| St John Passion | |
|---|---|
BWV 245 | |
| Passion by J. S. Bach | |
 First page of the autograph | |
| Native name | Passio secundum Joannem (Passion according to John) |
| Occasion | Good Friday |
| Bible text | John 18–19 |
| Chorale | Stanzas from 9 chorales (version 1) |
| Performed | |
| Movements | 40 in two parts (14 and 26) |
| Vocal | SATB choir and solo |
| Instrumental |
|
The structure of the St John Passion (German: Johannes-Passion), BWV 245, a sacred oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach first performed in Leipzig on Good Friday 1724, is "carefully designed with a great deal of musico-theological intent".[1] Some main aspects of the structure are shown in tables below.
The original Latin title Passio secundum Joannem translates to "Passion according to John". Bach's large choral composition in two parts on German text, written to be performed in a Lutheran service on Good Friday, is based on the Passion, as told in two chapters from the Gospel of John (John 18 and John 19) in the translation by Martin Luther, with two short interpolations from the Gospel of Matthew (in the earliest version, one is from the Gospel of Matthew and one from the Gospel of Mark). During the vespers service, the two parts of the work were performed before and after the sermon. Part I covers the events until Peter's denial of Jesus, Part II concludes with the burial of Jesus. The Bible text is reflected in contemporary poetry and in chorales that often end a "scene" of the narration, similar to the way a chorale ends most Bach cantatas. An anonymous poet supplied a few texts himself, quoted from other Passion texts and inserted various stanzas of chorales by nine hymn writers. Bach led the first performance on 7 April 1724 in Leipzig's Nikolaikirche. He repeated it several times between 1724 and 1749, experimenting with different movements and changing others, which resulted in four versions (with a fifth one not performed in Bach's lifetime, but representing the standard version). The Passion, close to Bach's heart, has an "immediate dramatic quality".[2]
- ^ Chafe 1989, p. 75.
- ^ Johnston 2014.