Johann Sebastian Bach - St Matthew Passion (Nicholas McGegan)

Information

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

• St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244

Thomas Cooley; Paul Max Tipton; Sherezade Panthaki

Reginald Mobley; James Reese; Harrison Hintzsche

Cantata Collective

Nicholas McGegan, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: AVIE Records

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The Bay Area-based Cantata Collective, directed by Nicholas McGegan, presents a critically acclaimed series of J.S. Bach’s major choral works, including the St. John Passion, Mass in B Minor, Easter Oratorio, Magnificat, and culminating with the St. Matthew Passion for double choir and orchestra. Featuring the ensemble’s chorus, the San Francisco Girls Chorus, and a distinguished sextet of soloists, the performances blend dramatic narrative with expressive musicality. Recorded live at Berkeley’s First Church, the three-CD set—also available in Dolby Atmos—offers a rich, contemplative experience, complemented by scholarly notes from Daniel R. Melamed, enhancing both musical and textual appreciation of Bach’s profound sacred repertoire.

Nicholas McGegan (b. 1950) is an English-born conductor renowned for his expertise in Baroque and Classical repertoire. Educated at Cambridge and Oxford, he served for 34 years as Music Director of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale, now Music Director Emeritus, and holds positions with Hungary’s Capella Savaria. A specialist in Handel and 18th-century music, McGegan has led nearly 20 Handel operas, conducted major orchestras worldwide, and collaborated extensively with opera companies and dance ensembles. His prolific discography exceeds 100 recordings, including multiple Gramophone Award-winning Handel albums. Committed to education, he regularly mentors students at leading conservatories and festivals and continues ambitious projects such as the Cantata Collective Bach cycle.