It’s only one of two surviving Passion settings by Bach (he may have written 4-5), first heard in 1727 and not heard again until over 100 years later when Felix Mendelssohn presented Bach’s St. Matthew Passion in Berlin. This week Bill McGlaughlin dives into the St. Matthew Passion on Exploring Music (Weekdays at 7pm).

in 2011, the Berlin Philharmonic and Simon Rattle presented a compelling, semi-staged version of the St. Matthew Passion directed by Peter Sellars. It was also released it on DVD and Blu-ray.

If you’re going to record an album, you might as well hand-pick the people who will play with you. That’s what Janine Jansen did for her latest recording of Bach: she chose the players, including her cellist brother and harpsichordist father.

While in town for his concert at the Bomhard Theater, in support of his new album, Chris Thile dropped in our Fall Membership Drive to play and talk Bach.

Chris Thile cut his teeth playing bluegrass in Carlsbad, California, where he helped form Nickel Creek. The folk trio would go on to win a Grammy in 2002. In 2006, Thile started the band Punch Brothers and his career hasn’t stopped moving. Our Featured Album this week is Chris Thile playing Bach, three sonatas and partitas for solo violin. You can hear him play at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts on October 19th.

Our Featured Album this week is available to you with a gift of $15/month ($180/year) or more during the Spring Membership Drive.