Evangelist (Bach)

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Beginning of a recitative (St Matthew Passion, No. 61), the Bible words written in red BWV 244 Nr. 71.jpg
Beginning of a recitative ( St Matthew Passion , No. 61), the Bible words written in red

The Evangelist in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach is the tenor part in his oratorios and Passions who narrates the exact words of one of the Four Evangelists of the Bible, translated by Martin Luther, in recitative secco. The part appears in the works St John Passion , St Matthew Passion , and the Christmas Oratorio , as well as the St Mark Passion and the Ascension Oratorio Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen, BWV 11. Some cantatas also contain recitatives of Bible quotations, assigned to the tenor voice.

Contents

Bach followed a tradition using the tenor for the narrator of a gospel. It exists (and is also often called the Evangelist) in earlier works setting biblical narration, for example by Heinrich Schütz ( Weinachtshistorie , Matthäuspassion, Lukaspassion, Johannespassion).

In contrast, the vox Christi, voice of Christ, is always the bass in Bach's works, including several cantatas.

Music and sources

The Evangelist reports in secco recitatives accompanied by basso continuo only.

In the St John Passion the story consists of chapters 18 and 19 of John the Evangelist, the St Matthew Passion tells the complete chapters 26 and 27 of Matthew the Evangelist. The first versions of the St. John Passion contained two additional lines from Matthew mentioning the weeping of the disciple Peter and the tearing of the temple curtain. Bach composed the weeping in an expressive melisma and the tearing in a forceful downward run followed by tremolo, but removed the parts in later versions.

The Christmas Oratorio follows Luke the Evangelist for parts 1 to 4, and St. Matthew for Parts 5 and 6. A St Mark Passion after Mark the Evangelist is lost, but has been reconstructed by several scholars. In the Ascension Oratorio, BWV 11, the story is compiled verse by verse from different biblical sources. The Easter Oratorio is an exception, as a play of four biblical characters without narration. [1]

Evangelist singers

Some tenors are known especially for their rendition of the Evangelist, including:

Evangelist in cantatas

The Evangelist narrates in several cantatas.

In Jesus nahm zu sich die Zwölfe, BWV 22 (7 February 1723, Quinquagesima), the cantata starts with a scene from the Gospel, the announcement of suffering in Jerusalem, quoting Luke18:31,34. The tenor as the Evangelist begins the narration from the verse 31, Jesus nahm zu sich die Zwölfe (Jesus gathered the twelve to Himself). The bass as the vox Christi (voice of Christ) sings the announcement of the suffering, Sehet, wir gehn hinauf gen Jerusalem (Behold, we go up to Jerusalem), A choral fugue illustrates the reaction of the disciples.

In Am Abend aber desselbigen Sabbats, BWV 42 (8 April 1725, first Sunday after Easter), the tenor opens after a Sinfonia, accompanied by the continuo in repeated fast notes, possibly illustrating the anxious heart beat of the disciples, when Jesus appears, "On the evening, however, of the same Sabbath, when the disciples had gathered and the door was locked out of fear of the Jews, Jesus came and walked among them", John20:19.

In Er rufet seinen Schafen mit Namen, BWV 175 (22 May 1725, Pentecost Tuesday), the tenor sings the opening recitative, "Er rufet seinen Schafen mit Namen und führet sie hinaus", John10:3.

In Siehe, ich will viel Fischer aussenden, BWV 88 (21 July 1726, 5th Sunday after Trinity), the tenor begins part 2 with a recitative on Luke5:10, "Jesus sprach zu Simon" (Jesus said to Simon).

In Wer Dank opfert, der preiset mich, BWV 17 (22 September 1726, 14th Sunday after Trinity), the tenor begins part 2 with a recitative on Luke17:15–16.

Fifth Evangelist

Bach himself is frequently referred to as the Fifth Evangelist for his devoted interpretation of the biblical sources. [2] In 1929 the Swedish bishop Nathan Söderblom had called Bach's cantatas the Fifth Gospel. [3] [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>St Matthew Passion</i> 1727 sacred oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach

The St Matthew Passion, BWV 244, is a Passion, a sacred oratorio written by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1727 for solo voices, double choir and double orchestra, with libretto by Picander. It sets the 26th and 27th chapters of the Gospel of Matthew to music, with interspersed chorales and arias. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest masterpieces of Baroque sacred music. The original Latin title Passio Domini nostri J.C. secundum Evangelistam Matthæum translates to "The Passion of our Lord J[esus] C[hrist] according to the Evangelist Matthew".

<i>Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen</i>, BWV 11 Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach (1729)

Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen, BWV 11, known as the Ascension Oratorio, is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach, marked by him as Oratorium In Festo Ascensionis Xsti, composed for the service for Ascension and probably first performed on 15 May 1738.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bach cantata</span> Cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach

The cantatas composed by Johann Sebastian Bach, known as Bach cantatas, are a body of work consisting of over 200 surviving independent works, and at least several dozen that are considered lost. As far as known, Bach's earliest cantatas date from 1707, the year he moved to Mühlhausen, although he may have begun composing them at his previous post in Arnstadt. Most of Bach's church cantatas date from his first years as Thomaskantor and director of church music in Leipzig, a position which he took up in 1723.

<i>Jesus nahm zu sich die Zwölfe</i>, BWV 22 1723 church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach

Jesus nahm zu sich die Zwölfe, BWV 22, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach composed for Quinquagesima, the last Sunday before Lent. Bach composed it as an audition piece for the position of Thomaskantor in Leipzig and first performed it there on 7 February 1723.

<i>Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes</i>, BWV 40 Church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vox Christi</span>

Vox Christi, Latin for Voice of Christ, is a setting of Jesus' words in a vocal work such as a Passion, an Oratorium or a Cantata. Conventionally, for instance in Protestant music of the Baroque era, the vox Christi is set for a bass voice.

<i>Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen</i>, BWV 65 Church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach

Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen, BWV 65, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in 1724 in Leipzig for Epiphany and first performed it on 6 January 1724 as part of his first cantata cycle.

As Thomaskantor, Johann Sebastian Bach provided Passion music for Good Friday services in Leipzig. The extant St Matthew Passion and St John Passion are Passion oratorios composed by Bach.

<i>Sehet, wir gehn hinauf gen Jerusalem</i>, BWV 159 Church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach

Sehet, wir gehn hinauf gen Jerusalem, BWV 159, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig for the Sunday Estomihi, the last Sunday before Lent, and probably first performed it on 27 February 1729. The gospel reading for the Sunday, from the Gospel of Luke, includes Jesus announcing his suffering and death in Jerusalem. The cantata's theme and Bach's music foreshadow his Passion.

<i>St Mark Passion</i> (attributed to Keiser) St Mark Passion

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<i>Er rufet seinen Schafen mit Namen</i>, BWV 175

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<i>Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht</i>, BWV 124

Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht, BWV 124, is a church cantata written by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed the chorale cantata in Leipzig for the first Sunday after the Epiphany and first performed it on 7 January 1725. It is based on the hymn "Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht" by Christian Keymann.

<i>Herr Jesu Christ, wahr Mensch und Gott</i>, BWV 127

Herr Jesu Christ, wahr' Mensch und Gott, BWV 127, is a cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach for use in a Lutheran service. He composed the chorale cantata in 1725 in Leipzig for the Sunday Estomihi, the Sunday before Lent. It is based on Paul Eber's 1582 hymn in eight stanzas "Herr Jesu Christ, wahr Mensch und Gott". Bach first performed it on 11 February 1725.

<i>St Matthew Passion</i> structure Insight in a mass by J. S. Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach's St Matthew Passion, BWV 244, is structured on multiple levels: the composition is structured in three levels of text sources and by the different forms that are used for musical expression.

<i>St John Passion</i> structure Sacred oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach

The structure of the St John Passion, BWV 245, a sacred oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach first performed in Leipzig on Good Friday 1724, is "carefully designed with a great deal of musico-theological intent". Some main aspects of the structure are shown in tables below.

<i>Jauchzet, frohlocket! Auf, preiset die Tage</i>, BWV 248 I Cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach

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<i>Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben</i>, BWV 248 IV Christmas cantata of Johann Sebastian Bach

Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben, BWV 248IV, is a Christmas cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach, composed in 1734 as Part IV of his six-part Christmas Oratorio. Each part of the oratorio is a cantata, written for performance on one of the feast days of the Christmas period. Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben is meant for the New Year's Day feast of the circumcision and naming of Jesus. Based on a libretto by an unknown author, it tells the naming of Jesus from the Nativity of Jesus, according to the Gospel of Luke.

<i>Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend</i>, BWV 248 II Second cantata of Johann Sebastian Bachs Christmas Oratorio

Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend, BWV 248II, is a 1734 Christmas cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach as the second part of his Christmas Oratorio. Bach was then Thomaskantor, responsible for music at four churches in Leipzig, a position he had assumed in 1723.

<i>Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen</i>, BWV 248 III Third cantata of Johann Sebastian Bachs Christmas Oratorio

Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen, BWV 248III, is a 1734 church cantata for the third day of Christmas (27 December) which Johann Sebastian Bach composed as the third part of his Christmas Oratorio. The Christmas cantata was first performed in 1734, in Leipzig. Bach was then Thomaskantor, responsible for music at four churches in Leipzig, a position he had assumed in 1723.

St Mark Passion is a Passion, written in baroque style by Nikolaus Matthes (*1981) between April 2019 and April 2020. It describes the passion, death and sepulture of Jesus. It contains the entire text of chapters 14 and 15 of the Gospel of Mark.

References

  1. ↑ Alfred Dürr. 1971. Die Kantaten von Johann Sebastian Bach, Bärenreiter 1999, ISBN   3-7618-1476-3 (in German)
  2. ↑ "Christian History Corner: The Fifth Evangelist" in Christianity Today, 2000
  3. ↑ Uwe Siemon-Netto: "Why Nippon Is Nuts About J. S. Bach. The Japanese yearn for hope." Archived 2011-09-30 at the Wayback Machine atlantic-times.com 2005
  4. ↑ Birger Petersen-Mikkelsen, "Praedicatio sonora. Musik und Theologie bei Johann Sebastian Bach", in: Kirchenmusik und Verkündigung – Verkündigung als Kirchenmusik. Zum Verhältnis von Theologie und Kirchenmusik, Eutiner Beiträge zur Musikforschung 4, Eutin 2003, pp. 45–60: 47 (in German)
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