BACH - VIVALDI: HOLY PASSION MUSIC

J.S. Bach and Vivaldi, the most important baroque era composers and ‘holy monsters’ in the history of music, have written masterpieces for the Holy Week and Easter, inspired by the Divine Drama and the Holy Passion of the Lord. The programme includes rare arias by Bach on violoncello piccolo obbligato, side-by-side with the famous aria “Erbarme dich” with violin obbligato from Matthäus-Passion oratorio, Stabat Mater by Vivaldi expressing Mother Mary’ pain before the Cross, along with the dramatic aria “Gelido in ogni vena” from Farnace opera, which seems to be complementing the Mother’s lament: “I feel my blood like ice coursing through every vein, the shade of my lifeless son afflict me with terror.” The group, playing period instruments, will also perform Sonata a quattro “Il Santo Sepolcro” (the Holy Sepulchre) by Vivaldi, Sonata for violoncello piccolo and basso continuo by Bach and the Crucifixion Sonata for violin and basso continuo by Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber.
The soloists are: Nicholas Spanos, countertenor, Simos Papanas on baroque violin and Dimos Goundaroulis on baroque violoncello and the rare four-string violoncello piccolo.