“It’s designed to disturb. It should get under the skin and worry us.”
Mark Padmore explores Bach’s St Matthew Passion, and the advantages of performing it without a conductor.
Read MoreLeader Matthew Truscott tells us what it’s like to perform Bach’s St Matthew Passion without a conductor, but instead following the breathing of singer and director, Mark Padmore.
Read MoreFollowing much-praised accounts of the St John Passion and Christmas Oratorio, conductor Stephen Layton now turns to Bach’s mighty B minor Mass.
Read MoreProfessor Tara Shears came to talk to us about antimatter as part of our Bach, the Universe and Everything series at Kings Place. We learnt there is more connecting Bach and particle physics than you might imagine.
Read MoreWhat exactly is a Cantata?
Bach wrote over 200 of these mini-operas in his role as Cantor at various churches. Their sheer volume and unfamiliarity might seem overwhelming, but don’t let that put you off. Our co-principal keyboard Steven Devine explains all as he accompanies soprano Rowan Pierce in Bach’s Cantata Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten (Yield now, troubling shadows) BWV202.
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This week Emily and Alex from our Development team took a bunch of OAE Patrons, some of the Orchestra’s most loyal supporters, to Prague. They discovered castles, stag dos, and a little bit of Bach. Emily tells the story:
Read MoreCatch him doing the harpsichord thing (no football planned as yet) with the OAE on Sunday at St John’s Smith Square. More info and book tickets
Read MoreHere’s the Bach: A Family Affair programme. You can also pick up a physical copy free of charge at the concert.
Read MoreWe’re an orchestra, so we love concerts. But because the traditional concert format is great for some people and not for others, we often ask ourselves the question, “how could concerts be different?” Ten years ago, we looked at the informal ways people used to listen to classical music and created The Night Shift, our rule-breaking late night format.
Read MoreMargaret Faultless introduces a 1990 recording from BBC Scotland featuring the first movement of Bach’s double violin concerto.
Spot current OAE players Alison Bury (soloist), Cathy Weiss, Richard Tunnicliffe, Annette Isserlis, and Margaret Faultless.
We perform the same piece at St John’s Smith Square on 24 November (with Margaret) and the West London Synagogue on 22 November.
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If you were at one of our recent performances of Bach’s St Matthew Passion you will have noted the absence of a usually ubiquitous figure – the conductor.
Read MorePats on backs all round for last week’s St Matthew Passion in London.
Read MoreIn the run-up to our St Matthew Passion concert, we interview counter-tenor Robin Blaze.
Read MoreWhen asked to name their ideal dinner party guests, who would really say JS Bach?
Read MoreIn this week’s Current Distractions – surreal dogs, fun chocolate and a dormant crust of planetary mass that hasn’t spewed out anything hot in years.
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