On Tuesday 26 March 2024 at 7.30 pm in Hereford Cathedral, Hereford Cathedral Choir will be performing J S Bach’s St John Passion, accompanied by the period-instrument orchestra Marches Baroque.

The performance, which also features a distinguished line-up of soloists, tells the story of the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus according to the account in St John’s Gospel. 2024 marks the 300th anniversary of the first performance of this masterpiece in Leipzig in 1724.

The cathedral choir’s annual Holy Week performances of Bach’s Passions have become a fixture in Hereford’s musical diary in recent years, along with its biennial performances of the Christmas Oratorio. 

Geraint Bowen, Director of Music at the cathedral, and conductor of the performance, said: “The forces which we are using – our cathedral choir and a small orchestra playing on period instruments – produce a sound which would have been familiar to listeners in Bach’s time, and which bring out the intensely dramatic qualities of this much-loved work, first performed in Leipzig 300 years ago. It is always inspiring to see how our choristers – some of whom are as young as 8 – engage with this wonderful music. I’m looking forward to it immensely.”

The soloists joining the cathedral choir are David de Winter (Evangelist, tenor), William Gaunt (Christus), Zoë Brookshaw (soprano), Matthew Farrell (alto) and James Geidt (bass).

Tickets cost £25 (front nave), £18 (rear nave) and £10 for individuals aged 25 and under (rear nave) and are available to purchase online (click here for online tickets) or from the Cathedral Shop either in person or on the phone (01432 374 210).

This concert has kindly been supported by the W A Cadbury Charitable Trust and Hereford Cathedral Perpetual Trust. 

Banner Image Credit: Hereford Cathedral Choir and Marches Baroque perform St John Passion in April 2023 by Caroline Potter