ConcertPulse
Bach: Matthäus-Passion / Hans-Christoph Rademann
Elbphilharmonie, Großer Saal (Hamburg)
In January 2023, the audience in the Elbphilharmonie responded to the performance of Bach’s St John Passion with the Gaechinger Cantorey with minutes of cheering. »There was a lot to celebrate«, commented Marcus Stäbler for the Hamburger Abendblatt at the time, citing the »eye for the big picture«, the »dense arc of tension«, the »sense of context« and the »flair for detail« in Hans-Christoph Rademann’s interpretation. Now the long-established ensemble of the International Bach Academy Stuttgart is returning to the Elbe with the St Matthew Passion. The monumental oratorio with nine soloists, two choirs and a double orchestra immerses the audience in a deeply spiritual, moving and poetic experience. Bach’s depiction of Jesus’ last hours offers a journey through the human soul in the spirit of the Protestant tradition of the time. He masterfully brings the sacred text to life with vivid harmonies and exquisite interplay between soloists and choirs. With a hand-picked choir, a first-class baroque orchestra and outstanding soloists, Hans-Christoph Rademann presents a renewed and faithful version of this highlight of vocal music of all time.
