Sacred Cantatas: Bach and the Divine

Benjamin Appl and the Academy of Ancient Music create an evening that’s both a musical self-portrait of and a deeply moving homage to this most timeless of all composers.

The baritone is already one of the most exciting lieder-singers of his generation, but here he gets back to Bach in a very personal recital that’s just as thoughtful and intimate as any lieder recital.

‘Bach belongs not to the past, but to the future’ said George Bernard Shaw, and it’s only in the era of modern recordings, perhaps, that we’ve been able to grasp the full scope and richness of Bach’s 200-plus cantatas. Tonight’s programme ranges from extracts from the iconic St Matthew Passion to some of Bach’s least known but loveliest cantatas.