Programme Notes
In May 1723 four wagons loaded with household goods trundled into the Saxon town of Leipzig. They were followed, two hours later and in two carriages, by their owner and his family. Johann Sebastian Bach, lately Kapellmeister to Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen, had arrived to take up his post as Cantor at the Thomasschule and music director of the four Leipzig churches. He was to remain there for the rest of his life.
Bach’s first years in Leipzig were remarkable for his prodigious production of cantatas for the Sundays and holidays of the Lutheran liturgical cycle. In the 12 months from May 1723 at least 50 works were performed, nearly all of which were newly composed.
The musical highpoint of the year was Vespers on Good Friday, when a Passion oratorio, with a sermon between Parts One and Two, was given. That form had come late to Leipzig, the first performance having taken place in 1717. Bach’s predecessor as Cantor wrote a St Mark Passion for the Thomaskirche in 1721. Three years later, on April 7th, 1724, the new man presented his St John Passion.
It was not his first essay in this field. The official Obituary speaks of five Passions, believed to have been written between 1717 and 1731, but only two are known to have survived – the other being the St Matthew Passion of 1727.
For his first Leipzig Passion Bach had booklets printed, saying it would take place in the Thomaskirche. The town council, his employers, reminded him it was the turn of the Nikolaikirche to stage the event. Bach protested that there was not enough room for the musicians. The council stuck to its guns but paid for a flyer announcing the correct venue and provided sufficient performing space. It was the first of many confrontations between Cantor and municipality.
The St John Passion we are to hear tonight is the first version of 1724. Bach subsequently revised it several times, but reversed most of these changes for the final version of 1749. One of the reasons for his repeated revisions may have been the musical limitations of the text.
First, St John’s account of the Passion is not as varied scenically as St Matthew’s – for example it does not have the Last Supper or the Agony in the Garden. Second, whereas by 1727 the poet Picander had supplied a tailor-made libretto for the arias and reflective choruses of the St Matthew Passion, when Bach composed the St John Passion he had to adapt passages for these from several authors, in particular the poet and Hamburg councillor Brockes.
The first Leipzig Passion has a different balance between Gospel verses and poetic meditation from that of the second; however, whether or not Bach was making a virtue out of necessity, the absence of solo arias during the central trial scene adds considerably to its impact. And, as so often, Bach took an existing genre and raised it immeasurably in terms of dramatic power, orchestral colour and richness of harmony and counterpoint.
PART ONE
The work opens with a Prologue in the form of an awe-inspiring da capo chorus which contrasts Christ’s majesty (Herr, unser Herrscher) with the humiliation of his Passion and death (in der grössten Niedrigkeit). Over a relentless pedal bass, the strings rise slowly in tightly-knit semiquavers. Above them the woodwind wail dissonantly, prefiguring the crowd’s yell of Kreuzige! (Crucify!) in the trial scene. After a triple acclamation of the Lord the voices take up the semiquaver runs. A contrapuntal counter-subject follows, with the semiquavers now transferred to the instrumental bass. The original pattern soon returns and choir and orchestra move to a tremendous climax on a high G minor chord. The counter-subject is heard again, this time a semitone higher (Zeig’ uns durch deine Passion). The music falls dramatically to illustrate Niedrigkeit and gradually gathers strength on the phrase verherrlicht worden bist.
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Chorus
Herr, unser Herrscher, dessen Ruhm
In allen Landen herrlich ist!
Zeig uns durch deine Passion,
Dass du, der wahre Gottessohn,
Zu aller Zeit,
Auch in der grössten Niedrigkeit,
Verherrlicht worden bist!
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Lord, our ruler, whose glory
is magnificent everywhere!
Show us through your Passion,
that you, the true Son of God,
at all times
even in the most lowly state,
are glorified.
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St John goes straight into the arrest of Jesus in the garden. In the first two interventions of the crowd, notice the accompanying instrumental semiquavers, ending with an arpeggio cascade – they will recur in three other numbers; also, the lower pitch of the second intervention, indicating awe of Jesus.
The arrest scene is punctuated by two chorales, the Lutheran hymns which would have been familiar to Bach’s congregation and in the St John Passion are set in such a variety of keys and harmonized with such daring. The scene ends with two arias separated by the briefest of recitatives. In themselves they are lovely Von den Stricken meiner Sünden (From the bonds of my sins), for countertenor, is accompanied by weaving oboes and a bass which hastens upward, and
Ich folge dir gleichfalls (I follow you likewise), for soprano and flutes, is Bach at his most trippingly joyous – but they do slacken the momentum of the drama.
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Recitative – Evangelist
Jesus ging mit seinen Jüngern über den
Bach Kidron, da war ein Garten, darein ging Jesus und seine Jünger.
Judas aber, der ihn verriet, wusste den
Ort auch, denn Jesus versammlete sich
oft daselbst mit seinen Jüngern.
Da nun Judas zu sich hatte genommen
die Schar und der Hohenpriester und Pharisäer Diener, kommt er dahin mit Fackeln, Lampen und mit Waffen.
Als nun Jesus wusste alles, was ihm begegnen sollte, ging er hinaus und
sprach zu ihnen:
Jesus — Wen suchet ihr?
Evangelist — Sie antworteten ihm:
Chorus - Jesum von Nazareth!
Evangelist — Jesus spricht zu ihnen:
Jesus — Ich bin’s.
Evangelist
Judas aber, der ihn verriet, stund auch bei ihnen. Als nun Jesus ihnen sprach: Ich bin’s, wichen sie zurücke und fielen zu Boden.
Da fragte er sie abermal:
Jesus — Wen suchet ihr?
Evangelist — Sie aber sprachen:
Chorus — Jesum von Nazareth!
Evangelist — Jesus antwortete:
Jesus
Ich hab’s euch gesagt, dass ich’s sei;
suchet ihr denn mich, so lasset diese gehen!
Chorale
O grosse Lieb, O Lieb ohn’ alle Masse,
Die dich gebracht auf diese Marterstrasse!
Ich lebte mit der Welt in Lust und Freuden,
Und du musst leiden!
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Jesus went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden,
into the which he entered, and his disciples.
And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.
Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.
Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and
said unto them:
Whom seek ye?
They answered him:
Jesus of Nazareth!
Jesus saith unto them:
I am he.
And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
Then asked he them again:
Whom seek ye?
And they said:
Jesus of Nazareth!
Jesus answered:
I have told you that I am he; if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way!
O great love, O love without any limits,
that has brought you along this martyr’s way!
I lived with the world in pleasure and delight,
And you must suffer!
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Evangelist
Auf dass das Wort erfüllet würde, welches
er sagte: ‘Ich habe der keine verloren,
die du mir gegeben hast.’
Da hatte Simon Petrus ein Schwert und zog es aus und schlug nach dem Hohenpriesters Knecht und hieb ihm sein recht’ Ohr ab; und der Knecht hiess Malchus.
Da sprach Jesus zu Petro:
Jesus
Stecke dein Schwert in die Scheide! Soll ich den Kelch nicht trinken, den mir mein Vater gegeben hat?
Chorale
Dein Will gescheh, Herr Gott, zugleich
Auf Erden wie im Himmelreich.
Gib uns Geduld in Leidenszeit,
Gehorsam sein in Lieb und Leid;
Wehr und steur allem Fleisch und Blut,
Das wider deinen Willen tut!
Evangelist
Die Schar aber und der Oberhauptmann
und die Diener der Jüden nahmen Jesum
und bunden ihn und führeten ihn aufs erste
zu Hannas, der war Kaiphas’ Schwäher,
welcher des Jahres Hoherpriester war.
Es war aber Kaiphas, der den Jüden riet,
es wäre gut, dass ein Mensch würde umbracht für das Volk.
Aria – Countertenor
Von den Stricken meiner Sünden
Mich zu entbinden,
Wird mein Heil gebunden.
Mich von allen Lasterbeulen
Völlig zu heilen,
Lässt er sich verwunden.
Evangelist
Simon Petrus aber folgte Jesu nach und ein ander Jünger.
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That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake,‘Of them which thou
gavest me have I lost none.’
Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
Then said Jesus unto Peter:
Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me,
shall I not drink it?
Your will be done, Lord God, both
on earth as in heaven.
Grant us patience in time of sorrow,
obedience in love and sorrow;
Restrain and guide our flesh and blood
that acts against your will!
Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him and led him away to Annas first; for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.
Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
From the bonds of my sins
to set me free
my Saviour is bound.
From all infections of vice
to heal me completely
he gives himself to be wounded.
And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple.
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Aria – Soprano
Ich folge dir gleichfalls
mit freudigen Schritten
Und lasse dich nicht,
Mein Leben, mein Licht.
Befördre den Lauf
Und höre nicht auf,
Selbst an mir zu ziehen,
zu schieben, zu bitten.
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I follow you likewise
with joyful steps
and do not leave you
my life, my light.
Bring me on my way
and do not cease
to pull, push
and urge me on.
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A long recitative Derselbige Jünger follows. The Gospel verses are set starkly in the St John – they lack the St Matthew’s nimbus of strings around Jesus – but to great imaginative effect (note in this number the contrast between denn es war kalt and the shiver on wärmeten).
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Evangelist
Derselbiger Jünger war dem Hohenpriester bekannt und ging mit Jesu hinein in des Hohenpriesters Palast. Petrus aber stund draussen für der Tür. Da ging der andere Jünger,
der dem Hohenpriester bekannt war, hinaus und redete mit der Türhüterin und führete Petrum hinein. Da sprach die Magd, die Türhüterin, zu Petro:
Maid
Bist du nicht dieses Menschen Jünger einer?
Evangelist — Er sprach:
Peter — Ich bin’s nicht!
Evangelist
Es stunden aber die Knechte und Diener und hatten ein Kohlfeu’r gemacht (denn es war kalt), und wärmeten sich. Petrus aber stund bei ihnen und wärmete sich.
Aber die Hohepriester fragte Jesum um seine Jünger und um seine Lehre.
Jesus antwortete ihm:
Jesus
Ich habe frei, öffentlich geredet für der Welt. Ich habe allezeit gelehret in der Schule
und in dem Tempel, da alle Jüden
zusammenkommen, und habe nichts
im Verborgnen geredt.
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That same disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter:
Art not thou one of this man’s disciples?
He saith:
I am not!
And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals (for it was cold) and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.
The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.
Jesus answered him:
I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have
I said nothing.
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Was fragst du mich darum? Frage die darum, die gehöret haben, was ich zu
ihnen geredet habe! Siehe, dieselbigen wissen, was ich gesaget habe!
Evangelist
Als er aber solches redete, gab der
Diener einer, die dabei stunden, Jesu
einen Backenstreich und sprach:
Servant
Solltest du dem Hohenpriester also antworten?
Evangelist — Jesus aber antwortete:
Jesus
Hab ich übel geredt, so beweise es,
dass es böse sei; habe ich aber recht geredt, was schlägest du mich?
Chorale
Wer hat dich so geschlagen,
Mein Heil, und dich mit Plagen
So übel zugericht’?
Du bist ja nicht ein Sünder
Wie wir und unsre Kinder,
Von Missetaten weisst du nicht.
Ich, ich und meine Sünden,
Die sich wie Körnlein finden
Des Sandes an dem Meer,
Die haben dir erreget
Das Elend, das dich schläget,
Und das betrübte Marterheer.
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Why askest thou me? Ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them! Behold, they know what I said.
And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying:
Answerest thou the high priest so?
Jesus answered him:
If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me?
Who has struck you in this way,
my Saviour, and with torments
treated you so badly?
You are indeed not a sinner
as we and our children are,
of wrongdoing you know nothing.
I, I, and my sins,
that are as many as grains
of sand by the sea
have provoked for you
the misery that has struck you
and the host of troubles and torment.
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In the hissing Bist du nicht seiner Jünger einer? (Art thou not one of his disciples?) Bach conjures up the nightmare of accusations coming from all sides.
Peter’s anguished tears (a sentence lifted from St Matthew’s Gospel) are conveyed by a lengthy succession of semitones and tritones above a chromatic scale in the continuo. There follows one of the most striking numbers in the work,
Ach, mein Sinn (Ah, my soul), an impassioned aria in F sharp minor for tenor
(one might almost say Heldentenor), characterized by dotted quavers and scurrying semiquavers. It offers no comfort and ends abruptly in a passage marked forte by the composer. A chorale reflecting on Peter’s betrayal, in which the word Böses (evil) is tellingly harmonized, concludes the first part of the Passion.
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Evangelist
Und Hannas sandte ihn gebunden zu dem Hohenpriester Kaiphas. Simon Petrus aber stund und wärmete sich; da sprachen sie zu ihm:
Chorus — Bist du nicht seiner Jünger einer?
Evangelist — Er leugnete aber und sprach:
Peter - Ich bin’s nicht!
Evangelist
Spricht des Hohenpriesters Knecht’ einer,
ein Gefreundter des, dem Petrus das Ohr abgehauen hatte:
Servant
Sahe ich dich nicht im Garten bei ihm?
Evangelist
Da verleugnete Petrus abermal, und alsobald krähete der Hahn. Da gedachte Petrus an die Worte Jesu und ging hinaus und weinete bitterlich.
Aria – Tenor
Ach, mein Sinn, wo willt du endlich hin,
Wo soll ich mich erquicken?
Bleib ich hier, oder wünsch ich mir
Berg und Hügel auf den Rücken?
Bei der Welt ist gar kein Rat,
Und im Herzen stehn die Schmerzen
Meiner Missetat,
Weil der Knecht den Herrn verleugnet hat.
Chorale
Petrus, der nicht denkt zurück,
Seinen Gott verneinet,
Der doch auf ein’ ernsten Blick
Bitterlichen weinet.
Jesu, blicke mich auch an,
Wenn ich nicht will büssen;
Wenn ich Böses hab getan,
Rühre mein Gewissen!
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Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him:
Art not thou one of his disciples?
He denied it, and said:
I am not!
One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith:
Did not I see thee in the garden with him?
Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the words of Jesus and went out, and wept bitterly.
Ah, my soul, where will you at last go,
where shall I find relief?
Should I stay here, or should I wish
that hills and mountains were at my back?
In the world there is no help,
and in my heart are the pains
of my wrongdoing,
since the servant has denied the Lord.
Peter, who does not think back at all,
denies his God,
but then at a look of reproach
weeps bitterly.
Jesus, look at me also
when I am reluctant to repent;
when I have done evil,
stir up my conscience!
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PART TWO
Repeated soprano Es in the opening chorale are a clarion call at the resumption of the action. We immediately enter the most dramatic sequence of the St John Passion, the exchanges between Pilate and the mob. To the procurator’s question about the charge against Jesus they launch into the hideous chromaticism of Wäre dieser nicht ein Übeltäter (If he were not a malefactor) and the driving dactylic rhythms of überantwortet (delivered). Pilate responds and the crowd are off again Wir dürfen niemand töten (It is not lawful for us to put any man to death), this time with the urgent, semiquaver accompaniment of violins and flutes first heard in Jesum von Nazareth.
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Chorale
Christus, der uns selig macht,
Kein Bös’ hat begangen,
Der ward für uns in der Nacht
Als ein Dieb gefangen,
Geführt für gottlose Leut
Und fälschlich verklaget,
Verlacht, verhöhnt und verspeit,
Wie denn die Schrift saget.
Evangelist
Da führeten sie Jesum von Kaiphas vor das Richthaus, und es war frühe. Und sie gingen nicht in das Richthaus, auf dass sie nicht unrein würden, sondern Ostern essen möchten.
Da ging Pilatus zu ihnen heraus und sprach:
Pilate
Was bringet ihr für Klage
wider diesen Menschen?
Evangelist — Sie antworteten und sprachen zu ihm:
Chorus
Wäre dieser nicht ein Übeltäter,
wir hätten dir ihn nicht überantwortet.
Evangelist
Da sprach Pilatus zu ihnen:
Pilate
So nehmet ihn ihr hin und richtet ihn nach eurem Gesetze!
Evangelist — Da sprachen die Jüden zu ihm:
Chorus — Wir dürfen niemand töten.
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Christ, who makes us blessed
and has done no wrong,
was for us in the night
seized like a thief,
led before godless people
and falsely accused,
derided, mocked and spat upon,
as the Scripture says.
Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early. And they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the Passover.
Pilate then went out unto them, and said:
What accusation bring ye
against this man?
They answered and said unto him:
If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.
Then said Pilate unto them:
Take ye him, and judge him according to your law!
The Jews therefore said unto him:
It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.
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Evangelist
Auf dass erfüllet würde das Wort Jesu, welches er sagte, da er deutete, welches Todes er sterben würde.
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That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.
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The ensuing dialogue between the procurator and Jesus is remarkable for the latter’s brief melodic flourish on the word ‘kämpfen’. The rolling bass quavers in the next chorale Ach, grösser König (Ah, great king) emphasize Christ’s majesty. Pilate returns to the crowd, who shout for the robber, Barabbas. The Evangelist immediately enters on a top A and describes the scourging of Jesus in an immense, galloping sequence above a jagged bass.
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Evangelist
Da ging Pilatus wieder hinein in das
Richthaus und rief Jesu und sprach zu ihm:
Pilate — Bist du der Jüden König?
Evangelist — Jesus antwortete:
Jesus
Redest du das von dir selbst, oder haben’s
dir andere von mir gesagt?
Evangelist — Pilatus antwortete:
Pilate
Bin ich ein Jüde? Dein Volk und die Hohenpriester haben dich mir überantwortet. Was hast du getan?
Evangelist — Jesus antwortete:
Jesus
Mein Reich ist nicht von dieser Welt. Wäre mein Reich von dieser Welt, meine Diener würden darob kämpfen, dass ich den Jüden nicht überantwortet würde; aber nun ist mein Reich nicht von dannen.
Chorale
Ach grosser König, gross zu allen Zeiten,
Wie kann ich g’nugsam diese Treu ausbreiten?
Keins Menschen Herze mag indes aus-denken,Was dir zu schenken.
Ich kann’s mit meinen Sinnen nicht erreichen,
Womit doch dein Erbarmen zu vergleichen.
Wie kann ich dir denn deine Liebestaten
Im Werk erstatten?
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Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him:
Art thou the King of the Jews?
Jesus answered him:
Sayest thou this thing of thyself,
or did others tell it thee of me?
Pilate answered:
Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me. What hast thou done?
Jesus answered:
My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Ah, great king, great in all ages,
How can I make my faithfulness
in any way adequate?
No human heart can conceive
what gift is fit to offer you.
My mind cannot imagine
what can be compared to your mercy.
How then can I match your loving deeds
by anything I do ?
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Evangelist — Da sprach Pilatus zu ihm:
Pilate — So bist du dennoch ein König?
Evangelist — Jesus antwortete:
Jesus
Du sagst’s, ich bin ein König. Ich bin dazu geboren und in die Welt kommen, dass ich die Wahrheit zeugen soll. Wer aus der Wahrheit ist, der höret meine Stimme.
Evangelist — Spricht Pilatus zu ihm:
Pilate — Was ist Wahrheit?
Evangelist
Und da er das gesaget, ging er wieder
hinaus zu den Jüden und spricht zu ihnen:
Pilate — Ich finde keine Schuld an ihm.
Ihr habt aber eine Gewohnheit, dass ich euch einen [zum Passafest] losgebe; wollt ihr nun, dass ich euch der Jüden König losgebe?
Evangelist — Da schrieen sie wieder allesamt und sprachen:
Chorus — Nicht diesen, sondern Barabbam!
Evangelist
Barabbas aber war ein Mörder.
Da nahm Pilatus Jesum
und geisselte ihn.
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Pilate therefore said unto him:
Art thou a king then?
Jesus answered:
Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
Pilate saith unto him:
What is truth?
And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them:
I find in him no fault at all. But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one [at the Passover]; will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
Then cried they all again, saying:
Not this man, but Barabbas!
Now Barabbas was a robber.
Then Pilate therefore took Jesus,
and scourged him.
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The succeeding bass arioso Betrachte, meine Seele (Consider, my soul) is wonderfully scored for two viole d’amore, instruments with sympathetic as well as playing strings, and lute, a combination of surpassing intimacy and sweetness. The viole then accompany the tenor in Erwäge (Ponder), an aria in which Christ’s blood-stained back is compared with the rainbow which appeared after the Flood.
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Arioso – Bass
Betrachte, meine Seel,
mit ängstlichem Vergnügen,
Mit bittrer Lust
und halb beklemmtem Herzen
Dein höchstes Gut in Jesu Schmerzen,
Wie dir auf Dornen, so ihn stechen,
Die Himmelsschlüsselblumen blühn!
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Consider, my soul,
with anxious delight,
with bitter pleasure
and a heart partly oppressed
that your highest good depends on Jesus’ sorrow,
how for you from the thorns that pierce him
heavenly flowers blossom!
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Du kannst viel süsse Frucht
von seiner Wermut brechen,
Drum sieh ohn’ Unterlass auf ihn!
Aria – Tenor
Erwäge, wie sein blutgefärbter Rücken
In allen Stücken
Dem Himmel gleiche geht,
Daran, nachdem die Wasserwogen
Von unsrer Sündflut sich verzogen,
Der allerschönste Regenbogen
Als Gottes Gnadenzeichen steht!
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You can gather so much sweet fruit
from his wormwood,
therefore look unceasingly towards him!
Ponder well how his back, bloodstained
all over,
is like the sky,
where after the deluge
from our flood of sins has abated
the most beautiful rainbow appears
as a sign of God’s mercy!
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The soldiers hail Jesus mockingly (Sei gegrüsset) and the woodwind add their falling semiquavers of obeisance. He is presented to the crowd, who yell ‘Kreuzige!’ in a terrifying sequence of interwoven motifs – drawn-out, dissonant major sevenths and semitones, and drumming quavers followed by two semiquavers. Pilate says he can find no fault with the accused. The chief priests, in a pompous fugue, remind him that Jesus is guilty of blasphemy under their law: Wir haben ein Gesetz (We have a law). Pilate’s desire to release (losliesse) the prisoner is touchingly portrayed at the end of the next recitative.
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Evangelist — Pilatus sprach zu ihnen:
Pilate
Nehmet ihr ihn hin und kreuziget ihn,
denn ich finde keine Schuld an ihm!
Evangelist — Die Jüden antworteten ihm:
Chorus
Wir haben ein Gesetz, und nach dem
Gesetz soll er sterben, denn er hat sich
selbst zu Gottes Sohn gemacht.
Evangelist
Da Pilatus das Wort hörete, fürchtet’ er sich noch mehr und ging wieder hinein in das Richthaus und spricht zu Jesu:
Pilate — Von wannen bist du?
Evangelist
Aber Jesus gab ihm keine Antwort.
Da sprach Pilatus zu ihm:
Pilate — Redest du nicht mit mir?
Weissest du nicht, dass ich Macht habe, dich zu kreuzigen, und Macht habe, dich loszugeben?
Evangelist — Jesus antwortete:
Jesus
Du hättest keine Macht über mich, wenn sie dir nicht wäre von oben herab gegeben; darum, der mich dir überantwortet hat, der hat’s gröss’re Sünde.
Evangelist — Von dem an trachtete Pilatus,
wie er ihn losliesse.
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Pilate saith unto them:
Take ye him, and crucify him:
for I find no fault in him.
The Jews answered him:
We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made
himself the Son of God.
When Pilate therefore heard that saying,
he was the more afraid and went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus:
Whence art thou?
But Jesus gave him no answer.
Then saith Pilate unto him:
Speakest thou not unto me?
Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
Jesus answered:
Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above; therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.
And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him.
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We have reached the core of the work, a radiant E major chorale Durch dein Gefängnis in which the slavery (Knechtschaft) of sin is chromatically illustrated. It is the centre of a gigantic musical palindrome stretching over 26 numbers and linking movements which are musically very similar, and in some cases almost identical. The listener will get an inkling of it from the subsequent chorus, Lässest du diesen los (If thou let this man go), whose counterpart is
Wir haben ein Gesetz (We have a law).
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Chorale
Durch dein Gefängnis, Gottes Sohn,
Ist uns die Freiheit kommen;
Dein Kerker ist der Gnadenthron,
Die Freistatt aller Frommen;
Denn gingst du nicht die Knechtschaft ein,
Müsst unsre Knechtschaft ewig sein.
Evangelist
Die Jüden aber schrieen und sprachen:
Chorus
Lässest du diesen los, so bist du des Kaisers Freund nicht; denn wer sich zum Könige machet, der ist wider den Kaiser.
Evangelist
Da Pilatus das Wort hörete, führete er Jesum heraus und satzte sich auf den Richtsstuhl an der Stätte, die da heisset Hochpflaster,
auf ebräisch aber: Gabbatha.
Es war aber der Rüsttag in Ostern, um die sechste Stunde,
und er spricht zu den Jüden:
Pilate — Sehet, das ist euer König!
Evangelist — Sie schrieen aber:
Chorus — Weg, weg mit dem! Kreuzige ihn!
Evangelist — Spricht Pilatus zu ihnen:
Pilate — Soll ich euren König kreuzigen?
Evangelist — Die Hohenpriester antworteten:
Chorus — Wir haben keinen König denn
den Kaiser.
Evangelist
Da überantwortete er ihn, dass er gekreuziget würde. Sie nahmen aber Jesum und führeten ihn hin. Und er trug sein Kreuz und ging hinaus zur Stätte, die da heisset Schädelstätt, welche heisset auf ebräisch Golgatha.
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Through your imprisonment, Son of God,
has our freedom come.
Your prison is the throne of grace,
the refuge of all believers.
If you had not accepted slavery,
our slavery would have been eternal.
But the Jews cried out, saying:
If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend; for whosoever maketh himself a king is against Caesar.
When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.
And it was the Preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour;
and he saith unto the Jews:
Behold your King!
But they cried out:
Away with him, away with him! Crucify him!
Pilate saith unto them:
Shall I crucify your King?
The chief priests answered:
We have no king but Caesar.
Then delivered he him to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha.
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After Jesus is led away to be crucified, Eilt, ihr angefocht’nen Seelen (Hurry, you tormented souls), an aria for bass with string accompaniment, opens with a powerful rising, unison scale in the top three parts and, when the continuo takes up the same figure, offbeat entries for violins and violas create the effect of duple over triple time. The rhythm becomes even more complex with the choral interjections of Wohin?, to which the soloist replies, nach Golgatha!
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Aria – Bass and Chorus
Eilt, ihr angefochtnen Seelen,
Geht aus euren Marterhöhlen,
Eilt—Wohin?—nach Golgatha!
Nehmet an des Glaubens Flügel,
Flieht—Wohin?—zum Kreuzeshügel,
Eure Wohlfahrt blüht allda!
Evangelist
Allda kreuzigten sie ihn und mit ihm zween andere zu beiden Seiten, Jesum
aber mitten inne.
Pilatus aber schrieb eine Überschrift und satzte sie auf das Kreuz; und war geschrieben: ‘Jesus von Nazareth,
der Jüden König.’
Diese Überschrift lasen viele Jüden, denn die Stätte war nahe bei der Stadt da Jesus gekreuziget ist. Und es war geschrieben auf ebräischer, griechischer und lateinischer Sprache.
Da sprachen die Hohenpriester der
Jüden zu Pilato:
Chorus — Schreibe nicht: Der Jüden König, sondern, dass er gesagt habe: Ich bin der Jüden König.
Evangelist — Pilatus antwortet:
Pilate
Was ich geschrieben habe,
das habe ich geschrieben.
Chorale
In meines Herzens Grunde
Dein Nam und Kreuz allein
Funkelt all Zeit und Stunde,
Drauf kann ich fröhlich sein.
Erschein mir in dem Bilde
Zu Trost in meiner Not,
Wie du, Herr Christ, so milde
Dich hast geblut’ zu Tod!
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Hurry, you tormented souls,
leave your dens of torment,
Hurry—Where?—to Golgotha!
Take the wings of faith,
Fly—Where?—to the hill of the cross,
there your salvation flourishes!
Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus
in the midst.
And Pilate wrote a title,
and put it on the cross. And the writing was ‘Jesus of Nazareth,
the King of the Jews.’
This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin.
Then said the chief priests of the
Jews to Pilate:
Write not, The King of the Jews, but that he said, I am King of the Jews.
Pilate answered:
What I have written I have written.
In the depths of my heart
your Name and Cross alone
shine at every moment
making me able to rejoice.
Let me see the image
to console me in my distress
of how you, Lord Christ, so patiently
shed your blood in death!
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Jesus having been crucified, the soldiers cast lots for his robe in a lengthy fugal chorus, Lasset uns den nicht zerteilen (Let us not rend it), in which the rattling of dice is suggested by the ceaseless semiquavers of the cello continuo.
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Evangelist
Die Kriegsknechte aber, da sie Jesum gekreuziget hatten, nahmen seine Kleider und machten vier Teile, einem jeglichen Kriegsknecht sein Teil, dazu auch den Rock. Der Rock aber war ungenähet, von oben an gewürket durch und durch. Da sprachen sie untereinander:
Chorus
Lasset uns den nicht zerteilen, sondern darum losen, wes er sein soll.
Evangelist
Auf dass erfüllet würde die Schrift, die da saget: ‘Sie haben meine Kleider unter sich geteilet und haben über meinen Rock das Los geworfen.’ Solches taten die Kriegsknechte.
Es stund aber bei dem Kreuze Jesu seine Mutter und seiner Mutter Schwester, Maria, Kleophas Weib, und Maria Magdalena.
Da nun Jesus seine Mutter sahe und den
Jünger dabei stehen, den er lieb hatte,
spricht er zu seiner Mutter:
Jesus — Weib, siehe, das ist dein Sohn!
Evangelist — Danach spricht er zu dem Jünger:
Jesus — Siehe, das ist deine Mutter!
Chorale
Er nahm alles wohl in acht
In der letzten Stunde,
Seine Mutter noch bedacht,
Setzt ihr ein’ Vormunde.
O Mensch, mache Richtigkeit,
Gott und Menschen liebe,
Stirb darauf ohn alles Leid,
Und dich nicht betrübe!
Evangelist
Und von Stund an nahm sie der Jünger
zu sich.
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Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves:
Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be.
That the Scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, ‘They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots.’ These things therefore the soldiers did.
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother:
Woman, behold thy son!
Then saith he to the disciple:
Behold thy mother!
He thought carefully of everything
in his last hour,
he was concerned for his mother,
chose someone to look after her.
O man, act justly,
love God and mankind,
then you can die without sorrow,
and need not grieve!
And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
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Darnach, als Jesus wusste, dass schon alles vollbracht war, dass die Schrift erfüllet würde, spricht er:
Jesus — Mich dürstet.
Evangelist
Da stund ein Gefässe voll Essigs. Sie fülleten aber einen Schwamm mit Essig und legten ihn auf einen Isopen und hielten es ihm dar zum Munde. Da nun Jesus den Essig genommen hatte, sprach er:
Jesus — Es ist vollbracht!
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After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith:
I thirst.
Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar. They filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said:
It is accomplished!
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The phrase Es ist vollbracht forms the basis for the ensuing countertenor aria of the same name. At this key point Bach introduces a viola da gamba to heighten the pathos. But he also reminds us of the meaning of Christ’s suffering by inserting a D major fanfare accompanied by strings,
Der Held aus Juda (The hero from Judah).
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Aria – Countertenor
Es ist vollbracht!
O Trost vor die gekränkten Seelen!
Die Trauernacht
Lässt nun die letzte Stunde zählen.
Der Held aus Juda siegt mit Macht
Und schliesst den Kampf.
Es ist vollbracht!
Evangelist — Und neiget das Haupt
und verschied.
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It is accomplished!
What comfort for all suffering souls!
The night of sorrow
now reaches its final hours.
The hero from Judah triumphs in his might
and brings the strife to an end.
It is accomplished!
And he bowed his head,
and gave up the ghost.
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The death of Jesus is followed by a serene, warm, sinuous chorale fantasia for bass and chorus, Mein teurer Heiland, in which the soloist answers his own questions about the redemptive power of the Cross with the word ‘Ja!’,
while the chorus prays for the sinner’s own redemption at death.
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Aria and Chorale – Bass and Chorus
Mein teurer Heiland, lass dich fragen,
Da du nunmehr ans Kreuz geschlagen
Und selbst gesagt:
Es ist vollbracht,
Bin ich vom Sterben frei gemacht?
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My beloved Saviour, let me ask you,
since you have now been nailed to the cross
and you yourself have said:
It is accomplished,
have I been set free from death?
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Kann ich durch deine Pein und Sterben
Das Himmelreich ererben?
Ist aller Welt Erlösung da?
Du kannst vor Schmerzen zwar nichts sagen;
Doch neigest du das Haupt
Und sprichst stillschweigend: ja.
Jesu, der du warest tot,
Lebest nun ohn Ende,
In der letzten Todesnot
Nirgend mich hinwende.
Als zu dir, der mich versühnt,
O du lieber Herre!
Gib mir nur, was du verdient,
Mehr ich nicht begehre!
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Through your pain and death can I
inherit the kingdom of heaven?
Is this the redemption of the whole world?
You can indeed not speak for anguish;
but you bow your head
and silently say: yes.
Jesus, you were dead,
and now live for ever,
in my final agony of death
may I turn nowhere else
but to you, who have redeemed me,
O my dear Lord,
give me only what you have won,
for more I could not wish!
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Bach takes two more verses from St Matthew’s Gospel for the rending of the temple veil and the earthquake. The strings tremble on demisemiquavers in the succeeding tenor arioso, Mein Herz (My heart), which at the end modulates deliciously from D minor to C major. In this and the accompanying aria, Zerfliesse, mein Herz (Dissolve, my heart), Bach broadens his orchestral palette again, this time with oboes da caccia. In the second piece they weave
wonderfully intricate patterns with flutes, soprano solo and continuo.
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Evangelist:
Und siehe da, der Vorhang im Tempel zerriss in zwei Stück von oben an bis unten aus.
Und die Erde erbebete, und die Felsen zerrissen, und die Gräber täten sich auf,
und stunden auf viel Leiber der Heiligen.
Arioso – Tenor
Mein Herz, in dem die ganze Welt
Bei Jesu Leiden gleichfalls leidet,
Die Sonne sich in Trauer kleidet,
Der Vorhang reisst, der Fels zerfällt,
Die Erde bebt, die Gräber spalten,
Weil sie den Schöpfer sehn erkalten,
Was willst du deines Ortes tun?
Aria – Soprano
Zerfliesse, mein Herze, in Fluten der Zähren
Dem Höchsten zu Ehren!
Erzähle der Welt und dem Himmel die Not:
Dein Jesus ist tot!
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And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened;
and many bodies of the saints which slept arose.
My heart, while the whole world
suffers as Jesus suffers,
the sun is clothed in mourning,
the veil is torn, the rocks split,
the earth quakes, graves gape open,
because they behold the Creator grow
cold in death,
for your part, what will you do?
Dissolve, my heart, in floods of tears
to honour the Almighty!
Tell the world and heaven your distress:
your Jesus is dead!
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The composer sets the remaining 12 verses of the Gospel text in two long passages of recitative separated by a chorale, O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn
(Oh help us, Christ, God’s Son) to the same melody as that at the start of Part Two.
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Evangelist
Die Jüden aber, dieweil es der Rüsttag war, dass nicht die Leichname am Kreuze blieben den Sabbath über (denn desselbigen Sabbaths Tag war sehr gross), baten sie Pilatum, dass ihre Beine gebrochen und sie abgenommen würden. Da kamen die Kriegsknechte und brachen dem ersten die Beine und dem andern, der mit ihm gekreuziget war.
Als sie aber zu Jesu kamen, da sie sahen, dass er schon gestorben war, brachen sie ihm die Beine nicht; sondern der Kriegsknechte einer eröffnete seine Seite mit einem Speer, und alsobald ging Blut und Wasser heraus.
Und der das gesehen hat, der hat es bezeuget, und sein Zeugnis ist wahr, und derselbige weiss, dass er die Wahrheit saget, auf dass ihr gläubet.
Denn solches ist geschehen, auf dass die Schrift erfüllet würde: ‘Ihr sollet ihm kein Bein zerbrechen.’
Und abermal spricht ein andere Schrift:
‘Sie werden sehen, in welchen sie gestochen haben.’
Chorale
O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn,
Durch dein bitter Leiden,
Dass wir dir stets untertan
All Untugend meiden,
Deinen Tod und sein Ursach
Fruchtbarlich bedenken,
Dafür, wiewohl arm
und schwach,
Dir Dankopfer schenken!
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The Jews therefore, because it was the Preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, (for that Sabbath day was an high day) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.
But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.
For these things were done, that the Scripture should be fulfilled, ‘A bone of him shall not be broken.’
And again another Scripture saith,
‘They shall look on him whom they pierced.’
Oh help us, Christ, God’s Son,
through your bitter suffering,
so that always obedient to you
we may shun all wrongdoing,
amd thinking of your death and its cause
we may profit from our reflections
and in this way, however poor
and weak it may be,
give you an offering of thanks!
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Evangelist
Darnach bat Pilatum Josef von Arimathia,
der ein Jünger Jesu war (doch heimlich,
aus Furcht vor den Jüden), dass er möchte abnehmen den Leichnam Jesu. Und Pilatus erlaubete es. Derowegen kam er und nahm den Leichnam Jesu herab.
Es kam aber auch Nikodemus, der vormals bei der Nacht zu Jesu kommen war, und brachte Myrrhen und Aloen untereinander, bei hundert Pfunden. Da nahmen sie den Leichnam Jesu, und bunden ihn in leinen Tücher mit Spezereien, wie die Jüden
pflegen zu begraben.
Es war aber an der Stätte, da er gekreuziget ward, ein Garte und im Garten ein neu
Grab, in welches niemand je geleget
war. Daselbst hin legten sie Jesum, um des Rüsttags willen der Jüden, dieweil
das Grab nahe war.
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And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus (but secretly for fear of the Jews), besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.
And there came also Nicodemus,
which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ Preparation day;
for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
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The final chorus, Ruht wohl, is a great sarabande in rondo form (A, B1, A, B2, A). The laying to rest is conveyed by falling instrumental arpeggios and a vertiginous soprano descent over nearly two octaves. In the first of the
‘B’ sections, the upper instruments play the arpeggios above repeated notes in the bass; in the second, the roles are reversed and only the top three voices of the chorus sing.
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Chorus
Ruht wohl, ihr heiligen Gebeine,
Die ich nun weiter nicht beweine,
Ruht wohl und bringt auch mich zur Ruh!
Das Grab, so euch bestimmet ist
Und ferner keine Not umschliesst,
Macht mir den Himmel auf und schliesst die
Hölle zu.
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Rest well, you sacred limbs,
I shall weep for you no more;
rest well, and bring me also to rest.
The grave that is allotted to you
and contains no further suffering,
opens heaven for me and shuts off hell.
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After such a lullaby, what more can be said? Bach looks to the bedrock of Lutheran music, the chorale, for the answer. Switching from C minor to the relative major of E flat, he sets the third verse of Martin Schalling’s hymn for the dying. The first part is a tender depiction of the dead Christian’s waiting in hope for the Last Trump. The second is the soul’s fervent plea to see the Saviour face to face and praise Him eternally. Bach concludes his first Leipzig Passion with a ringing affirmation of Christ’s victory over death.
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Chorale
Ach Herr, lass dein lieb Engelein
Am letzten End die Seele mein
In Abrahams Schoss tragen,
Den Leib in sein’m Schlafkämmerlein
Gar sanft ohn ein’ge Qual und Pein
Ruhn bis am Jüngsten Tage!
Alsdenn vom Tod erwecke mich,
Dass meine Augen sehen dich
In aller Freud, O Gottes Sohn,
Mein Heiland und Genadenthron!
Herr Jesu Christ, erhöre mich,
Ich will dich preisen ewiglich!
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Ah Lord, let your dear angels
at my final hour carry my soul
to Abraham’s bosom,
while my body in its narrow chamber
gently without pain or torment
rests until the last day.
Wake me then from death,
so that my eyes see you
in all joy, O God’s Son,
my Saviour and throne of mercy!
Lord Jesus Christ, hear me,
I shall praise you eternally!
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With acknowledgments to Simon Scott Plummer, who kindly supplied the Programme Notes.
English Translation of Chorales by Francis Browne, reproduced with permission. Source: http://www.bach-cantatas.com
Composer:
Bach Wiki Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John_Passion Title of Musical Work:
St. John Passion (BWV 245)
