia, this recovery took place 100 years ago at the Palau de la Música Catalana. In February 1921, the Orfeó Català reached a historic milestone by scheduling the first audition in Catalonia and in Spain according to Sant Mateu. 

The work presents the suffering and death of Christ according to the Gospel of St. Matthew. It is written for a group of instruments and two choirs. The words of Christ are accompanied by strings, while the other characters are accompanied only by the basso continuo. The exception occurs when Christ utters his last words: the strings no longer accompany a Christ in whom human nature emerges.

To commemorate that February 1921, the Orfeó Català together with the soloists of the Berliner Philharmoniker and the musicians of the Orquestra Simfònica Camera Musicae once again performed the Passion at the Palau de la Música Catalana.

English

St. Matthew Passion by Bach, J. S., From (2021/2021), Conductor Simon Halsey, Palau de la Música Catalana, Barcelona, Spain

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Ensemble

Programme, About & Synopsis

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues