by Ben Hogwood

This joyful piece of music was written by Bach in Leipzig, in April 1725. It has four vocal soloists, who take on the parts of Mary Magdalene (alto), the ‘other’ Mary (soprano) and the apostles Simon Peter (tenor) and John (bass).

The brightly scored orchestra consists of trumpets, timpani, wind and strings, and its celebratory air is perfect for the festival as it tells of the events of the first Easter day.

Published post no.2,849 – Monday 6 April 2026

by Ben Hogwood

Happy Easter! And with it, some more music by Bach for solo cello.

The Cello Suite no.6 in D major, BWV1012, is often paralleled with Easter Sunday and the Resurrection, its Sarabande in particular finding a serenity and light appropriate for the season. You can watch Yo-Yo Ma in the whole suite below:

Published post no.2,848 – Sunday 4 April 2026

by Ben Hogwood

The second instalment of Bach at Easter is dedicated to one of the great master’s finest sacred pieces, the St. John Passion – telling the story in dramatic tones, as recorded by the Bach Collegium Japan when lockdown was imminent in 2020. You can listen below:

Published post no.2,847 – Saturday 4 April 2026

by Ben Hogwood

Over this long Easter weekend, and with it recently being the anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach‘s birthday, it feels appropriate to share four favourite pieces with you.

The first is the Cello Suite no.2 in D minor, BWV1008. The deeply profound Prelude to this suite is often associated with Good Friday and the Crucifixion, and is followed by the traditional sequence of dances where Bach’s masterful writing can be fully appreciated. Having been fortunate to play this piece, I can confirm the music gives as much satisfaction to the performer as it does to the listener!

You can enjoy a performance from Yo-Yo Ma, live at the BBC Proms in 2015, below:

Published post no.2,846 – Friday 3 April 2026