Concertgebouw Orchestra plays Bach's St Matthew Passion

Bach's St Matthew Passion

The Concertgebouw Orchestra's annual Passion Performance is one of the longest-running concert traditions in the world. In 1899, then-chief conductor Willem Mengelberg introduced the annual performance of Bach's mighty St Matthew Passion around Easter. Later on, the orchestra alternated the Passion according to Matthew with Bach's equally masterful St. John's Passion, and more recently also with Passions by other composers. But the 'Matthäus' remains number one in the Netherlands: it has been at the top of the favourite lists of classical music lovers for decades.

John Butt

Almost 300 years ago, Bach set the Passion in such an empathetic and compelling way that it leaves no one unmoved. The British conductor, harpsichordist, organist and musicologist John Butt is one of the Bach specialists of recent years. It is high time that he came to share his vision of the immortal masterpiece with the Concertgebouw Orchestra.