Matthäus-Passion – Braunschweig Cathedral

The St. Matthew Passion — A Work of World Literature

Johann Sebastian Bach's St. Matthew Passion BWV 244, first performed in 1727 at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, is considered one of the most significant sacred works in Western music history. Based on the Gospel of Matthew and texts by Picander, the work, in two large parts, tells the Passion story of Christ — from the prophecy of his suffering, through the Last Supper, his arrest, interrogation, and condemnation, to his crucifixion and burial. Conceived for double choir, with two orchestras, four soloists, and a boys' choir, the work presents the highest demands on all participants.

Good Friday Performance in Braunschweig Cathedral

The Good Friday performance in Braunschweig Cathedral has a long tradition and is one of the spiritual and musical highlights of the church year in the region. Braunschweig Cathedral (St. Blasii), one of Northern Germany's most important Romanesque churches and the burial place of Henry the Lion, provides a special setting for a work of this magnitude with its architecture and acoustics.

The Performers 2026

The Braunschweig Cathedral Choir and the choirs of the Cathedral Choir School will perform. The Cathedral Choir School, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026, holds a firm place in the city's church music and systematically prepares children and young people for choral singing. The vocal ensemble will be accompanied by the Göttingen Baroque Orchestra, which plays on historical instruments and is internationally recognized as one of the leading Baroque ensembles. The musical direction is by Cathedral Cantor Elke Lindemann.

Three Hours of Concentrated Listening Pleasure

With a duration of approximately three hours (including an intermission), the St. Matthew Passion demands concentration and devotion from the audience — and rewards it with one of the most intense musical experiences the sacred repertoire has to offer. Those who experience the work live in an acoustically suitable church space understand why it has moved generations of listeners for centuries.