The Protestant Reformation

The Proms explores music that reflects historic events and the ways in which politics and cultural identity have inspired and influenced composers and their music across the ages.

Published: 20 April 2017

The Proms marks the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation through an examination of the music that stemmed from this period of radical religious and political transformation.

Reformation Day (20 August)

A day of performances curated by John Butt, exploring music inspired by the Reformation: chorale preludes (including new commissions) performed by organists William Whitehead and Robert Quinney; a survey of five centuries of Passion settings with the BBC Singers conducted by Sofi Jeannin (pictured); and a complete performance of J.S. Bach’s St John Passion with a chance for the audience to join in selected chorales.

Elsewhere at the Proms

  • A Late Night concert of Lutheran cantatas by J.S. Bach and psalm-settings by Schütz performed by Sir John Eliot Gardiner, the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists (2 August).
  • Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 5 In D Major (Reformation), written by the composer to mark the 300th anniversary of the presentation of the Augsburg Confession in 1530, a critical event of the Protestant Reformation (3 September).
  • Berg’s Violin Concerto, in which the composer quotes a Bach chorale, Es Ist Genug, performed by Christian Tetzlaff, with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra conducted by Robin Ticciati (15 August).
  • Stravinsky’s Canonic Variations on Vom Himmel Hoch, Da Komm’ Ich Her, a recomposition of variations by J.S. Bach on a Lutheran hymn, performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra and Philharmonia Voices conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen (2 August).
  • Conductor Jakub Hrůša leads a politically charged concert inspired by the Bohemian Reformation, including music by Smetana, Martinů, Janáček and Dvořák (26 August).
  • Conductor John Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic perform Hindemith’s symphony Mathis De Maler, stemming from his opera of the same name, which takes place against the backdrop of the Protestant Reformation (10 August).

Related Downloads