florida state university college of music performance practice

ecorded at 2:52 and 2:47 respectively. The third slowest recording belongs to Swiss
conductor Corboz (1994) at 2:19.
1 II O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß (Chorus)
This expansive E flat major adaptation of the chorale “O Mensch, bewein dein
Sünde groß” which replaced the 1724 opening chorus, “Herr unser Herrscher” not only
changes the musical character from the outset but also theologically shifts from the
omnipotence of “Lord, our ruler” to humanity‟s sin and guilt “bewail your great sin.” 440
Many scholars believe that this chorus is recycled, owing its provenance to a lost Weimar
passion, but this is a contestable hypothesis which cannot be substantiated. Nevertheless,
Bach must have thought highly of it considering he also used it in the 1736 St. Matthew
Passion.
Seven of thirty-eight recordings feature this chorus as either part of the 1725
version or as an additional appendix to other versions. Of the seven recordings, five
present the movement in a lighter manner while conductors Rilling (1996) and Neumann
(1999) perform this movement in a heavier style. There are seven places (measures 8, 16,
24, 40, 56, 68 and 72) where the score indicates a trill to be performed. All of the seven
recordings fulfilled each of these obligations but all of the recordings went further and
incorporated additional ornamental trills. In the seven recordings reviewed supplementary
trills were added in the following places:
Measure 15 Beat 1 Violin 1
Measure 19 Beat 2 Soprano and Alto vocal parts
Measure 25 Beat 1 Soprano vocal part
Measure 26 Beat 2 Soprano vocal part
Measure 37 Beats 1 and 2 Soprano and Alto vocal parts
Measure 38 Beat 3 Tenor and Bass vocal parts
Measure 42 Beat 2 Soprano vocal part
Measure 58 Beat 3 Tenor vocal part
Measure 92 Beats 1 and 2 Alto and Tenor vocal parts
The list above indicates that several conductors freely added additional ornaments with
the aim of further enhancing the expressiveness of the music.
440 Markus Rathey, Liner notes from Carrington, Simon, dir. St. John Passion, by J.S. Bach, 1725 Version.
Yale Schola Cantorum and Yale Collegium Players. April 2006.
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