Weimarer Passion
Encyclopedia
The work commonly referred to as the Weimarer Passion, BWV deest (BC D 1), is a musical composition among the Passions
written by Johann Sebastian Bach
, composed in 1717 for at least two solo voice
s, choir
and orchestra
with text by an unknown librettist. Unfortunately, both the text and music are lost, but many movements from this work have been reused in other forms and at other times. At one time, it was thought that the work set chapters 26 and 27 of the Gospel of Matthew
to music, with interspersed chorale
s and aria
s, but current consensus is that it is possible that the text reflected a synopsis of two or more Gospel texts, as well as the interspersed chorales and arias.
and Sebastian's former pupil Johann Friedrich Agricola
, two have come down to us with any degree of certainty (the St John Passion BWV 245 (BC D 2a-e) and the St Matthew Passion BWV 244 (BC D 3a-b)). A third has come down to us in the form of a libretto dating 1731 (published 1732) and a newly-discovered libretto dating from 1744 (found in the National Library in St. Petersburg [Catalogue No. 17,139.1.423]). A fourth has come down to us in the form of a manuscript copy by Bach and his son Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach dating from ca. 1730 (with an addition recently discovered in Bach's hand dating from ca. 1745/1746) of an anonymous (the original has been lost) St Luke Passion that originally was attributed to Bach (BWV 246 [BC D 6]), but has now been attributed to a yet unknown master that was active in Thuringia
in the early 18th century (possibly ending in ca. 1717) (the attribution to Johann Melchior Molter
has been rejected based on the fact that some of the material in the manuscript were done in Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's hand, and that he (Emanuel Bach) left Leipzig
in 1734 for Frankfurt (Oder)
). Much speculation has been made over the identity of the fifth Passion setting. Theories have ranged from a one-choir setting of the St Matthew Passion ("Eine Paßion nach dem Matthäus, incomplet."
was listed in the "Verzeichniß des musikalischen Nachlasses des verstorbenen Capellmeisters Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach" (1714–1788) published by Gortlieb Friedrich Schniebes in Hamburg in 1790). Others have speculated that the subject of this article (the "Weimarer Passion") would be the fifth Passion setting discussed in the Obituary. Others have speculated that this Passion setting is in reality not a Oratorio Passion at all, but rather a Passion Oratorio setting of a text by Christian Friedrich Henrici entitled "Erbauliche Gedanken auf den Gruenen Donnerstag und Charfreitag ueber den Leidenden Jesum" (a part of his 1725 text cycle Sammlung erbaulicher Gedancken über und auf die gewöhnlichen Sonn- und Festtage).
, Johann Sebastian Bach
. That year, he gained some notoriety outside of the immediate circles where he lived and worked (namely the areas that comprise the modern state of Thuringia
) when the diplomat, musician, music theoretician, and Cantor (church)
of the old St. Mary's Cathedral, Hamburg
, which was dismantled in 1805, Johann Mattheson
published his Das Beschützte Orchestre, oder desselben Zweyte Eröffnung: Worinn Nicht nur einem würcklichen galant-homme ... sondern auch manchem Musico selbst die alleraufrichtigste und deutlichste Vorstellung musicalischer Wissenschaften ... ertheilet ... . In Part I, Chapter V, p. 222 of this treatise, Mattheson states "Ich habe von dem berūhmten Organisten zu Weimar/hrn. Joh. Sebastian Bach/Sachen gesehen..." ("I have of the organist to Weimar/Mr. Joh. Sebastian stream/things seen ..."). In the same work, he also catalogues all the famous Organists of the current and former ages. Thus, for the first time, the name of Johann Sebastian Bach appeared in print. In autumn of that year, Bach was invited to a Keyboard instrument
contest to take place in the capital city of the Electorate of Saxony
, Dresden
, between himself and the French Royal Court Organist and Keyboardist Louis Marchand
, who was then towards the end of a long concert tour of the Holy Roman Empire
. When Bach arrived, however, he learned that his rival had left the night before, thus aborting the contest and by default acknowledging his inferiority to Bach's skills.
Back at Weimar, his employment situation became more complicated. Back in 1716, his co-employer Ernest Augustus I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
had married Princess Eleonore Wilhelmine of Anhalt-Köthen (an event that Bach probably participated in and provided music for). The new duchess's brother (Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen) may also have attended the event. If that be the case, he would have met Bach then. At any rate, on 5 August 1717, Leopold officially orders Bach to become his Court Kapellmeister
. Around the same time (1717), the relations between the co-rulers in Weimar became even more strained than they had been previously, to the point that Wilhelm Ernst officially forbade his employees to have any relations or communications with the Rotes Schloss (Ernst August's residence). Wilhelm Ernst was also looking for a successor to the post of Kapellmeister at his court (the previous occupant of the post, Johann Samuel Drese
, had died on 1 December 1716). Eventually Drese's son (a less talented candidate) was selected for the post. Possibly because of this perceived snub, and also because of the perceived better circumstances awaiting him in Köthen (both financially and prestige), after the aborted Keyboard contest, Bach began more vehemently to request his release from Wilhelm Ernst. He had become so insistent that between 6 November and 2 December, Bach was inprisoned before final permission was granted. The court secretary's report of the incident relates as follows:
At any rate, during this flurry of activity, Bach had also received a commission from Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
to compose and perform a Passion setting for his court for Good Friday (his then Kapellmeister, Christian Friedrich Witt
, was on his deathbed). Bach accepted the commission, and performed the work on 26 March 1717 at the Schloss Friedenstein Chapel. The work performed there was the so-called "Weimarer Passion".
On 7 February 1723, the fifth movement mentioned above was used again after the sermon as the fourth and final movement of the second trial piece Bach wrote for his application for the post of Cantor
of St. Thomas Church, Leipzig and Directoris Chori musici of Leipzig
, the Cantata
Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn, BWV 23. For this work (BC A 47b, in B minor
and scored for Soli: S A T, Coro: S A T B, Oboe d'amore
I/II, Violin
o I/II, Viola
, Basso continuo), Bach set the movement in F minor for Soprano, Alto, Tenore, Basso, Oboe d'Amore I&II,
Violino I&II, Viola, Basso continuo, the instruments not being colla voce (with the Choral voices). The work was revived again (with the same setting and key) on 20 February 1724 (Quinquagesima
or Estomihi Sunday), this time with Brass instruments (Cornetto, Trombone I-III, all colla voce Cornet
with Soprano
, Trombone
I with Alto
, Trombone II with Tenor
, and Trombone III with Bass (voice type)
).
In 1725, Bach revived (possibly a last-minute decision) his St John Passion BWV 245 (BC D 2b). It is possible that he had in mind a revival of this work (the Weimarer Passion), but realized that it was impossible (especially since the Leipzig liturgy required a Passion setting in two parts (each part framing the Sermon
). However, this did not stop Bach from reusing material from the Weimar work in this new Passion setting. Of the 9 movements mentioned in the above list, Bach would use five of them in this Passion setting:
On 17 November 1726, Bach composed his Cantata for the 22nd Sunday after Trinity Sunday
, Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht, BWV 55
. This work is scored for Solo: T, Coro: S A T B, Flauto traverso, Oboe d'amore, Violino I/II, Viola, Organo, Continuo and is in the key of G minor. For the final three movements of the work (an Aria-Recitative-Choral series), Bach employed movements 7-9 of the above-mentioned list of movements of the Weimarer Passion. The Chorale setting BWV 283 would later find itself included in the collection of Chorales that Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
and Johann Philipp Kirnberger compiled and Johann Gottlob Immanuel Breitkopf
published between 1784 and 1787 (BWV 253-438).
In 1728/1731, Bach again revived his Quinquagesimae/Esto mihi Cantata Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn, BWV 23 (BC D 47c). This time he set it in C minor and scored it for Soli: S A T, Coro: S A T B, Oboe I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Organo, Continuo. In Movement 4, therefore, Bach removed all the Brass parts. He also revised the Vocal parts of the same movement.
Finally, on 29 March 1736, 23 March 1742, and in 1743–1746, Bach revived his St Matthew Passion BWV 244 (BC D 3b) in a new form. In this version, he replaced the original 4-part Chorale setting that ends Part I with the Chorale fantasia that he used in both the Weimarer Passion and as Movement 1 of the 1725 version of the St John Passion. This time, he scored it in E major for Coro I/II: S A T B, Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe d'amore I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Organo, Continuo. Due to repair issues in the 2nd Organ, the 1742 version was revised in scoring for Coro: Soprano in ripieno, Organo (Treble clef), Cembalo (Harpsichord
, Trebble clef)--1742 only, 1743-1746 Organo II (Trebble clef), Coro I/II: S A T B, Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe d'amore I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Viola da gamba, Organo, Cembalo, Continuo. Bach kept this scoring for his 1743-1746 revision (with the exception that he reverted back to the 2nd Organ in Coro II).
In regards to Vocal forces, he wrote:
which translates to:
He also lists in a note dating from about the same year (1730) the minimum requirements for the churches mentioned in the Entwurff:
Likewise, he wrote of the instrumental forces required:
which translates to:
For a work such as this, however, the Timpani and the Trumpets would be excluded. Therefore, the ensemble required (if going by Leipzig standards—we have no information about ensemble requirements for Arnstadt-Köthen), the Vocal forces would require 12-16 singers (3-4 per part), with two per part for the solo roles, and the following:
Total of 20 players, to which would be added an Organist and Harpsichordist (Bach would probably be the Harpsichordist, as according to the surviving information we have about his conducting position, he often conducted from the Harpsichord).
Passions (Bach)
According to his obituary, Johann Sebastian Bach wrote "five passions, of which one is for double chorus". Two works have survived: the St John Passion and the St Matthew Passion , this last using double chorus...
written by Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
, composed in 1717 for at least two solo voice
Voice
Voice may refer to:* Human voice* Voice control or voice activation* Writer's voice* Voice acting* Voice vote* Voice message-In film:* Voice , a 2005 South Korean film* The Voice , a 2010 Turkish horror film directed by Ümit Ünal...
s, choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
and orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
with text by an unknown librettist. Unfortunately, both the text and music are lost, but many movements from this work have been reused in other forms and at other times. At one time, it was thought that the work set chapters 26 and 27 of the Gospel of Matthew
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
to music, with interspersed chorale
Chorale
A chorale was originally a hymn sung by a Christian congregation. In certain modern usage, this term may also include classical settings of such hymns and works of a similar character....
s and aria
Aria
An aria in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term is now used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment...
s, but current consensus is that it is possible that the text reflected a synopsis of two or more Gospel texts, as well as the interspersed chorales and arias.
Background
There has been much written about this work since Bach's death. Of the five Passion settings mentioned in his Obituary written by Carl Philipp Emanuel BachCarl Philipp Emanuel Bach
right|250pxCarl Philipp Emanuel Bach was a German Classical period musician and composer, the fifth child and second son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach...
and Sebastian's former pupil Johann Friedrich Agricola
Johann Friedrich Agricola
Johann Friedrich Agricola was a German composer, organist, singer, pedagogue, and writer on music. He sometimes wrote under the pseudonym Flavio Anicio Olibrio.-Biography:...
, two have come down to us with any degree of certainty (the St John Passion BWV 245 (BC D 2a-e) and the St Matthew Passion BWV 244 (BC D 3a-b)). A third has come down to us in the form of a libretto dating 1731 (published 1732) and a newly-discovered libretto dating from 1744 (found in the National Library in St. Petersburg [Catalogue No. 17,139.1.423]). A fourth has come down to us in the form of a manuscript copy by Bach and his son Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach dating from ca. 1730 (with an addition recently discovered in Bach's hand dating from ca. 1745/1746) of an anonymous (the original has been lost) St Luke Passion that originally was attributed to Bach (BWV 246 [BC D 6]), but has now been attributed to a yet unknown master that was active in Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
in the early 18th century (possibly ending in ca. 1717) (the attribution to Johann Melchior Molter
Johann Melchior Molter
Johann Melchior Molter was a German baroque composer and violinist.He was born at Tiefenort, near Eisenach, and was educated at the Gymnasium in Eisenach. By autumn 1717 he had left Eisenach and was working as a violinist in Karlsruhe. Here he married Maria Salome Rollwagen, with whom he had eight...
has been rejected based on the fact that some of the material in the manuscript were done in Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's hand, and that he (Emanuel Bach) left Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
in 1734 for Frankfurt (Oder)
Frankfurt (Oder)
Frankfurt is a town in Brandenburg, Germany, located on the Oder River, on the German-Polish border directly opposite the town of Słubice which was a part of Frankfurt until 1945. At the end of the 1980s it reached a population peak with more than 87,000 inhabitants...
). Much speculation has been made over the identity of the fifth Passion setting. Theories have ranged from a one-choir setting of the St Matthew Passion ("Eine Paßion nach dem Matthäus, incomplet."
was listed in the "Verzeichniß des musikalischen Nachlasses des verstorbenen Capellmeisters Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach" (1714–1788) published by Gortlieb Friedrich Schniebes in Hamburg in 1790). Others have speculated that the subject of this article (the "Weimarer Passion") would be the fifth Passion setting discussed in the Obituary. Others have speculated that this Passion setting is in reality not a Oratorio Passion at all, but rather a Passion Oratorio setting of a text by Christian Friedrich Henrici entitled "Erbauliche Gedanken auf den Gruenen Donnerstag und Charfreitag ueber den Leidenden Jesum" (a part of his 1725 text cycle Sammlung erbaulicher Gedancken über und auf die gewöhnlichen Sonn- und Festtage).
Bach in 1717
The year 1717 proved to be a pivotal one in the life and career of the then Court Organist and Concertmaster to the main Court of William Ernest, Duke of Saxe-WeimarWilliam Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Weimar
Wilhelm Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Weimar was a duke of Saxe-Weimar.He was born in Weimar, the eldest son of Johann Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Christine Elisabeth of Holstein-Sonderburg....
, Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
. That year, he gained some notoriety outside of the immediate circles where he lived and worked (namely the areas that comprise the modern state of Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
) when the diplomat, musician, music theoretician, and Cantor (church)
Cantor (church)
A cantor is the chief singer employed in a church with responsibilities for the ecclesiastical choir; also called the precentor....
of the old St. Mary's Cathedral, Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, which was dismantled in 1805, Johann Mattheson
Johann Mattheson
Johann Mattheson was a German composer, writer, lexicographer, diplomat and music theorist.Mattheson was born and died in Hamburg. He was a close friend of George Frideric Handel, although he nearly killed him in a sudden quarrel, during a performance of Mattheson's opera Cleopatra in 1704...
published his Das Beschützte Orchestre, oder desselben Zweyte Eröffnung: Worinn Nicht nur einem würcklichen galant-homme ... sondern auch manchem Musico selbst die alleraufrichtigste und deutlichste Vorstellung musicalischer Wissenschaften ... ertheilet ... . In Part I, Chapter V, p. 222 of this treatise, Mattheson states "Ich habe von dem berūhmten Organisten zu Weimar/hrn. Joh. Sebastian Bach/Sachen gesehen..." ("I have of the organist to Weimar/Mr. Joh. Sebastian stream/things seen ..."). In the same work, he also catalogues all the famous Organists of the current and former ages. Thus, for the first time, the name of Johann Sebastian Bach appeared in print. In autumn of that year, Bach was invited to a Keyboard instrument
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
contest to take place in the capital city of the Electorate of Saxony
Electorate of Saxony
The Electorate of Saxony , sometimes referred to as Upper Saxony, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. It was established when Emperor Charles IV raised the Ascanian duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg to the status of an Electorate by the Golden Bull of 1356...
, Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, between himself and the French Royal Court Organist and Keyboardist Louis Marchand
Louis Marchand
Louis Marchand was a French Baroque organist, harpsichordist, and composer. Born into an organist's family, Marchand was a child prodigy and quickly established himself as one of the best known French virtuosi of his time. He worked as organist of numerous churches and, for a few years, at the...
, who was then towards the end of a long concert tour of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
. When Bach arrived, however, he learned that his rival had left the night before, thus aborting the contest and by default acknowledging his inferiority to Bach's skills.
Back at Weimar, his employment situation became more complicated. Back in 1716, his co-employer Ernest Augustus I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Ernest Augustus I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Ernest Augustus I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar , was a duke of Saxe-Weimar and, from 1741, of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach....
had married Princess Eleonore Wilhelmine of Anhalt-Köthen (an event that Bach probably participated in and provided music for). The new duchess's brother (Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen) may also have attended the event. If that be the case, he would have met Bach then. At any rate, on 5 August 1717, Leopold officially orders Bach to become his Court Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making. The word is a compound, consisting of the roots Kapelle and Meister . The words Kapelle and Meister derive from the Latin: capella and magister...
. Around the same time (1717), the relations between the co-rulers in Weimar became even more strained than they had been previously, to the point that Wilhelm Ernst officially forbade his employees to have any relations or communications with the Rotes Schloss (Ernst August's residence). Wilhelm Ernst was also looking for a successor to the post of Kapellmeister at his court (the previous occupant of the post, Johann Samuel Drese
Johann Samuel Drese
Johann Samuel Drese was a German composer and member of the musical Drese family. In 1683 he was appointed Kapellmeister in Weimar. He was in charge of music when J.S. Bach worked in Weimar in 1703 and 1708. His cousin was Adam Drese.-References:*Oxford Composer Companions, J.S. Bach, 1999, p. 142...
, had died on 1 December 1716). Eventually Drese's son (a less talented candidate) was selected for the post. Possibly because of this perceived snub, and also because of the perceived better circumstances awaiting him in Köthen (both financially and prestige), after the aborted Keyboard contest, Bach began more vehemently to request his release from Wilhelm Ernst. He had become so insistent that between 6 November and 2 December, Bach was inprisoned before final permission was granted. The court secretary's report of the incident relates as follows:
At any rate, during this flurry of activity, Bach had also received a commission from Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg , was a duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.He was the fifth child and first son of Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Magdalene Sibylle of Saxe-Weissenfels....
to compose and perform a Passion setting for his court for Good Friday (his then Kapellmeister, Christian Friedrich Witt
Christian Friedrich Witt
Christian Friedrich Witt, or Witte was a German composer, music editor and teacher.-Biography:He was born in Altenburg, where his father, Johann Ernst Witt, was court organist; he had come from Denmark around 1650 when a Danish princess married into the house of Saxe-Altenburg...
, was on his deathbed). Bach accepted the commission, and performed the work on 26 March 1717 at the Schloss Friedenstein Chapel. The work performed there was the so-called "Weimarer Passion".
The work
As mentioned above, unfortunately, the text and music of this so-called "Weimarer Passion" BWV deest (BC D 1) no longer survives. However, over the years much has been written and discussed about the work and its contents. In recent years, it has been demonstrated that nine movements from this work had been reused and have come down to us in different forms. These are as follows:- Chorale fantasiaChorale fantasiaChorale fantasia is a type of large organ composition based on a chorale melody. The term also applies to large-scale vocal Chorale settings in such works as the St Matthew Passion and Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn, BWV 23 of Johann Sebastian Bach.-History:Chorale fantasias first appeared in...
"O Mensch, bewein' dein' Sünde groß" D major (Coro: S A T B, Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Liuto, Organo, Continuo) - AriaAriaAn aria in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term is now used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment...
with ChoraleChoraleA chorale was originally a hymn sung by a Christian congregation. In certain modern usage, this term may also include classical settings of such hymns and works of a similar character....
"Himmel reiße, Welt erbebe" F minor (Solo: B, Coro: S, Flauto traverso I/II, Liuto, Organo, Continuo) - Aria "Zerschmettert mich, ihr Felsen und ihr Hügel" A major (Solo: T, Coro: Violino I/II, Viola, Organo, Continuo)
- Aria "Ach windet euch nicht so, geplagte Seelen" C minor (Solo: T, Coro: Oboe I/II, Bassono, Liuto, Organo, Continuo)
- Chorale fantasia "Christe, du Lamm Gottes" G minor (Coro: S A T B, Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Liuto, Organo, Continuo)
- Chorale "Christus, der uns selig macht" BWV 283 (BC F 31.1) A minor (Coro: S A T B, Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Liuto, Organo, Continuo)
- Aria "Erbarme dich!" D minor (Solo: T, Coro: Flauto traverso, Liuto, Organo, Continuo)
- Recitativo "Erbarme dich!" B major (Solo: T, Coro: Violino I/II, Viola, Liuto, Organo, Continuo)
- Chorale "Bin ich gleich von dir gewichen" B major (Coro: S A T B, Flauto traverso, Oboe, Violino I/II, Viola, Liuto, Organo, Continuo)
On 7 February 1723, the fifth movement mentioned above was used again after the sermon as the fourth and final movement of the second trial piece Bach wrote for his application for the post of Cantor
Cantor (church)
A cantor is the chief singer employed in a church with responsibilities for the ecclesiastical choir; also called the precentor....
of St. Thomas Church, Leipzig and Directoris Chori musici of Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, the Cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn, BWV 23. For this work (BC A 47b, in B minor
B minor
B minor is a minor scale based on B, consisting of the pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. The harmonic minor raises the A to A. Its key signature has two sharps .Its relative major is D major, and its parallel major is B major....
and scored for Soli: S A T, Coro: S A T B, Oboe d'amore
Oboe d'amore
The oboe d'amore , less commonly oboe d'amour, is a double reed woodwind musical instrument in the oboe family. Slightly larger than the oboe, it has a less assertive and more tranquil and serene tone, and is considered the mezzo-soprano of the oboe family, between the oboe itself and the cor...
I/II, Violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
o I/II, Viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
, Basso continuo), Bach set the movement in F minor for Soprano, Alto, Tenore, Basso, Oboe d'Amore I&II,
Violino I&II, Viola, Basso continuo, the instruments not being colla voce (with the Choral voices). The work was revived again (with the same setting and key) on 20 February 1724 (Quinquagesima
Quinquagesima
Quinquagesima is the name used in the Western Church for the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. It was also called Quinquagesima Sunday, Quinquagesimae, Estomihi, or Shrove Sunday...
or Estomihi Sunday), this time with Brass instruments (Cornetto, Trombone I-III, all colla voce Cornet
Cornet
The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...
with Soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
, Trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
I with Alto
Alto
Alto is a musical term, derived from the Latin word altus, meaning "high" in Italian, that has several possible interpretations.When designating instruments, "alto" frequently refers to a member of an instrumental family that has the second highest range, below that of the treble or soprano. Hence,...
, Trombone II with Tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
, and Trombone III with Bass (voice type)
Bass (voice type)
A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C...
).
In 1725, Bach revived (possibly a last-minute decision) his St John Passion BWV 245 (BC D 2b). It is possible that he had in mind a revival of this work (the Weimarer Passion), but realized that it was impossible (especially since the Leipzig liturgy required a Passion setting in two parts (each part framing the Sermon
Sermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
). However, this did not stop Bach from reusing material from the Weimar work in this new Passion setting. Of the 9 movements mentioned in the above list, Bach would use five of them in this Passion setting:
- Chorale fantasia "O Mensch, bewein' dein' Sünde groß" E major (Coro: S A T B, Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Organo, Continuo), replacing the 1724 original Movement I ("Herr, unser Herrscher", G minor, Coro: S A T B, Oboe I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Organo, Continuo). Movements 2-11 of 1724 work = Movements 2-11 of 1725 work.
- AriaAriaAn aria in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term is now used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment...
with ChoraleChoraleA chorale was originally a hymn sung by a Christian congregation. In certain modern usage, this term may also include classical settings of such hymns and works of a similar character....
"Himmel reiße, Welt erbebe" F minor (Solo: B, Coro: S, Flauto traverso I/II, Organo, Continuo)--New Movement 12. Movement 12 of 1724 work = Movement 13 of 1725 work. Movement 13 of 1724 work = Movement 14 of 1725 work (new aria—see below) - Aria "Zerschmettert mich, ihr Felsen und ihr Hügel" A major (Solo: T, Coro: Violino I/II, Viola, Organo, Continuo)--New Movement 14 (replacing Movement 13 of 1724 work). Movements 14-19 of 1724 work = Movements 15-20 of 1725 work (Movement 20 of 1724 work left out, Movement 19 of 1724 work replaced by new aria [see below])
- Aria "Ach windet euch nicht so, geplagte Seelen" C minor (Solo: T, Coro: Oboe I/II, Organo, Continuo)--New Movement 20 (replacing Movement 19 of 1724 work). Movements 21-40 of 1724 work = Movements 21- 40 of 1725 work, Movement 40 replaced by new Chorale (see below)
- Chorale fantasia "Christe, du Lamm Gottes" G minor (Coro: S A T B, Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Organo, Continuo)
On 17 November 1726, Bach composed his Cantata for the 22nd Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Trinity Sunday
Trinity Sunday is the first Sunday after Pentecost in the Western Christian liturgical calendar, and the Sunday of Pentecost in Eastern Christianity...
, Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht, BWV 55
Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht, BWV 55
Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht , BWV 55, is a church cantata written by Johann Sebastian Bach in Leipzig for the 22nd Sunday after Trinity, first performed on 17 November 1726.-History and words:...
. This work is scored for Solo: T, Coro: S A T B, Flauto traverso, Oboe d'amore, Violino I/II, Viola, Organo, Continuo and is in the key of G minor. For the final three movements of the work (an Aria-Recitative-Choral series), Bach employed movements 7-9 of the above-mentioned list of movements of the Weimarer Passion. The Chorale setting BWV 283 would later find itself included in the collection of Chorales that Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
right|250pxCarl Philipp Emanuel Bach was a German Classical period musician and composer, the fifth child and second son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach...
and Johann Philipp Kirnberger compiled and Johann Gottlob Immanuel Breitkopf
Johann Gottlob Immanuel Breitkopf
Johann Gottlob Immanuel Breitkopf was a German music publisher and typographer.-Biography:...
published between 1784 and 1787 (BWV 253-438).
In 1728/1731, Bach again revived his Quinquagesimae/Esto mihi Cantata Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn, BWV 23 (BC D 47c). This time he set it in C minor and scored it for Soli: S A T, Coro: S A T B, Oboe I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Organo, Continuo. In Movement 4, therefore, Bach removed all the Brass parts. He also revised the Vocal parts of the same movement.
Finally, on 29 March 1736, 23 March 1742, and in 1743–1746, Bach revived his St Matthew Passion BWV 244 (BC D 3b) in a new form. In this version, he replaced the original 4-part Chorale setting that ends Part I with the Chorale fantasia that he used in both the Weimarer Passion and as Movement 1 of the 1725 version of the St John Passion. This time, he scored it in E major for Coro I/II: S A T B, Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe d'amore I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Organo, Continuo. Due to repair issues in the 2nd Organ, the 1742 version was revised in scoring for Coro: Soprano in ripieno, Organo (Treble clef), Cembalo (Harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
, Trebble clef)--1742 only, 1743-1746 Organo II (Trebble clef), Coro I/II: S A T B, Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe d'amore I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Viola da gamba, Organo, Cembalo, Continuo. Bach kept this scoring for his 1743-1746 revision (with the exception that he reverted back to the 2nd Organ in Coro II).
Vocal and Instrumental forces used
The conjectured scoring for the work (based on the scoring of the aforementioned movements that had been reused in other forms) is: Solo: T solo, B solo; Coro: S A T B, Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Basso continuo. Much has been written about Bach's ensembles (both in size and constituents—both Vocal and Instrumental) that he used. Here are his own thoughts on the matter.In regards to Vocal forces, he wrote:
which translates to:
He also lists in a note dating from about the same year (1730) the minimum requirements for the churches mentioned in the Entwurff:
| In the Nicolai-Kirche the 1st choir requires: | At the Thomas-Kirche the 2nd choir: | At the New Church the 3rd choir: | The 4th choir* (And this last choir must also take care of the Peters-Kirche.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Sopranos | 3 Sopranos | 3 Sopranos | 2 Sopranos |
| 3 Altos | 3 Altos | 3 Altos | 2 Altos |
| 3 Tenors | 3 Tenors | 3 Tenors | 2 Tenors |
| 3 Basses | 3 Basses | 3 Basses | 2 Basses |
- The same would also constitute the concerted parts in his large-scale religious works.
Likewise, he wrote of the instrumental forces required:
which translates to:
For a work such as this, however, the Timpani and the Trumpets would be excluded. Therefore, the ensemble required (if going by Leipzig standards—we have no information about ensemble requirements for Arnstadt-Köthen), the Vocal forces would require 12-16 singers (3-4 per part), with two per part for the solo roles, and the following:
- 2 each for the Flute parts (that is Flauto traverso I/II)
- 2 each for the Oboe parts (that is Oboe I/II)
- 3 each for the Violino I part
- 3 each for the Violino II part
- 2 each for the Viola I part
- 2 each for the Viola II part
- 2 each for the Bassoon part
- 2 each for the Violoncello parts (that is Violoncello I/II)
- 1 each for the Violon part
- 1 each for the Liuto part
Total of 20 players, to which would be added an Organist and Harpsichordist (Bach would probably be the Harpsichordist, as according to the surviving information we have about his conducting position, he often conducted from the Harpsichord).
External links
- http://www.bsb-muenchen-digital.de/~web/web1059/bsb10599042/images/index.html?digID=bsb10599042&pimage=00011&v=pdf&md=1&l=de
- http://books.google.com/books?id=lfQ4AAAAIAAJ&pg=PP1&dq=inauthor:Lorenz+inauthor:Mizler&hl=en&ei=CtXSTZewPISisAOXzLChCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CEUQ6AEwBDgK#v=onepage&q&f=false
- http://www.cpebach.org/cpeb/resources.html;jsessionid=DB72A3D497FE0739B75C1404D8FD39CA
- http://www.bach.de/leben/kirchenmusik.html
- http://www.s-line.de/homepages/bachdiskographie/kaneins/exkurs-passions-kalendarium.html
- http://www.s-line.de/homepages/bachdiskographie/kaneins/karfreitag_passionen.html
- http://www.s-line.de/homepages/bachdiskographie/liedge/vier_stim_choraele.html
- http://www.s-line.de/homepages/bachdiskographie/textkangeist/bwv23b_bc%20a%2047btext.html
- http://www.s-line.de/homepages/bachdiskographie/textkangeist/bwv245%20II%20BC_D_2b%20Fassung%201725text%20.html
- http://www.s-line.de/homepages/bachdiskographie/textkangeist/bwv55text.html
- http://www.s-line.de/homepages/bachdiskographie/textkangeist/bwv23c_bc%20a%2047ctext.html
- http://www.s-line.de/homepages/bachdiskographie/textkangeist/bwv244%20bc_d_3b%20fassung%201736text%20.html
- http://www.s-line.de/homepages/bachdiskographie/textkangeist/bwv244%20bc_d_3b%20fassung%201742text%20.html