A St. Matthew’s Passion in an ecumenical and timeless spirit by B. Tommy Andersson
World première
Pia-Karin Helsing, soprano
Katarina Karnéus, mezzo
Anders Eriksson, barytone
Aaron Sunstein, organ
Erik Westberg’s Vocal Ensemble
Strings from the Norrbotten Chamber Orchestra
Conductor Erik Westberg
Swedish composer and conductor B. Tommy Andersson Svenske kompositören och dirigenten B. Tommy Andersson found his inspiration in the many churches of Rome, where he is living a large part of his time: “A dream was born to write a passion that does not follow in the footsteps of J.S. Bach, but which, in an ecumenical and timeless spirit, is conceivable both in a Protestant church and in the historic Catholic sanctuaries in Rome.” The text is based on the Gospel of Matthew in the latin Vulgate, accompanied by other hymns and poems in latin.
The work has been commissioned by the Erik Westberg Vocal Ensemble together with nine parishes from around Sweden. It is premièred during Easter of 2024, the Vocal Ensemble performing it in Skellefteå and Piteå, the latter in cooperation with Swedish Radio and European Broadcasting Union.