Matthew Passion @ 300

This session at the 2026 Bach Network Dialogue Meeting was convened to celebrate the 300th anniversary (give or take) of the first performance of J. S. Bach’s Matthew Passion. Hosted by Bettina Varwig, with guests Michael Marissen, Margaret Faultless (violin), Nicholas Mulroy (tenor), Andrew Skidmore (cello) and Edd Campbell-Rowntree (organ). We talked and played through a number of excerpts in light of the historical, theological and performance practice issues they raise. We discussed pulse, breath, expressive speech in recitative and the intricacies of violinistic virtuosity in the aria obligatos.