St John Passion

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St John Passion
BWV 245
Passion by J. S. Bach
Johannespassion.jpg
First page of the autograph
Native namePassio secundum Joannem
Occasion Good Friday
Text
Performed
  • 7 April 1724 (1724-04-07): Leipzig (version 1)
  • 30 March 1725 (1725-03-30): Leipzig (version 2)
  • 1728 (1728)/1730?: Leipzig (version 3)
  • 1739 (1739)/1749?: Leipzig (version 4)
Scoring
  • SATB choir and solo
  • orchestra of woodwinds, strings and basso contiuo

The Passio secundum Joannem or St John Passion [a] (German: Johannes-Passion), BWV 245, is a Passion or oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach, the earliest of the surviving Passions by Bach. [1] It was written during his first year as director of church music in Leipzig and was first performed on 7 April 1724, at Good Friday Vespers at the St. Nicholas Church. [2] [3]

Contents

The structure of the work falls in two halves, intended to flank a sermon. The anonymous libretto draws on existing works (notably by Barthold Heinrich Brockes) and is compiled from recitatives and choruses narrating the Passion of Christ as told in the Gospel of John, ariosos and arias reflecting on the action, and chorales using hymn tunes and texts familiar to a congregation of Bach's contemporaries. [4] Compared with the St Matthew Passion , the St John Passion has been described as more extravagant, with an expressive immediacy, at times more unbridled and less "finished". [5]

The work is most often heard today in the 1739–1749 version (never performed during Bach's lifetime). Bach first performed the oratorio in 1724 and revised it in 1725, 1730, [6] and 1749, adding several numbers. " O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß ", a 1725 replacement for the opening chorus, found a new home in the 1736 St Matthew Passion but several arias from the revisions are found only in the appendices to modern editions.

First performance

The St John Passion was intended for the vesper service on Good Friday of 1724, shortly after Bach's 39th birthday. [7] It was originally planned to be held at St. Thomas in Leipzig, but due to a last-minute change by the music council, it was to be first performed at St. Nicholas. Bach quickly agreed to the move,

but pointed out that the booklet was already printed, that there was no room available and that the harpsichord needed some repair, all of which, however, could be attended to at little cost; but he requested that a little additional room be provided in the choir loft of St. Nicholas Church, where he planned to place the musicians needed to perform the music. He also asked that the harpsichord be repaired. [7]

The council agreed and sent a flyer announcing the new location to all the people around Leipzig. The council made the arrangements requested by Bach regarding the harpsichord and space needed for the choir. [7]

Musical architecture and sources

The St John Passion is written for a four-part choir with soloists, as well as an instrumental ensemble of strings and basso continuo with pairs of flauti traversi and oboes, the latter both doubling on oboe da caccia. For special colors Bach also used lute, viola d'amore and viola da gamba, instruments that were already considered old-fashioned at the time.[ citation needed ]

In present-day performances the part of Jesus is often given to one bass soloist, Pilate and the bass arias to another. The part of the Evangelist and the tenor arias are often given to two different singers. The smaller parts (Peter, Maid, Servant) are usually performed by choir members.[ citation needed ]

Bach followed chapters 18 and 19 of the Gospel of John in the Luther Bible, and the tenor Evangelist follows exactly the words of that bible. The compiler of the additional poetry is unknown. Models are the Brockes Passion and a Johannes-Passion by Christian Heinrich Postel. The first scene is in the Kidron Valley, and the second in the palace of the high priest Kaiphas. Part Two shows three scenes, one with Pontius Pilate, one at Golgatha, and the third finally at the burial site. The dramatic argument between Pilate, Jesus, and the crowd is not interrupted by reflective elements but a single central chorale.

The numbering of the movements is different in different editions. The following table uses the numbers of the Neue Bach-Ausgabe (NBA). [8]

Part One
NBAVoicesGermanEnglish
1CoroHerr, unser Herrscher, dessen Ruhm in allen Landen herrlich istLord, our Lord, whose glory is magnificent in all the earth
2aEvangelist, JesusJesus ging mit seinen Jüngern über den Bach KidronJesus went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron
2bCoroJesum von NazarethJesus of Nazareth
2cEvangelist, JesusJesus spricht zu ihnenJesus says to them
2dCoroJesum von NazarethJesus of Nazareth
2eEvangelist, JesusJesus antwortete: Ich hab's euch gesagt, daß ich's seiJesus answered, I have told you that I am
3ChoraleO große Lieb', o Lieb' ohn' alle MaßeO great love, o love beyond all measure
4Evangelist, JesusAuf daß das Wort erfüllet würdeThat the saying might be fulfilled
5ChoraleDein Will' gescheh', Herr Gott, zugleichThy will be done, Lord God, at the same time
6EvangelistDie Schar aber und der OberhauptmannThen the band and the captain
7Aria (alto)Von den Stricken meiner SündenFrom the bonds of my sins
8EvangelistSimon Petrus aber folgete Jesu nachAnd Simon Peter followed Jesus
9Aria (soprano)Ich folge dir gleichfalls mit freudigen SchrittenI will follow you likewise with joyful steps
10Evangelist, Maid, Peter, Jesus, ServantDerselbige Jünger war dem Hohenpriester bekanntThat disciple was known to the high priest
11ChoraleWer hat dich so geschlagenWho hit you so
12aEvangelistUnd Hannas sandte ihn gebunden zu dem Hohenpriester KaiphasNow Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest
12bCoroBist du nicht seiner Jünger einer?Are you not one of his disciples?
12cEvangelist, Peter, ServantEr leugnete aberHe denied it
13Aria (tenor)Ach, mein SinnOh, my sense
14ChoralePetrus, der nicht denkt zurückPeter, who does not think back
Part Two
NBAVoicesGermanEnglish
15ChoraleChristus, der uns selig machtChrist, who makes us blessed
16aEvangelist, PilateDa führeten sie Jesum von Kaiphas vor das RichthausThen led they Jesus from Caiaphas into the hall of judgment
16bCoroWäre dieser nicht ein Übeltäter, wir hätten dir ihn nicht überantwortet.If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him to you.
16cEvangelist, PilateDa sprach Pilatus zu ihnenThen said Pilate to them
16dCoroWir dürfen niemand töten.We must not put any man to death.
16eEvangelist, Pilate, JesusAuf daß erfüllet würde das Wort JesuThat the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled
17ChoraleAch großer König, groß zu allen ZeitenOh great king, great at all times
18aEvangelist, Pilate, JesusDa sprach Pilatus zu ihmPilate therefore said to him
18bCoroNicht diesen, sondern Barrabam!Not this man, but Barabbas!
18cEvangelist, Pilate, JesusBarrabas aber war ein Mörder.Now Barabbas was a murderer.
19Arioso (bass)Betrachte, meine Seel', mit ängstlichem VergnügenLook, my soul, with anxious pleasure
20Aria (tenor)Erwäge, wie sein blutgefärbter RückenConsider how his blood-stained back
21aEvangelistUnd die Kriegsknechte flochten eine Krone von DornenAnd the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns
21bCoroSei gegrüßet, lieber Judenkönig!Hail, King of the Jews!
21cEvangelist, PilateUnd gaben ihm Backenstreiche.And they smote him with their hands.
21dCoroKreuzige, kreuzige!Crucify him, crucify him!
21eEvangelist, PilatePilatus sprach zu ihnenPilate said to them
21fCoroWir haben ein Gesetz, und nach dem Gesetz soll er sterbenWe have a law, and by our law he ought to die
21gEvangelist, Pilate, JesusDa Pilatus das Wort hörete, fürchtet' er sich noch mehrWhen Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid
22ChoraleDurch dein Gefängnis, Gottes Sohn, muß uns die Freiheit kommenThrough thy captivity, Son of God, has come to us the freedom
23aEvangelistDie Juden aber schrieenBut the Jews cried out, and said
23bCoroLässest du diesen los, so bist du des Kaisers Freund nichtIf you let this man go, you are not Caesar's friend
23cEvangelist, PilateDa Pilatus das Wort hörete, führete er Jesum herausWhen Pilate heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth
23dCoroWeg, weg mit dem, kreuzige ihn!Away, away with him, crucify him!
23eEvangelist, PilateSpricht Pilatus zu ihnenPilate says to them
23fCoroWir haben keinen König denn den Kaiser.We have no king but Caesar.
23gEvangelistDa überantwortete er ihn daß er gekreuziget würde.Then he delivered him to them to be crucified.
24Aria (bass)Eilt, ihr angefochtnen SeelenHurry, you souls
25aEvangelistAllda kreuzigten sie ihnThere they crucified him
25bCoroSchreibe nicht: der Juden KönigWrite not, The King of the Jews
25cEvangelist, PilatePilatus antwortet'Pilate answered
26ChoraleIn meines Herzens GrundeIn the bottom of my heart
27aEvangelistDie Kriegsknechte aber, da sie Jesum gekreuziget hatten, nahmen seine KleiderThen the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments
27bCoroLasset uns den nicht zerteilen, sondern darum losen, wes er sein soll.Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be.
27cEvangelist, JesusAuf daß erfüllet würde die SchriftThat the scripture might be fulfilled
28ChoraleEr nahm alles wohl in achtHe was careful of everything
29Evangelist, JesusUnd von Stund' an nahm sie der Jünger zu sich.And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.
30Aria (alto)Es ist vollbracht!It is finished!
31EvangelistUnd neiget' das Haupt und verschied.He bowed his head, and departed.
32Aria (bass)Mein teurer Heiland, laß dich fragenMy precious Savior, let ask you
33EvangelistUnd siehe da, der Vorhang im Tempel zerriß in zwei StückAnd, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two
34Arioso (tenor)Mein Herz, in dem die ganze Welt bei Jesu Leiden gleichfalls leidetMy heart, in which the whole world in Jesus' suffering likewise suffers
35Aria (soprano)Zerfließe, mein Herze, in Fluten der ZährenMelt, my heart, in floods of tears
36EvangelistDie Juden aber, dieweil es der Rüsttag warThe Jews therefore, because it was the preparation day
37ChoraleO hilf, Christe, Gottes SohnO help, Christ, Son of God
38EvangelistDarnach bat Pilatum Joseph von ArimathiaAnd after this Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate
39CoroRuht wohl, ihr heiligen GebeineRest well, holy bones
40ChoraleAch Herr, lass dein' lieb' EngeleinO Lord, let your dear little angels

Bach followed the Gospel of John but added two lines from the Gospel of Matthew, the account of Peter's weeping and the rending of the veil in the temple (in Version I, this second line was replaced by the line from the Gospel of Mark).

He chose the chorales:

For the words of the aria "Ach, mein Sinn" (#13), Bach used an adaptation of a 1675 poem by Christian Weise, "Der weinende Petrus". [9]

For the central chorale (#22) "Durch dein Gefängnis, Gottes Sohn, muß uns die Freiheit kommen" ("Through Your prison, Son of God, must freedom come to us) Bach adapted the words of an aria from the Johannes-Passion of Christian Heinrich Postel (1700) and used the melody of "Mach's mit mir, Gott, nach deiner Güt" by Johann Hermann Schein. The architecture of Part Two shows symmetry around this movement, the music of the preceding chorus #21f "Wir haben ein Gesetz" corresponds to #23b "Lässest du diesen los", the demand #21d "Kreuzige ihn!" is repeated in an intensified way in #23d "Weg, weg mit dem, kreuzige ihn!", #21b "Sei gegrüßet, lieber Judenkönig" reappears as #25b "Schreibe nicht: der Juden König". [10] [11]

Versions

Researchers have discovered that Bach revised his St John Passion several times before producing a final version in the 1740s. [12] Alternate numbers that Bach introduced in 1725 but later removed can be found in the appendix to scores of the work, such as that of the Neue Bach-Ausgabe (and heard in the recording by Emmanuel Music directed by Craig Smith, cited below). [13]

The St John Passion was not Bach's first passion. While he was working as Konzertmeister (1714–1717) in Weimar, Bach possibly wrote a Passion, known as the Weimarer Passion , but it is now lost. [1] Sometimes while listening to the St John Passion today one can sense an older feel to some of the music, and some scholars believe that those portions are the surviving parts of the Weimar Passion. [1] Unlike the St Matthew Passion, to which Bach made very few and insignificant changes, the St John Passion was subject to several major revisions. [14] The version most familiar to us today is not the original version from 1724, but rather the version of 1739–1749. [15] In the 1724 version, the Recitative Movement No. 33 reads "Und die Vorhang im Tempel zerriß in zwei Stück; von oben an bis unten aus." (Mark 15, 33) and was in 3 measures. From 1725 on, this was replaced by the more familiar 7-measure quote from Matthew 27: 51–52 (except in the 3rd version, in which this was taken out altogether). [16]

In 1725, Bach replaced the opening and closing choruses and added three arias (BWV 245a-c) while cutting one (Ach, mein Sinn) from the original version. [13] The opening chorus was replaced by O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß, which was later transposed and reused at the end of part one of the St Matthew Passion. [13] The closing chorale was replaced by a brilliant setting of "Christe, du Lamm Gottes", taken from the cantata Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn, BWV 23. [13] The three new arias are not known to have been reused. [3] [17]

In the 1730s, Bach revised the St John Passion again, restoring the original opening chorus, removing the final Chorale (thus ending the work with the choral Movement No. 39), and removing the three new arias. [17] He also excised the two interpolations from the Gospel of Matthew that appeared in the work, probably due to objections by the ecclesiastical authorities. [13] The first of these he simply removed; he composed a new instrumental sinfonia in lieu of the second. [18] He also inserted an aria to replace the still-missing Ach, mein Sinn. [19] Neither the aria nor the sinfonia has been preserved.[ citation needed ] Overall, Bach chose to keep the biblical text, and inserted Lutheran hymn verses so that he could return the work to its liturgical substance. [20]

In 1749, he reverted more or less to the original of 1724, making only slight changes to the orchestration, most notably replacing the by-then almost obsolete viola d'amore with muted violins. [13] Also, Bach's orchestra for this piece would have been very delicate in nature because he called for many gamba strings.[ clarification needed ] [21]

In the summer of 1815, Bach's Passions began to be studied once again. Parts of the St John Passion were being rehearsed and the St Matthew Passion was soon to follow. [22] Fred Wolle, with his Choral Union of 1888 at the Moravian town of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was the first to perform the St John Passion in the Americas. This spurred a revival of Bach's choral music in the New World. [23]

Congregational use

While writing the St John Passion, Bach intended to retain the congregational spirit of the worship service. [20] The text for the body of the work is taken from the Gospel of John chapters 18 and 19. [20] To augment these chapters, which he summarized in the music, Bach used an elaborate body of commentary consisting of hymns, which were often called chorales, and arias. [24] He adhered to Martin Luther's translation of the Bible and made no noticeable modifications. [25] Bach proved that the sacred opera as a musical genre did not have to become shallow in liturgical use by remaining loyal to the cantus firmus and the scriptural word. [20] He did not want the Passion taken as a lesser sacred concert. [20] The text for the opening prayer, "Herr, unser Herrscher, dessen Ruhm", as well as the arias, chorales and the penultimate chorus "Ruht wohl, ihr heiligen Gebeine", come from various other sources. [26] Two recitative passages, the first dealing with Peter's weeping after his betrayal and the second portraying the temple veil's ripping during the crucifixion, do not appear in the Gospel of John, but the Gospel of Matthew. [17]

A modern example originating in Communist Hungary demonstrates the congregational character of St John Passion. In the early 1950s musicians were allowed to play church music only in the frame of liturgy. However, the St John Passion is an almost complete Lutheran liturgy, focused on the Evangelium . Hence, by inserting four missing features, the whole Passion could be performed as if it were part of the liturgy. [b] There would have been no applause, either at the beginning or at the end. The Passion contains quite a few chorales that were in regular use in worship. The congregation and the audience, however, remained silent. [27] [ better source needed ] [28]

More recently, the tradition of including the St John Passion in a full-scale Good Friday service was revived in Kokkola, Finland in 2023. [29] [30]

Highlights

St John Passion
Es ist vollbracht: Alto enters after these first few bars of Viola da gamba solo. Continuo omitted

Criticism

The text Bach set to music has been criticized as anti-Semitic. [32] This accusation is closely connected to a wider controversy regarding the tone of the New Testament's Gospel of John with regards to Judaism. [33]

Lukas Foss, who came to the United States in 1937 as a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany, changed the text from "Juden" to "Leute" (people) when he conducted performances of the work. [32] This has been the trend of numerous mainline Christian denominations since the late 20th century as well, for instance, the Episcopal Church, when they read the gospel during Good Friday services. Michael Marissen's Lutheranism, Anti-Judaism, and Bach's 'St John's Passion' examines the controversy in detail. [34] He concludes that Bach's St John Passion and St Matthew Passion contain fewer statements derogatory toward Jews than many other contemporary musical settings of the Passion. He also noted that Bach used words for the commenting arias and hymns that tended to shift the blame for the death of Jesus from "the Jews" to the congregation of Christians. [33]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Steinberg 2005 , p. 19
  2. ↑ Williams, Peter. The Life of Bach, 114. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2004.
  3. 1 2 Rathey 2016
  4. ↑ Daw, Stephen. The Music of Johann Sebastian Bach: The Choral Works, 107. Canada: Associated University Presses, Inc. 1981.
  5. ↑ Steinberg 2005, p. 22.
  6. ↑ Wollny, Peter (2018-07-24). "Zwei Bach-Funde in Mügeln. C. P. E. Bach, Picander und die Leipziger Kirchenmusik in den 1730er Jahren". Bach-Jahrbuch (in German). 96: 111–131. doi:10.13141/bjb.v20101883. ISSN   0084-7682.
  7. 1 2 3 Wolff 2000 , p. 291
  8. ↑ "St John Passion – Bach". www.bachvereniging.nl.
  9. ↑ Dreyfus, Laurence. The Triumph of 'Instrumental Melody': Aspects of Musical Poetics in Bach's St John Passion. In Melamed, Daniel R. Bach Perspectives, Volume 8: J. S. Bach and the Oratorio Tradition, 100–101. University of Illinois Press. 2011. ISBN   978-0-252-03584-5.
  10. ↑ The Passion of Saint John, BWV 245 commentary of Michael Steinberg (2004)
  11. ↑ Architecture and Sources of the St John Passion Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine Neuer Basler Kammerchor (in German)
  12. ↑ Wolff 2000, pp. 293–294.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wolff 2000 , p. 294
  14. ↑ Wolff 2000, p. 297.
  15. ↑ Melamed 2005 , p. 72
  16. ↑ Mendel, Arthur (1981). Bach: St John Passion. Kassel: Bärenreiter. pp. vi–viii.
  17. 1 2 3 Melamed 2005 , p. 75
  18. 1 2 Steinberg 2005 , p. 25
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Steinberg 2005 , p. 21
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 Herz1985 , p. 58
  21. ↑ Hochreither, Karl. Performance Practice of the Instrumental-Vocal Works of Johann Sebastian Bach, 11. Maryland, The Scarecrow Press. 2002.
  22. ↑ Herz 1985, p. 94.
  23. ↑ Herz 1985, p. 199.
  24. ↑ Steinberg 2005, p. 20.
  25. ↑ Wolff 2000, p. 292.
  26. ↑ Wolff 2000, p. 293.
  27. ↑ BWV 245, 10 April 2009, TajKéAp (in Hungarian)
  28. ↑ A Deák téri János passió-előadások kulisszatitkaiból I. Archived 2012-08-02 at archive.today (in Hungarian)
  29. ↑ Paluu kansankielisyyteen ‒ Johannes-passio esitetään Martti Laitisen johdolla ruotsiksi Kokkolassa pitkäperjantaina, 7 April 2023, Keskipohjanmaa (in Finnish)
  30. ↑ "Vi ger åhörarna något de antagligen aldrig tidigare hört" – på långfredagen får musiken dominera i gudstjänsten, 7 April 2023, Österbottens Tidning (in Swedish)
  31. ↑ see the score of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Hungary
  32. 1 2 Steinberg 2005 , p. 23
  33. 1 2 Steinberg 2005 , p. 26
  34. ↑ Marissen 1998.

Notes

  1. ↑ Bach's Latin title is more literally "Passion according to John".
  2. ↑ These missing features are, in order:
    1. Before the beginning of the service, "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.", announced by the priest; this is the start of a Lutheran liturgy.
    2. Between the first and second part of the Passion, the priest gives a very short sermon, intended to be understood even by non-believers.
    3. The congregation prays the Pater noster together, after Jesus' death "Und neiget das Haupt und verschied" and before the aria-chorale "Mein teurer Heiland, lass dich fragen".
    4. At the end, the blessing is given by the priest: "The LORD bless you, and keep you; the LORD make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace." (Numbers 6:24–26).

Sources

Further reading

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