Bach’s St Matthew Passion in the Netherlands
Bach’s St Matthew Passion in the Netherlands
Experience Johann Sebastian Bach’s St Matthew Passion live in the Netherlands: one of the greatest masterpieces in classical music and one of the country’s most remarkable musical traditions.
Every year in the weeks before Easter, thousands of people across the Netherlands gather in churches and concert halls to hear Bach’s monumental Passion.
For many Dutch people, attending the St Matthew Passion – also known in the Netherlands as the Matthäus Passion – has become an essential part of the Easter season.
If you live in or are visiting the Netherlands, experiencing the St Matthew Passion live offers a unique introduction to both Bach’s music and Dutch cultural tradition.
Why is the St Matthew Passion so famous in the Netherlands?
The Dutch relationship with Bach’s St Matthew Passion is exceptional. Few classical works are performed so frequently in one country during the same period.
Bach tells the Passion story through an extraordinary combination of soloists, choir and orchestra.
The Evangelist guides the listener through the story while the role of Christ, expressive arias and dramatic choruses reveal different perspectives and emotions.
Bach created the work for two choirs and two orchestras, producing an enormous range of musical colours. At one moment the music can be deeply intimate; moments later, the combined forces of singers and musicians fill the entire space.
You do not need to be religious or know the complete story beforehand to be moved by the music. Love, grief, fear, compassion, betrayal, hope and consolation are expressed in a musical language that remains powerful centuries after it was written.
Bach performed on authentic period instruments
The St Matthew Passion is performed by the renowned Bach Choir & Orchestra of the Netherlands, an ensemble closely associated with the performance of Bach in the Netherlands.
The orchestra’s musicians specialise in historical performance practice and play on authentic period instruments from the Baroque tradition.
The Bach Choir of the Netherlands is known for its flexible, transparent and expressive sound. Together with internationally renowned soloists and conductor Pieter Jan Leusink, the ensemble reveals both the intimacy and monumental scale of Bach’s masterpiece.
Experience a Dutch Easter tradition
Performances take place in historic churches and major concert halls throughout the Netherlands, including Amsterdam and cities across the country.
The combination of Bach’s music, authentic instruments and the atmosphere of these exceptional venues makes every performance a powerful live experience.
For internationals in the Netherlands, the St Matthew Passion is more than a classical concert. It is an opportunity to experience a musical tradition deeply embedded in Dutch cultural life.
Discover the performances and experience Bach’s St Matthew Passion live in the Netherlands.