St John Passion

In the mid-19th century, the Rhineland became a significant driving force in rediscovering Johann Sebastian Bach, championed above all by Robert Schumann. He was the first to perform, among other works, ‘St John Passion’ in Düsseldorf in 1851; the piece had long been forgotten. At the time, choral singers from Cologne were also involved. The ‘St John Passion’ is Bach’s first passion oratorio, and it continued to occupy him through his last year as the cantor of St. Thomas Church in Leipzig: he rewrote the work – which is esteemed for its immediacy of expression and drama – multiple times. At this Good Friday concert, Gürzenich General Music Director Francois-Xavier Roth will address the music of Johann Sebastian Bach with his new orchestra for the first time. A cast of international singers will be at his side. Jointly, they will set about to rediscover one of Bach’s most famous works.