What is the podcast about?
Soprano Bobbie Blommesteijn – in conversation with principal conductor Daniel Reuss and musicologist Maartje Stokkers – gives a glimpse into the life of a singer in the St. Matthew Passion. Bobbie sang in the children’s choir as a child and has sung all the soprano parts as a professional singer.
What is Bobbie’s favorite piece in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion? When did Daniel Reuss first hear it, and what should a Matthäus really sound like according to the many “experts” in the Netherlands? Listen to hilarious anecdotes, wonderful music clips and enlightening facts in these two podcast episodes.
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Who do you hear in this podcast?
Bobbie Blommesteijn (b. 1989) began her musical career at the Haarlem choir school. With the Cathedral Choir, she made concert tours to England, Germany, France and Slovakia. At 14, she began her vocal studies at the preliminary course at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague where she studied with Manon Heijne. She continued these studies with Sasja Hunnego at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. In addition to her work as a soloist, Bobbie is a sought-after ensemble singer. She is also associated with the Laurens Collegium, Collegium Vocale Gent and the Netherlands Chamber Choir.
Maartje Stokkers is a Dutch musicologist and radio host. She studied musicology at the University of Amsterdam. She also studied music history at the University of Perugia. During her studies, she did an internship at the AVRO’s Internet art and classical editorial department.
From 2005 to 2018, Maartje Stokkers was a regular presenter on NPO Radio 4. Among other programs, she presented The Friday of Vredenburg, The Sunday Afternoon Concert and the radio broadcast of the Prinsengracht Concert.
Daniel Reuss has been artistic director and chief conductor of Cappella Amsterdam, in which he had been singing for many years when he acquired that position. As a guest conductor, Daniel Reuss makes music with companies throughout Europe, including the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, MusikFabrik, Vocal Consort Berlin, Collegium Vocale Gent and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.
He has been chief conductor of the RIAS Kammerchor in Berlin (2003-2006) and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir (2008-2013), among others, and has been permanent guest conductor of the Ensemble Vocal Lausanne since June 2015.
music samples
The musical excerpts to be heard
- Isabel Schicketanz and Marie Henriette Reinhold: Hans-Christoph Rademann, Gaechinger Kantorei, Accentus, 2021. So ist mein Jesus nun gefangen
- Patrick Grahl and Krešimir Stražanac: Rademann, Gaechinger Kantorei, Accentus, 2021. Auf das Fest aber hatte der Landpfleger Gewohnheit
- Patrick Grahl: Rademann, Gaechinger Kantorei, Accentus, 2021. Wie wunderbarlich ist doch diese Strafe
- Rademann, Gächinger Kantorei, Accentus, 2021. Der Landpfleger sagte
- Isabel Schicketanz: Rademann, Gächinger Kantorei, Accentus, 2021. Er hat uns allen wohlgetan
- idem. Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben
- Nicolaus Harnoncourt, Concertgebouw Orchestra and Choir, TELDEC, 1985. Kommt, ihr Töchter, half mir klagen
- Masaaki Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan, BIS, 2019. Kommt, ihr Töchter, half mir klagen
- Phillippe Herreweghe, Collegium Vocale Gent, 1999. Kommt, ihr Töchter, half mir klagen
- Paul McCreesh, Gabrieli Consort, Deutsche Grammophon, 2003. Kommt, ihr Töchter, half mir klagen
- Kurt Equiluz: Harnoncourt, Concertgebouw Orchestra and Choir, TELDEC, 1985. Petrus aber sass draussen im Palast
- Benjamin Bruns: Masaaki Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan, BIS, 2019. Petrus aber sass draussen im Palast
- Herreweghe, Collegium Vocale Gent, 1999. Petrus aber sass draussen im Palast
- Robert Holl, NTR. Der Leiermann (Schubert).
