Read about the two Bach blockbusters being performed by the Oxford Bach Soloists this Easter – and find out more about our special Easter ticket offer.
One of Bach’s best loved works, the St John Passion was first performed on Good Friday of 1724 in the St Nicholas Church, Leipzig. This extravagant work is presented by an ensemble of soloists, four-part choir, strings an
d basso continuo together with pairs of flauti traversi and oboes doubling on oboe da caccia. Bach also uses viola d’amore and viola da gamba to create special colours within the instrumental mix.
The narrative is led by the Evangelist which will be sung by tenor Stefan Kennedy, in addition to an impressive line-up of solo roles including Jesus, Pilate, Peter, a maid and two servants.
Bach’s colossal 1725 Easter Oratorio with its festive scoring for orchestra, chorus and its four characters Simon Peter, John the Apostle, Mary Magdalene, and Mary Jacobe telling the Easter story.
Bach’s Easter Cantata which precedes it has been described as Bach’s first-known attempt at painting a narrative in music as it explores the battle between Life and Death.
A highlight is the world premiere of Colin Riley’s setting of fragments of poetry by Edward Thomas exactly 100 years since his tragic death in the WW1 trenches. At the start of a UK tour the piece is a quiet celebration of his wonderful words, his troubled life, and particular ‘Englishness’.
