The St Mark Passion (German: Markus-Passion), BWV 247, is a lost Passion setting by Johann Sebastian Bach, first performed in Leipzig on Good Friday, 23 March 1731. Though Bach's music is lost, the libretto by Picander is still extant, and from this, the work can to some degree be reconstructed.
This section possibly contains original research .(January 2018) |
Unlike Bach's earlier existing passions ( St John Passion and St Matthew Passion ), the Markus-Passion is probably a parody—it recycles previous works. The St Mark Passion seems to reuse virtually the whole of the Trauer Ode Laß, Fürstin, laß noch einen Strahl, BWV 198, [1] along with the two arias from Widerstehe doch der Sünde, BWV 54. In addition, two choruses from the St Mark Passion may have been reused in the Christmas Oratorio. This leaves only a couple of missing arias, which are taken from other Bach works when reconstructions are attempted. However, since Bach's recitative is lost, most reconstructions use the recitatives composed for a Markus-Passion attributed to Reinhard Keiser, a work which Bach himself performed on at least two occasions, which gives a certain authenticity to things, although it could be viewed as somewhat disrespectful to Keiser's work. However, Keiser's setting starts slightly later than Bach's, which requires a small amount of composition on the part of the reconstructor.
Bach's St. Mark Passion was first performed in Leipzig on Good Friday, 23 March 1731. Written under the pseudonym Picander, Christian Friedrich Henrici's libretto survives in a 1732 poetry collection. [2] The Markus-Passion is a modest setting, adding to Mark chapters 14 and 15 only eight free verse arias and 16 hymn stanzas. The chorales assume greater weight owing to their higher proportional use: 16 of the 46 movements are chorales in the St Mark Passion, whereas only 13 of 68 numbers are chorales in the St Matthew Passion. Five of the Markus-Passion texts appear to match the 1727 Trauer Ode, other likely parodies include BWV 54 and BWV 120a. However, no musical material remains for the Gospel texts or turba choruses. Further, we have no knowledge of the keys and orchestration which Bach used. While the libretto specifies which chorale melodies were used, Bach's harmonizations remain uncertain.
According to Bach Digital, the Passion was scored for SATB singers, two traversos, two oboes, two oboes d'amore, a string section consisting of two violin parts and two viola parts, organ and continuo, possibly complemented by two violas da gamba and two lutes. [3]
column | content | |
---|---|---|
1 | # | Number of movement according to libretto at Bach Digital website, [4] followed, between brackets, by the movement number according to Heighes's reconstruction (1995). [5] |
2 | Incipit | Text incipit of the movement. [4] |
3 | Description | Description of the movement. [4] |
4 | Text origin | Origin of the text. |
5 | ≈BWV? | Conjectured relation to other known compositions by J. S. Bach, and other pieces used in reconstructions; Chorale settings outside the BWV 253–438 range indicate settings of the hymn tune included in other known larger works not necessarily reused in or composed for BWV 247; BC D 5, or BNB I/K/2, refers to Bach's second Leipzig version of the Jesus Christus ist um unsrer Missetat willen verwundet pasticcio, containing a setting of St Mark's Passion text. [6] |
# | Incipit | Description | Text origin | ≈BWV? |
---|---|---|---|---|
(↑up↑) | — Part I — | |||
1 (1) | Geh Jesu, geh zu deiner Pein! | Chorus | Picander 1732, p. 49 | 198/01 [3] |
2 (2) | Und nach zween Tagen war | Recitative (ev.) | Mark 14:01–02a | |
3 (2) | Ja nicht auf das Fest | Chorus (turba) | Mark 14:02b | |
4 (2) | Und da er zu Bethanien war | Recitative (ev.) | Mark 14:03–04a | |
5 (2) | Was soll doch dieser Unrat? | Chorus (turba) | Mark 14:04b–05a | |
6 (2) | Und murreten über sie | Recitative (ev.) | Mark 14:05b | |
7 (3) | Sie stellen uns wie Ketzern nach | Chorale | "Wo Gott der Herr", v. 4 | 256 [7] 257 [8] 258 [9] |
8 (4) | Jesus aber sprach | Recitative (ev., Christ) | Mark 14:06–11 | |
9 (5) | Mir hat die Welt trüglich gericht | Chorale | "In dich hab ich gehoffet", v. 5 [10] | 52/6 [11] 244/32 [12] 248/46 [13] |
10 (6) | Und am ersten Tage | Recitative (ev.) | Mark 14:12a | |
11 (6) | Wo willst du, dass wir hingehen | Chorus (turba) | Mark 14:12b | |
12 (6) | Und er sandte seiner Jünger | Recitative (ev., Christ) | Mark 14:13–19 | |
13 (7) | Ich, ich und meine Sünden | Chorale | "O Welt, sieh hier dein Leben", v. 4 | 393 [14] |
14 (8) | Er antwortete, und sprach zu | Recitative (ev., Christ) | Mark 14:20–25 | |
15 (9) | Mein Heiland, dich... | Aria (alto) | Picander 1732, p. 52 | 198/05 [3] |
16 (10) | Und da sie den Lobgesang | Recitative (ev., Christ) | Mark 14:26–28 | BC D 5/02a |
17 (11) | Wach auf, o Mensch | Chorale | "O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort", v. 13 | 397 [15] |
18 (12) | Petrus aber sagte zu ihm | Recitative (ev., Peter, Christ) | Mark 14:29–34 | BC D 5/02b, /04a |
19 (13) | Betrübtes Herz sei wohlgemut | Chorale | "Betrübtes Herz", v. 1 | 428 [16] 430 [17] |
20 (14) | Und ging ein wenig fürbaß | Recitative (ev., Christ) | Mark 14:35–36 | BC D 5/04b |
21 (15) | Mach's mit mir Gott | Chorale | "Mach's mit mir Gott", v. 1 | 377 [18] |
21 (16) | Und kam und fand sie schlafend | Recitative (ev., Christ) | Mark 14:37–42 | BC D 5/06a |
22 (17) | Er kommt, er kommt | Aria (soprano) | Picander 1732, p. 55 | 198/03 [3] |
23 (18) | Und alsbald, da er noch redete | Recitative (ev., Judas) | Mark 14:43–45 | BC D 5/06b |
24 (19) | Falsche Welt | Aria (alto) | Picander 1732, p. 56 | 54/1 [3] |
25 (20) | Die aber legten ihre Hände | Recitative (ev., Christ) | Mark 14:46–49 | BC D 5/08a |
26 (21) | Jesu, ohne Missetat | Chorale | "Jesu Leiden", v. 8 [19] | 159/5 [20] 245/14, [21] /28 [22] |
27 (22) | Und die Jünger verließen ihn | Recitative (ev.) | Mark 14:50–52 | BC D 5/08b(a) |
28 (23) | Ich will hier bei dir stehen | Chorale | "O Haupt voll Blut", v. 6 | 270 [23] 271 [24] |
(↑up↑) | — Part II — | |||
29 (24) | Mein Tröster ist nicht mehr | Aria (tenor) | Picander 1732, p. 57 | 198/08 [3] |
30 (25) | Und sie führeten Jesum | Recitative (ev., testes) | Mark 14:53–59 | BC D 5/08b(b)–08d(a) |
31 (26) | Was Menschenkraft | Chorale | "Wo Gott der Herr", v. 2 | 248/28 [3] 257 [8] |
32 (27) | Und der Hohe Priester | Recitative (ev., high pr.) | Mark 14:60–61a | BC D 5/08d(b) |
33 (28) | Befiehl du deine Wege | Chorale | "Befiehl du deine Wege", v. 1 | 270 [23] 271 [24] |
34 (29) | Da fragte ihn der Hohe Priester | Recitative (ev., high pr., Chr., choir) | Mark 14:61b–65 | BC D 5/08d(c), /10a–c |
35 (30) | Du edles Angesichte | Chorale | "O Haupt voll Blut", v. 2 | 271 [24] |
36 (31) | Und Petrus war danieden | Recitative (ev., ancilla, Pet., choir) | Mark 14:66–72 | BC D 5/10c–e |
37 (32) | Herr, ich habe missgehandelt | Chorale | "Herr, ich habe", v. 1 | 331 [25] |
38 (33) | Und bald am Morgen | Recitative (ev., Pilate, Chr., choir) | Mark 15:01–14 | BC D 5/14, /16a–d |
39 (34) | Angenehmes Mordgeschrei! | Aria (soprano) | Picander 1732, p. 62 | 248/45 [3] |
39 (35) | Pilatus aber gedachte | Recitative (ev., choir) | Mark 15:15–19 | BC D 5/19a–c |
40 (36) | Man hat dich sehr hart | Chorale | "Jesu, meines Lebens Leben", v. 4 | |
41 (37) | Und da sie ihn verspottet hatten | Recitative (ev.) | Mark 15:20–24 | BC D 5/19c, /21, /23 |
42 (38) | Das Wort sie sollen lassen | Chorale | "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott", v. 4 | 302 [26] |
43 (39) | Und es war um die dritte Stunde Pfui dich, wie fein zerbrichts do den Tempel Desselben gleichen Die Hohenpriester verspotteten Er hat andern geholfen Und die mit ihm gekreuzigt waren Eli, Eli, lama asabthani? Das ist verdolmetscht | Recitative (ev.) chorale recitative (ev.) chorale recitative (ev.) Chr. recitative (ev.) | Mark 15:25–34 | BC D 5/23, /25a–e, /27a–c |
44 (40) | Keinen hat Gott verlassen | Chorale | "Keinen hat Gott verlassen", v. 1 | 369 [27] |
45 (41) | Und Etliche, die dabei stunden | Recitative (ev., choir, miles) | Mark 15:35–37 | BC D 5/27c–e |
46 (42) | Welt und Himmel nehmt | Aria (bass) | Picander 1732, p. 66 | 7/2 [3] |
47 (43) | Und der Vorhang im Tempel | Recitative (ev., centurio) | Mark 15:38–45 | BC D 5/21, /33 |
48 (44) | O! Jesu du | Chorale | "O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid", v. 8 | 404 [28] |
49 (45) | Und er kaufte ein Leinwand | Recitative (ev.) | Mark 15:46–47 | BC D 5/35 |
50 (46) | Bei deinem Grab | Chorus | Picander 1732, p. 67 | 198/10 [3] 244a/7 [3] |
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2018) |
Diethard Hellmann completed a reconstruction in 1964 based on parodies and chorale harmonization choices only. The English premiere took place in Oxford, July 1965. A 1976 edition includes additional choruses to be used with a spoken delivery of the gospel text. Carus-Verlag published Hellmann's work with newly composed recitatives and arias by Johannes Koch in 1999. The orchestration for the work matches that of BWV 198.[ citation needed ]
Recordings:
Simon Heighes's reconstruction was completed in 1995. [5]
Recordings:
Andor Gomme edited a 1997 reconstruction published by Bärenreiter that utilizes BWV 198 and choruses from BWV 204, 216, 120a, and 54. The recitatives and turba choruses are drawn from a St Mark Passion traditionally attributed to Reinhard Keiser (1674–1739).
Recording:
In 1998 Rudolf Kelber reconstructed the St Mark Passion as a pasticcio: he completed Bach's fragments using arias from cantatas by Bach, recitatives by Keiser, motives by Telemann.
In 1999, Ton Koopman presented a reconstruction that does not utilize BWV 198, but instead draws on Es ist nichts Gesundes an meinem Leibe, BWV 25 (opening chorus) and Siehe zu, daß deine Gottesfurcht nicht Heuchelei sei, BWV 179 (turba choruses).
Recordings conducted by Ton Koopman:
In 2010, harpsichordist and conductor Jörn Boysen made a new version utilizing choruses and arias from BWV 198 and an aria from BWV 54. He composed all missing recitatives, turba choirs and one aria. This version has been performed in the Netherlands and Germany in 2011 and 2012. [36]
In 2010, Alexander Ferdinand Grychtolik made a first edition of the late version of the St Mark Passion (from 1744) as a stylistically consistent reconstruction, published by Edition Peters. The text of this unknown later version was discovered in 2009 in Saint Petersburg. In this version, Bach added two arias and he made small changes in Picander's text. [37]
In 2015, Organist Freddy Eichelberger offered a second reconstruction of the 1744 version based on the BWV 198 and composed all missing recitatives, turba choirs and some chorals.
In 2016, composer and conductor Andrew Wilson-Dickson made a new stylistically coherent reconstruction using BWV 198, 7, 54 and 171, and newly composed music for the missing recitatives and turba choruses. The work was premiered by the Welsh Camerata and Welsh Baroque Orchestra at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Cardiff, on Good Friday, 2016. [38]
In 2015, church musician Andreas Fischer reconstructed the Markus Passion by parodying only works by Bach. He paid attention to the proximity of text and music and avoided using music from the known passions, so as not to produce a "small" St. Matthew Passion. Ortus (Berlin, Germany) published this work in the year 2016. [39]
In 2017, the Dutch organist and harpsichordist Robert Koolstra made his reconstruction based on the text booklet from 1744. For this version he used, among other things, the 'Trauerode' and the cantatas 13, 54, 55. He composed most of the recitatives himself, but also reused parts of Bach's other passions. He also created a new choir, Keinen hat Gott verlassen. Picander writes Chorus here instead of Choral in the new text booklet. [40] This version is regularly performed worldwide. (Including performances in the United States, Canada, [41] [42] Hongkong, [43] The Netherlands [44] ) The score and parts of this version are available for free via the International Music Score Library Project. [45] (IMSLP)
On 30 March 2018, Jordi Savall produced a reconstruction which aired on BBC Radio 3. [46] [47]
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 masterpieces of Baroque sacred music. The original Latin title Passio Domini nostri J.C. secundum Evangelistam Matthæum translates to "The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the Evangelist Matthew".
The Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach intended for performance in church during the Christmas season. It is in six parts, each part a cantata intended for performance in a church service on a feast day of the Christmas period. It was written for the Christmas season of 1734 and incorporates music from earlier compositions, including three secular cantatas written during 1733 and 1734 and a largely lost church cantata, BWV 248a. The date is confirmed in Bach's autograph manuscript. The next complete public performance was not until 17 December 1857 by the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin under Eduard Grell. The Christmas Oratorio is a particularly sophisticated example of parody music. The author of the text is unknown, although a likely collaborator was Christian Friedrich Henrici (Picander).
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The Passio secundum Joannem or St John Passion, BWV 245, is a Passion or oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach, the earliest of the surviving Passions by Bach. 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.
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.
Es erhub sich ein Streit, BWV 19, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig in 1726 for the Feast of Saint Michael and first performed it on 29 September 1726. It is the second of his three extant cantatas for this feast.
Notable recordings of Johann Sebastian Bach's St Matthew Passion (Matthäus-Passion) are shown below in a sortable table.
Klagt, Kinder, klagt es aller Welt, also known as Köthener Trauermusik, BWV 1143, BWV 244a, is a cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in 1729 for the funeral of Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen. The music is lost, but the libretto survives. As Bach is known to have used musical material which also appeared in two surviving works, one being the St Matthew Passion, it has been possible to make reconstructions.
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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.
Jesus Christus ist um unsrer Missetat willen verwundet is a St Mark Passion which originated in the early 18th century and is most often attributed to Reinhard Keiser. It may also have been composed by his father Gottfried or by Friedrich Nicolaus Bruhns. Johann Sebastian Bach produced three performance versions of the Passion, the last of which is a pasticcio with arias from George Frideric Handel's Brockes Passion. There are two other extant 18th-century versions of the Passion, both of them independent of Bach's versions. The Passion was performed in at least three cities in the first half of the 18th century: in Hamburg in 1707 and 1711, in Weimar around 1712, and in Leipzig in 1726 and around 1747.
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.
Ihr Tore zu Zion also called Ihr Pforten zu Zion, BWVTooltip Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis 193, is a sacred cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig for Ratswechsel, the inauguration of a new town council, in 1727 and first performed it on 25 August 1727. The music survives in an incomplete state.
Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn, BWV 157, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig in 1726/27 to a libretto by Picander. The first known performance was on 6 February 1727 during a memorial service for Johann Christoph von Ponickau in Pomßen near Leipzig. The work was later assigned to the feast of the Purification celebrated on 2 February.
Man singet mit Freuden vom Sieg, BWV 149, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed the work in Leipzig for Michaelmas and first performed it in 1728 or 1729. It is the last of his three extant cantatas for the feast.
Jauchzet, frohlocket! Auf, preiset die Tage, BWV 248I, is a 1734 Christmas cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach that serves as the first part of his Christmas Oratorio. Bach was then Thomaskantor, responsible for church music at four churches in Leipzig, a position he had assumed in 1723. For the oratorio, the libretto by an unknown author followed the nativity of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke, interspersed with reflecting texts for recitatives and arias, and stanzas from Lutheran hymns.
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.
Lost versions of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach can be reconstructed on the basis of extant versions of similar music. Reasons for such reconstructions include extension of the repertoire and testing hypotheses about the genesis history of known pieces. For instance, in the late 19th century it was discovered that Bach likely transcribed his Concerto for two harpsichords in C minor, BWV 1060, from a lost earlier version for violin and oboe. Reconstructions of BWV 1060 to its presumed original version, published from the 1920s, extended the Bach repertoire for oboists.
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.