Bach - St John Passion - programme notes

During the Middle Ages the practice arose of having a single voice chant the Easter story while other solo voices chanted the words of the protagonists in the drama. At a later stage the 'crowd scenes' were allocated to a choir, and later still reflective arias were interpolated. Bach stands at the end of this tradition, and it is only the superb quality of the music that distinguishes his St John Passion from many others in a similar mould.

In the twentieth century we have inherited a performance tradition that stretches back only as far as Mendelssohn in the mid-nineteenth century. In tonight's performance we have attempted to return to the spirit of Bach's original conception by using performing forces and acoustics similar to those for which the work was written. Ours is not an authentic performance - no modern performance of a Baroque work can ever be. For a start we would have to substitute a one hour sermon for the interval and, as Bach apparently did, afterwards whip those singers who performed badly. Bach had an all male chorus of about twelve from which the soloists also came. Our performance uses women's voices even though the Church would not allow women to perform in the eighteenth century. Boys voices broke considerably later in Bach's time and would have produced a different sound from today's much younger and smaller boy sopranos. Bach performed the St John Passion several times and each time had to substitute instruments that were currently unavailable. We have also had to adopt some of Bach's compromises (e.g. muted violins for viola d'amore).

The published parts used in modern performances differ widely from what Bach wrote, and many hours have been spent correcting and rewriting these parts. The use of Baroque instruments and a string band of a similar size to Bach's means that many parts can be heard that are usually lost in the wash of string tone.

Bach's symbolism is everywhere evident throughout the score. The initial appearance of Jesus with his 12 disciples sees the number 13 being worked into the score in many ways. After Judas kills himself, 12s start to appear, and after the crucifixion, 11s. At the mention of the law the fugue subject enters 10 times (referring to the Commandments), and the whole work is in 40 movements corresponding to the 40 days of Lent. All modern performing editions renumber the movements 1 to 68 and destroy the internal symmetry.

The evangelist is an impassive narrator but appears to become emotionally involved despite himself for two short periods of the work - Peter's denial and the scourging of Jesus. At various points the performers comment on the drama with an aria or a chorale. It seems highly unlikely that Bach's congregation joined in the chorales. They were not contained in their book of words, and are written well outside the vocal range that Bach considered suitable for congregational singing.

The whole work is enclosed by the mighty pillars of the opening and closing chorus (Bach omitted the final chorale in one performance), both of which are packed with symbolism. However, detailed notes on the individual movements are probably unnecessary, since the work is basically the telling of a story. It is for this reason that we have decided to perform it in English.

© Bevan Leviston 1981 - all right reserved

Selected sheet music of Bach's St John Passion

St. John Passion, BWV 245 By Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), edited by Walter Heinz Bernstein. BWV 245. Vocal score for SATB solos, SATB choir and piano accompaniment. Urtext of the New Bach Edition. Text language German/English. 270 pages. Published by Baerenreiter-Ausgaben (German import). (BA.BA5037-90) See more info...

Bach: Major Choral Works Vocal Scores (Version 2.0) CD Sheet Music. By Johann Sebastian Bach. (Vocal Score). CD Sheet Music (Version 2.0). 8 pages. Published by CD Sheet Music. (220513) See more info...

St. John Passion, BWV 245 By Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), edited by Arthur Mendel. BWV 245. Study score for SATB choir and mixed orchestra (2 fl, 2 ob, 2 ob d'amore, 2 ob da caccia, 2 vln, vla, vla da gamba, lute (organ, harpsichord), continuo). Urtext of the New Bach Edition. Text language German. 265 pages. Published by Baerenreiter-Taschenpartituren (German import). (BA.TP197) See more info...

St. John Passion (New Edition) By Johann Sebastian Bach. Edited by Roesler, Eberhardt. For SATBB soli, SATB, 2500 0000 organ, strings, cembalo (ad lib:2 viola d'amore, viola da gamba, bass lute;also ad lib 2 clarinet instead of 2 oboe d'amore). BWV 245(Ger)(Urtext). Easter Choral Works, Sacred Choral Works. Duration 130'. Published by C.F. Peters. (P08635) See more info...

St. John Passion (Vocal Score) By Johann Sebastian Bach; Neil Jenkins (Editor). For Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass Soloists, SATB Choir, Organ Accompaniment. Baroque, Sacred, Choral. Sheet Music. 208 pages. Published by Novello & Co Ltd. (NOV072489) See more info...

Bach's St John Passion - learn the choir parts from CD

Some forthcoming performances of Bach's St John Passion in Australia:

St. John Passion The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Chorus with Oleg Caetani conductor, Timothy Robinson tenor, Stephan Loges baritone, Matthew Brook baritone, Rachelle Durkin soprano, Renee Martin mezzo - soprano and James Egglestone tenor perform: Bach St. John Passion, BWV 245 8pm 19 March 2009; 6.30pm 21 March 2009 Elisabeth Murdoch Hall - Enquiries: 1300 13 61 66