florida state university college of music performance practice

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION:
PURPOSES AND PROCEDURES
Purpose of study
The investigation upon the performance practice of Johann Sebastian Bach‟s Passio
secundum Johannem as influenced by events surrounding the Historically Informed
Performance Movement in the past twenty-five years is an attempt to supplement
scholarship in the area of performance analysis and reception. In addition, this present
study investigates a myriad of issues regarding Bach polemics of the past twenty-five
years as they relate to presenting a synthesis of research about actualization in
performance.
Inquiry into this topic seems relevant and opportune given the ever-burgeoning and
significant discourse that has emerged in the past quarter-of-a-century in the areas of
performance practice, performance analysis, recordings of Passio secundum Johannem, 1
new biographies of Johann Sebastian Bach 2 and several essays and books that deal
specifically with the St. John Passion or the passion genre in general.
In addition, the designation of the past twenty-five years was chosen because of
substantial events occurring of great consequence that have created repercussions in the
erudition and performance of Bach. Behind these key events are personalities like Joshua
Rifkin and Andrew Parrott, for their thesis concerning Bach‟s vocal forces and Richard
Tarsukin‟s criticism of the early music movement, and several recent writers including
Nicholas Kenyon, Uri Golomb and Dorottya Fabian who propose an ensuing restoration
of more expressive elements in performance that are often associated as “romantic” in
style.
1
This is the exact title Johann Sebastian Bach wrote on the autograph score; however, hereafter it will be
referred to as St. John Passion.
2
Unless designated differently, Johann Sebastian Bach will be referred to as simply Bach
1