florida state university college of music performance practice

elongated the fermatas slightly longer, but never longer than two full beats. However, the
last fermata was treated differently, lasting anywhere from 2 to 4 full beats, with most
settling in the middle at 3 full beats. Lastly, eight conductors, Slowik (1989), Parrott
(1990), Koopman (1993), Harnoncourt (1993), Corboz (1994), Rilling (1996), Daus
(1999) and Herreweghe (2001) punctuated or lifted toward the end of the chorale after the
word “Knechtschaft” (servitude).
Data from the duration graph shows a variety of chosen tempi demonstrating no
consistentency in how fast or slow conductors performed this movement in the twenty-
five years studied. The top three fastest interpretations of this movement are all German
conductors. Hempfing (2004) was the fastest of all recorded at 0:37. Max (1990) and
Schreier (2001) were second and third at 0:43 and 0:45 respectively. The top two slowest
recordings are also German conductors. Daus (1999) claims the slowest at 1:15 while
Weyand (1990) was second at 1:04. American conductor Slowik (1989) was recorded at
1:01, making him the third slowest recording for this movement.
23 b Lässest du diesen los (Chorus)
Structurally, other than different text underlay requiring syllabic adjustment, this
chorus is nearly identical to the preceding chorus, “Wir haben ein Gesetz.” 423 The
majority of the conductors perfomed this fugue in a full dynamic volume. Two
conductors, Schreier (1988) and Milnes (1996), performed the greater part of this
movement in a piano dynamic. However, these two conductors did show dynamic
contrast. For example, Schreier and Milnes become subito forte in measures thirty-two to
the end. Other dynamic shadings are demonstrated in Harnoncourt (1993) who gets softer
from a full dynamic level in measure 17 and then gradually builds the dynamic level to
measure 25.
The two trills located in this movement (measures 16 and 34) seemed to have
been consistently performed. In some recordings it was difficult to categorically affirm if
the trill in measure sixteen was executed due to balance and tempo issues. The alto trill in
measure 16, which is in their lower range, was easily covered up depending if the
423 Roehrig, “The St. John Passion by J.S. Bach in the light of the Neue Bach-Ausgabe edition 1973,” 112.
118