The St John Passion by Arvo Pärt

Cappella Amsterdam sings Pärts Johannespassie


After Reinhard Keiser's Brockes-Passion on 13 March, the Matinee will feature passion music for the second time this Easter. Daniel Reuss conducts the Johannes Passion by the Estonian Arvo Pärt.


Contemporary and timeless


The St John Passion (1982) is one of the many religiously tinged works that Pärt composed after 1976 and is considered a highpoint of his 'tintinnabuli' style. The music is euphonious but extremely well constructed, at the same time contemporary and timeless. It is so strictly structured that one is more likely to think of the Middle Ages than of the passions of Bach and subsequent composers. With beautiful pauses between individual sentences, Pärt allows the words to penetrate you.


Main role for Cappella Amsterdam


A leading role is reserved for Cappella Amsterdam. The instrumentation is sparse: six vocal soloists, oboe, bassoon, violin, cello and organ. They perform the short but moving story of the Passion, as told in the Gospel of John. It is finished' - for the first time a long note sounds, as if Jesus is getting out of breath. Then He bowed His head and gave up the ghost', the evangelist tells us. Equally breathtaking.