The St. Matthew and St. John Passion performances, a standing tradition in the Netherlands for countless singers, musicians and audience members, cannot continue because of Covid-19, now for the second year in a row. The experiences and emotions that singers, musicians and audience usually share in a concert hall or church are void, and both sacred and secular performance spaces remain silent. For The Quiet Passion, the Netherlands Chamber Choir invited four singers to perform the aria from the St. Matthew Passion that is most dear to them or moves them the most. Coming Good Friday we are premiering the last episode in this series – recorded in the monumental Pieterskerk in Leiden, alto Eline Welle sings one of the most beautiful and well-known arias from the St. Matthew Passion: Erbarme dich, mein Gott. She is joined by presenter Maartje van Weegen and regular performance attendee Michiel Josephus Jitta.
Read about the project and watch the other episodes here! Read more about Pieterskerk Leiden on their website.
Support our singersFor the second year in a row our musicians see their income plummeting due to the cancelled Passion performances where they would appear as soloist, singer, musician or conductor. We ask you to consider supporting our singers and to make a donation, which will be used for the benefit of the musicians of the Netherlands Chamber Choir. With you help we can offer much-needed to support to our (self-employed) musicians and keep making music at the highest level. |
| Support the Choir (in Dutch) |
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Order now through our webshop: the documentary, video registration and cd set of the St. Matthew Passion, conducted by Reinbert de Leeuw and performed by the Netherlands Chamber Choir and Holland Baroque. |
The Quiet Passion is an intiative by the Netherlands Chamber Choir
Episode 4: Erbarme dich
Eline Welle alto
Maartje van Weegen presentation
Michiel Josephus Jitta guest
Lidewij van der Voort violin
Gerard de Wit organ
Imre Ploeg, Joost Verheggen, Niels de Groot redaction
Laura Jonker producer
Onno van Ameijde director and editing
Linde Dorenbos camera assistant
Jasper Verkaart camera
Marijn Zurburg camera
Maarten Elzinga sound engineering and mastering
With thanks to: Pieterskerk Leiden
