Classical concerts featuring

Riccardo Minasi

Concertgebouw Orchestra: Bach's St Matthew Passion

The week before Easter wouldn’t be complete without Bach’s always overwhelming St Matthew Passion, which for decades has been one of the most popular works among classical music lovers in the Netherlands. Bach composed the Passion nearly 300 years ago in such an emotional, compelling way that it leaves few listeners unmoved.The Concertgebouw Orchestra first performed the work in January 1891, and eight years later, the annual Passion tradition was officially established. This year’s Passion performance features Riccardo Minasi, one of the most interesting conductors to rise to fame in recent years, and a specialist in eighteenth-century music. Originally scheduled for 2020, his first appearance with the Concertgebouw Orchestra was postponed owing to the coronavirus pandemic. It’s high time he came to share his vision of Bach’s immortal masterpiece with the Concertgebouw Orchestra.

Concertgebouw Orchestra: Bach's St Matthew Passion

The week before Easter wouldn’t be complete without Bach’s always overwhelming St Matthew Passion, which for decades has been one of the most popular works among classical music lovers in the Netherlands. Bach composed the Passion nearly 300 years ago in such an emotional, compelling way that it leaves few listeners unmoved.The Concertgebouw Orchestra first performed the work in January 1891, and eight years later, the annual Passion tradition was officially established. This year’s Passion performance features Riccardo Minasi, one of the most interesting conductors to rise to fame in recent years, and a specialist in eighteenth-century music. Originally scheduled for 2020, his first appearance with the Concertgebouw Orchestra was postponed owing to the coronavirus pandemic. It’s high time he came to share his vision of Bach’s immortal masterpiece with the Concertgebouw Orchestra.

Ensemble Resonanz / Nils Mönkemeyer / William Youn / Riccardo Minasi

»This Mozart is rock ’n’ roll«, said the NDR about the recording of the last three Mozart symphonies by Ensemble Resonanz under its Principal Guest Conductor Riccardo Minasi. Symphony No. 35 »Haffner« is now on the programme with this level of energy. In addition, Nils Mönkemeyer on the viola and William Youn on the piano explore fragments from Mozart’s pen. The programme ends with Mozart’s symphony in all its elegance, preceded by his thoughts in the form of sketches and fragments, arranged by Isabel Mundry: melodies to whistle along to, a charming minuet, a presto with verve and a rapturous gesture. The casual overture by his contemporary Marianna von Martines invites us into the salon of the 18th century, while in a new chamber concerto Manfred Trojahn distils the muted sound of gardens that have become silent.

Drama and melancholy