The St John Passion close to perfection

On 28 and 29 March, Concerto Köln and the NDR Vokalensemble, under the direction of their chief conductor Klaas Stok, presented Johann Sebastian Bach’s St John Passion at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and in Kiel. The tenor Sebastian Kohlhepp appeared as the Evangelist, while other parts were performed by soloists from the vocal ensemble.

In the Hamburger Abendblatt, Verena Fischer-Zernin wrote on 31 March 2026:

“The strings of the Baroque ensemble Concerto Köln simmer, while the flutes and oboes push their long notes against each other in dissonances as sharp as knife blades. When listening, there is no chance to catch one’s breath or even lean back.”

“The continuo cellist Hannah Freienstein also plays her part, carrying Kohlhepp through the emotional fluctuations and shaping the music vividly and imaginatively, with a fine sense for its dramatic character.”

In the Kieler Nachrichten, Christian Strehk wrote on 1 April 2026:

“On the Sunday before Easter, the ‘St John Passion’ was performed by professional voices in an interpretation close to perfection.”

“With the utmost elegance in ‘historically informed’ style, the specialists of Concerto Köln nestled into the complex musical structure.”

The performance from 28 March at the Elbphilharmonie is available to watch on Arte.tv.