program - SVIZ

PROGRAM / PROGRAM
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of Jesus is particularly apt. This part concludes when Peter (or the sinner)
realises what he has done.
At the centre of the second part is the course of Pilate’s judgment, which is
dictated by the incited Jewish people. In the choruses Bach uses more modern
imitation or homophony; it is only the movement in which the Jews justify
their decision on the basis of the law (Wir haben ein Gesetz) that is written
as a fugue. Pilate wants to set Jesus free but the people demand his death.
There follows the crucifixion on Golgotha, Jesus’ death and the subsequent
events, concluding with the burial at which the believers also reflect upon
their own death. The scene of Jesus’ death is concentrated around the text:
“It is accomplished”. Connected to this is a slow, introverted alto aria, with
a contrasting, triumphant central section. Linked to this in a different way
is a bass aria in which Jesus’ exclamation is transformed into a question: in
saying what he said did he also liberate the souls of the believers from death?
A soft ‘yes’ appears with the same musical motive as the preceding question.
The various texts of the passion are linked by characteristic key phrases.
Thus, for instance, the chorale that follows Pilate’s declaration “I have written
what I have written” is connected with the name that he wrote above
Jesus’ cross, only that now this name is inscribed in the heart of the believer.
The key phrases of the text can also denote the character of the individual
movements of the passion. In the arias there is normally the expression of a
particular affect, while in almost all of the movements we find diverse tone
painting of specific phrases. For example, the words ‘übeltätig’ (criminal) and
‘töten’ (kill) in the chorus of the Jews who demand Jesus’ death are set to music
with long, chromatic melismas; the incessant flogging is illustrated by a long
melisma in recitative Barabas aber on the word ‘geißelte’. Quite different is
the long, harmonic melismatic illustration of a rainbow (‘Regenbogen’) in
the aria Erwäge, wie sein blutgefärbter Rücken. Also characteristic are the
rapid passages of notes on the words ‘eilt’ and ‘flieht’ (hurry, fly) in the aria
Eilt, ihr angefochten Seelen.
Bach revised the St John Passion more than any other work. For Good Friday
in 1725, Bach replaced the introductory and final movements with two reworked
chorales for chorus and instrumental accompaniment. Three arias
were also replaced, one of which includes a chorale. Thus the St John Passion
is actively included in the year of Bach’s cycle of so-called ‘chorale cantatas’.
In three reworkings from 1732 two sections were omitted: Peter’s lament
and the earthquake scene. In the end, however, Bach rejected almost all of
the later changes and only demanded a somewhat enlarged performance
apparatus. In 1739, he embarked on an extensive reworking of the Passion,
but this was not completed and he never returned to the work. The history
of the changes to the St John Passion is surprising at every turn, with Bach’s
felicitous experiments and original solutions.
With the St John Passion Bach placed his own characteristic seal on the Good
Friday vespers, which some years before his arrival in Leipzig had already
developed into one of the city’s most important musical events. The passion