Bach

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A COMPANION TO J. S. BACH’S

St. Matthew Passion

with contributions by Justin Abel Laura Bock Will Doran Steven Hildebrand Chi Nguyen Andrew Pham Ashley Porter Evan Sarver Rebecca Springer

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A COMPANION TO J. S. BACH’S

St. Matthew Passion

a book completed by members of

MUS480:

Advanced Seminar in Musicological Topics

Spring 2010:

The Music of J. S. Bach

instructor: J. Gibson

at

James Madison University

with contributions by:

Justin Abel

Laura Bock

Will Doran

Steven Hildebrand

Chi Nguyen

Andrew Pham

Ashley Porter

Evan Sarver

Rebecca Springer

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J. S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion portrays the Biblical narrative of Jesus sacrificing himself for the redemption of mankind. This is one of the principle beliefs of Lutheran as well as Christian theology. By analyzing the text, music, and instrumentation of the aria “Geduld,” I hope to illustrate that (1), Bach’s melodic and harmonic structure of the piece can be

representative of God trying teach patience and counsel mankind in times of tribulation and (2), that Bach’s choice to re-score the continuo line for viola da gamba was a conscientious decision in order to put more emphasis on Jesus’ suffering at the hands of man.

“Geduld” takes place in the second part of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. At the end of the first section, Jesus has been seized by chief priests and elders and brought back to the city for judgment at the hands of the high priest Caiaphas. The first narrative of the second section describes the scene of the priests trying to find a false witness against Jesus so that he may be condemned to death. After many unsuccessful attempts, two witnesses come forward and say, “He has said: I can break down God’s temple and in three days build it again.”1 The high priest then asks Jesus to defend himself against these accusations, to which Jesus replies nothing, and the following recitative “Mein Jesus schweight” depicts Jesus in his silence:2

1_{Francis Browne, “English Translation in Interlinear Format: St. Matthew Passion}

BWV 244,” Bach Cantatas Website, http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/BWV244-Eng3.htm.

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Abel, Bach’s Meditation

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Certainly, this lesson from the Bible is one that is meant to teach patience to mankind, even when we find ourselves under false persecution. The following aria “Geduld” gives us Picander’s poetic interpretation of this same lesson:3

This text deals specifically with Jesus coming under fire from worldly actions, not judgment of God. Mankind persecutes him.4 In a discussion of this aria, Eric Chafe also notes that “Bach’s aria texts often refer to patience in tribulation as the foremost quality of the theology of the cross; nowhere else, however, does Bach present it as clearly as here.”5 The text is a very direct

3_Ibid.

4_{Eric Chafe, Tonal Allegory in the Vocal Music of J. S. Bach, 356. “The aria makes it clear—in}

the words “falsche Zungen” (false tongues), “Leid ich wider meine Schuld” (If I suffer for something other than my guilt), and “meines Herzens Unshuld” (innocence of my heart)—that the torment referred to it not God’s judgment, but the unjust treatment by the false world.”

5_Ibid.

Mein Jesus schweigt zu falschen Lügen stille Um uns damit zu zeigen,

Dass sein Erbarmens voller Wille Vo runs zum Leiden sei geneigt, Und dass wir in dergleichen Pein Ihm sollen ähnlich sein

Und in Verfolgung stille.

My Jesus is silent At false lies

To show us in this way That his merciful will

Is inclined to suffering for our sake And that we in such pain

Should be like him

And in persecution remain silent.

Geduld!

Wenn mich falsche Zungen stechen. Leid ich wider meine Schuld

Schimpf und Spott, Ei, so mag der liebe Gott

Meines Herzens Unschuld rächen.

Patience!

Even if false tongues stab me.

If I should suffer contrary to my guilt Abuse and mockery

Oh then may dear God

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example of this lesson demonstrating patience, and I believe that this lesson can also be heard in the dialog between the tenor solo and the continuo line of the piece.

“Geduld” is in the key of A minor, and during the baroque period A minor was suited to “serious subjects” and has the character of being “somewhat plaintive, honorable, and calm.”6 In the first measure (Ex. 1), we are given one of the two main rhythmic motives of the piece. The measure of 4/4 is broken up into four pairs of legato eighth notes running smoothly through the chords A minor to E major, A minor to E major. In the following three measures Bach gives us the second main rhythmic motive, consisting of a steady flow of dotted 16th and 32nd note rhythms that venture far from the tonic of A minor.

Ex. 1 mm. 1-4

Over measures two through four, we start in A minor, then go through D minor, E minor, back to D minor, then finally back to A minor at the end of measure four. The first motive, consisting of

6_{Myrna Herzog, “The Viol in Bach’s Passions: A Performer’s notes,” 34. Herzog quotes two}

baroque musician/composers here: Jean Rousseau (1691), and Johann Mattheson (b. 1681), taken from Steblin’s Key Characteristics, 35, 49.

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the legato eighth notes, represents an individual in a calm state. The second motive represents an individual in an agitated, impatient state, with its disjunct rhythm and inability to remain in the same key. Albert Schweitzer offers his own interpretation of these two motives in his book J. S.

Bach, which was published in 1962. He believes the first motive symbolizes the word “Geduld,”

while the second motive represents the sharp (false) tongues shooting forth.7_{Myrna Herzog also}

notes that the first motive is mellow and calm, with its melodic contours softened by ties, and the second motive is edgy, agitated and disjunct.8 The continuo line has one of these two motives throughout, and immediately after these two ideas are introduced, the tenor comes in with his role of the counseling mentor.

I believe that both the motives could either symbolize Jesus’ persecution under trial, or an individual that also may find his or herself losing patience under stressful conditions. In the former interpretation, one could view the continuo line as Jesus battling with his own human tendencies during his hearing in front of the high priests; he strives to remain calm while the high priests labor to find false witnesses in order to bring him to death. Perhaps every time the

continuo line takes on the agitated motive, it is symbolic of Jesus’ internal struggle with his own human patience, then the voice of God rings in head, “Geduld, Geduld,” and calms him back down again. For the latter, the continuo line could represent the average person battling with his or her own impatience. In this case, the tenor line could represent Jesus or God trying to counsel someone and remind him or her to follow Jesus’ example of remaining patient, even if they find themselves wrongly accused.

The first words of the tenor “Geduld, Geduld!” (Patience, patience!) enter while the continuo is calm and speak directly to the continuo line as well as the listener, reminding them,

7_{Albert Schweitzer, J. S. Bach, 226.}

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and us, to be patience (Ex. 2). As soon as the tenor stops, the continuo moves back to its

anxious motive, continuing in this agitated manner until the tenor comes back in at measure nine. Upon his return he takes on more of a pleading role, and the continuo returns again to its calm state, but only for one measure.

Ex. 2 mm. 5-9

This is also the last time in the aria that the continuo remains in a simple A minor to E major chord-progression until the final measures. In measure thirteen (Ex. 3), the continuo calms down rhythmically after the tenor has repeated his plea, “Patience, patience, even if false tongues stab me,” but now even the relaxed motive is still harmonically agitated. The next four measures remain in A minor, but a chord change occurs on almost every half-beat. And once again, as soon as the tenor stops calming the continuo it becomes agitated again.

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(

For the next seven measures, the harmonies modulate frequently through the words “Schimpf und Spott” (abuse and mockery) which is the peak of its agitation (Ex. 4). Chafe makes note of this as well:9

In “Geduld” however, the middle section of the aria—“Leid’ ich wider meine Schuld und Spott, ei! So mag de liebe Gott meines Herznes Unschuld rächen”—moves away from the ideal of patient suffering. In fact, although the aria counsels patience, it has a very restless character.

After this outburst of restlessness, the continuo finally settles down into the key of E minor in measure twenty-five while the tenor holds the word “rächen” (avenge), finding comfort in the assumption that God will assure that those who have wronged them will be punished for their deeds.

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Ex. 4 mm.

19-29

The continuo finally makes its way back to A minor at measure forty-three (Ex. 5), after the tenor repeats “Geduld” three times consecutively, which is also the only time this occurs. Bach could have ended the piece right here, but he brings back the agitated motive once more, as if making the statement that although man tries to be patient, he will surely enough return to his old ways without being constantly reminded.

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RR Ex. 5 mm. 41-47

Although Bach originally scored the continuo part for cello, it is often performed and recorded today with a viola da gamba instead. It is well known that Bach’s St. Matthew Passion went through many revisions after it was first written10. The 1720s version was the original composition and was first performed on April 11, 1727, and April 15, 1729. In the next revision, the viola da gamba replaced the lute part in “Ja, freilich” and “Komm, süsses Kreuz.” Bach’s final revision was completed in the 1740s, and during this revision the viol da gamba replaced the cello parts in “Mein Jesus schweight” and “Geduld.” But one must ask why this is important, specifically in the case of “Geduld.” The cello and the gamba seem to be similar instruments; first we should note just how they differ.

The viola da gamba had a top string that was a fourth higher than the cello, endowing it with a more extended upper register. While it lacked the volume of the cello, its tone is more delicate, has richer chords, and due to its tuning in fourths and a thirds, has access to a larger variety of chords. Bach also demanded the use of a seven-string gamba for the St. Matthew

Passion, making use of its extended range. Bach probably also knew that the switch from cello

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to gamba would not be too difficult for the performer because while he did not compose a great deal of gamba music, he did write often for it when he worked for Prince Leopold at Cöthen.11 Another possible explanation for its use was one of balance. When Bach revived the work in the early 1740s, the organ had been removed from the second loft of Thomaskirche, and Bach was forced to substitute a harpsichord for the continuo of chorus two.12_{Perhaps Bach thought that}

the gamba’s timbre melded better with that of the harpsichord. This also means that those who wish to reproduce a “sonically authentic”13 performance of the St. Matthew Passion need to pair the harpsichord with the gamba.

On the surface, the change from cello to gamba could seem rather insignificant, but when one looks deeper into the gamba’s common associations at the time, as well as how purposefully Bach placed it in this movement, much more can be interpreted from its use. Herzog notes that during Bach’s time:14

There were well-known patterns and the use of the viol in connection with death in German Baroque music literature seems to be one of them. We find it in Buxtehude’s funeral dirge Muss der Tod denn

nun doch trennen, in Telemann’s Trauerkantata Du aber, Daniel,

gehe hin, and in Bach’s cantatas Trauer Ode (BWV 198), Actus

11_{Charles Terry, Bach’s Orchestra, 132-135. Terry discusses the viol da gamba as well as}

Bach’s use of it and his familiarity with other Gamba players, such as Christian Ferdinand Abel (father of the last known gamba virtuoso Christian Friedrich Abel). Terry also poses the

question of Christian Ferdinand Abel possibly being the gambist for the performances of the St. Matthew Passion. He could have performed the 1730s version (performed in 1736) for “Komm, süsses Kreuz,” but not for the 1740s version (as Christian Ferdinand Abel died in 1737). It is possible that perhaps his son (Christian Friedrich) did, as he would have been 19 in 1742.

12_{Teri Towe, “St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244,” Bach Cantatas Website. She mentions this fact}

in a critical discography of the St. Matthew Passion recordings in December 2001. Up to 2001, mosts recording of the St. Matthew Passion used the 1741 version of “Mein Jesus schweight” and Geduld.” Only in one case was the continuo altered. Serge Koussevitzky orchestrated the harmonies of “Geduld” in a fully written out, through composed setting for full string orchestra.

13_{For a discussion on sonic vs. sensible authenticity read the Peter Kivy article, “Authenticity as}

Sound” 47-57, 69-79.

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tragicus (BWV 106, and Die Himmel erzahlen die Ehre Gottes

(BWV 76), Johann Theile’s St. Matthew (1673), and Johann Meder’s St. Matthew (c. 1700), and in countless works depicting painful feelings, grief, sorrow, or lamentation.

Bach undoubtedly was aware of this association and used the viola da gamba in order to emphasize Jesus’ own suffering and death, and by using the gamba in “Geduld” as well as “Komm, süsses Kreuz,” Bach is also linking the two pieces together thematically because the sound of the gamba is associated only with these two pieces and their preceding recitatives. Eric Chafe discusses this relationship:15

One of these musical connections is the use of the “anxious” dotted rhythm discussed earlier, which is unmistakably prevalent in “Komm, süsses Kreuz.” The motive used here again to communicate a state of uneasiness. Gibson also discusses the connection between the gamba and Jesus suffering, arguing that the gamba itself can evoke an image of the wooden cross, and instrument’s gut strings could be symbolic of Jesus body stretched out upon the cross.16 With this interpretation, one could also conclude that not only did Bach re-score “Geduld” and “Komm, süsses Kreuz” in order to associate them acoustically to the narrative of Jesus’

suffering, but could have even used the gamba in “Geduld” to foreshadow Christ’s crucifixion.

15_{Eric Chafe, Tonal Allegory in the Vocal Music of J. S. Bach, 355.}

16_{Jonathan Gibson, “Hearing the Viol da Gamba in “’Komm, süsses Kreuz,’” 439.}

The first is the narrative of Jesus’ punishment at the hands of the high priests, the false witness, and Jesus’ silence before the trial, and the second is the story of his sufferings at the hands of the Roman soldiers, after the trial. The textual and other kinds of musical connections between the scenes in which “Geduld” and “Komm süsses Kreuz” appear to leave no doubt that the addition of the gamba to the earlier scene in the 1740s was meant to emphasize an already existing relationship.

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Both arias also share musical similarities with the chorale “O Haupt voll Blut and Wunden.” Herzog argues that the beginning of “Geduld” is an ornamented version of the first seven notes of the chorale. The opening melodies of “Geduld” and “O haupt voll Blut and Wuden” both share descending stepwise motion as well as ascending leaps in larger intervals. In “Komm, süsses Kreuz,” the beginning of the continuo part outlines the chorale’s first phrase. Starting with the first measure of the chorale, we find descending stepwise motion in the soprano from D5 to G4, and the continuo line in “Komm, süsses Kreuz” has the exact same descending line running from D3 down to G2.17 The text of the chorale also highlights Jesus’ own suffering and torture at the hands of man:18

As Chafe mentioned previously, both aria texts portray Jesus’ suffering at the hands of man, and the chorale makes specific references to this mistreatment: “zo Spott gebunden,” “hoch

17_{Mryna Herzog, “The Viol in Bach’s Passions: A Performer’s Notes,” 33.}

18_{Francis Browne, “English Translation in Interlinear Format: St. Matthew Passion BWV 244,”}

Bach Cantatas Website.

O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden, Voll Schmerz und voller Hohn, O Haupt, zo Spott gebunden Mit einer Dornenkron,

O Haupt, sonst schön gezieret Mit höchster Her und Zier, Jetzt aber hoch schimpfieret, Gegrüßet seist du mir! Du edles Angesichte,

Dafür sonst schrickt und scheut Das große Weltgewichte, Wie bist du so bespeit; Wie bist du so erbleichet! Wer hat dein Augenlicht,

Dem sonst kein Licht nicht gleichet, So schändlich zugericht’?

O head full of blood and wounds, Full of sorrow and full of scorn, O head bound in mockery With a crown of thorns,

O head once beautifully adorned With greatest honour and adornment, But now most shamefully mistreated, Let me greet you!

You noble face

Before which at other times shrinks and shies away. The great weight of the world,

How are you spat upon, How pale you are!

By whom has the light of your eyes

To which at other times no light can be compared, Been so shamefully treated?

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schimpfieret,” “Wie bist du so bespeit,” and “So schändlich zugericht.” Regardless of the various interpretations possible, Bach replaced the cello with the viola da gamba in order to provide more continuity to the work as a whole, as well as to highlight and connect the narrative of Jesus’ suffering.

With all the study that is conducted throughout music universities across the country by scholars and students alike, most of these question we have about Bach’s music will never have a definitely answer. The goal for us, as musicians and teachers, is to have a better understanding of these works so that we know how they can be interpreted and to also discover the hidden meanings that Bach may or may not have infused them with. As we delve deeper into the compositional methods and craftsmanship of Bach’s works, we can always discover something new that can be incorporated into performance or teaching. “Geduld” gives an excellent example of Bach using every compositional tool available to emphasize the Biblical lesson of keeping patience. And through his revisions, re-scoring the instrumentation in order to draw the piece tighter into the narrative of Jesus’ suffering as well as providing more continuity to the massive work that is the St. Matthew Passion.

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CHAPTER TWO

The Sarabande as End Focus in the Passions of J.S. Bach Laura Bock

As human beings we have the capability to encode myriad emotions, thoughts, and sensations into our musical experiences. In many societies, dance and music are intertwined and the bond between the two may call to mind particular moods associated with a dance genre or even trigger physical sensations one might experience while performing that specific dance. To a modern listener, a heavy, pulsating techno beat might evoke images of strobe lights and a dense urban environment, while the twang of banjo and crooning singer might call to mind more rustic, pastoral images. In the same manner, it is easy to imagine that Baroque listeners might have also recognized and held particular associations with the well-known dance rhythms of their day. As Kantor of the St. Thomas church in Leipzig, J.S. Bach’s primary duty was to transmit the ideals of Lutheran doctrine to his congregation through music. In order to achieve this goal, Bach’s sonic messages had to be both clear and universally recognizable- no easy task when employing a medium as subjective and individually interpreted as music. On Good Friday, the day on which Bach’s Passions were performed, the vividness of these messages was especially critical, since the service set the tone for Easter, the climax of the liturgical calendar. As a result, the final chorales of the St. John and St. Matthew Passions were Bach’s last opportunities to leave an impression on his audience. Eric Chafe’s research on the planning of the structure of the St. Matthew Passion suggests that Bach may have considered the final chorale movement so important that he composed it before any other section of the Passion.19 Upon observing and examining characteristic dance rhythms in “Wir Setzen Uns Mit Tränen Nieder” from the St.

19_{Eric Chafe. "J. S. Bach's ‘St. Matthew Passion’: Aspects of Planning, Structure, and}

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Bock, Sarabande as End Focus

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Matthew Passion and “Ruht Wohl,” from the St. John Passion, it is clear that Bach intentionally chose to frame the conclusions of both Passions through the sarabande in order to create similar impressions upon his audience.

Bach’s choice of secular dance music for such a profoundly liturgical setting may at first seem paradoxical, but become more logical when one considers the appeal of popular style upon any audience, even a devoutly religious one. Based on Bach’s previous appointments as court music director at Weimar and Cöthen, it is more than safe to assume that he would have felt comfortable writing in dance styles and manipulating them for a given purpose. Not only did Bach have the experience of professional appointments, he also would have been exposed to these dance idioms from a young age:

“In 1700, when he was fifteen years old, Bach came as a scholarship student to St. Michael’s School in Luneburg. Here he became acquainted with French court dance practices because they were taught at the nearly Luneburg Ritterschule, a school for young

aristocrats…Even though Bach did not attend the Ritterschule himself, he might have studied dance or at least played the violin for dancing lessons and classes; thus, even if he had not been trained in French court dancing as a child, he would have encountered it there, at least as a teenager.”20

Furthermore, it seems that the citizens of Leipzig had kept popular dance in high demand. “It is interesting to note that more treatises on French court dancing were published in German-speaking lands in the early eighteenth century than in France...Dancing masters were numerous in Leipzig, where [Bach] lived, teaching the disciplined practices and noble carriage that

20_{Raymond Erickson. The Worlds of Johann Sebastian Bach. (New York: Amadeus}

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facilitated most human interactions.”21 The popularity of German Baroque dancing also extended beyond the confines of the nobility: “Far from being the purview of a small elite, French court dancing prevailed, not only in German courts but also in the cities, by the early eighteenth century. Its training in the noble style had intrigued and engaged the middle class, to which the numerous dancing masters practicing in Leipzig, and their treaties attest.”22_{In other words,}

Baroque dance music would have been recognized by a significant portion of Bach’s

churchgoers and even considered fashionable. Knowing this, Bach would have undoubtedly been are aware of the advantages of putting a new twist on his religious message by encoding it within Baroque popular culture.

Both chorales clearly depart from Bach’s typically contrapuntal textures, with the entrances in the vocal line echoing the melody of the orchestral introduction identically in each. In the imaginative context of an actual court dance, it is easy to imagine the first several bars would serve as the critical orchestral introduction, giving time for dancers to listen and gather information about the tempo, style, and rhythmic patterns of the steps about to be performed. The fact that both movements are in triple meter, confines the possibilities of their dance

classifications to three options: the sarabande, the minuet, or the courante. According to

descriptions of the minuet, although tempo markings (omitted by Bach in these cases) may vary, the overall mood of a minuet is designated as “gay” and “lively,”23 neither of which seems fitting for the key of C minor which dominates both chorales. When considering the distinction between the sarabande and courante, “Mattheson describes the character of the sarabande as one of

21_{Erickson, 223.} 22_Ibid.

23_{Betty Bang Mather. Dance Rhythms of the French Baroque. (Bloomington:}

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ambition, and one that permits no running notes.” 24 The texture of “Wir Setzen”, from the St. Matthew Passion has only the occasional sixteenth note functioning as an ornamental passing tone, and so seems to gravitate much more toward the sarabande than the courante style in which a multitude running notes would have been apparent. The extremely homophonic texture of “Ruht Wohl” fits this description even more precisely.

Meredith Little and Natalie Jenne offer the following helpful checklist when it comes to identifying sarabandes:

Checklist of Sarabande Characteristics: 1. Triple meter (3/4)

2. Serious affect; noble, majestic, yet passionate 3. Slow tempo

4. Balanced 4 + 4 phrase structure 5. Characteristic rhythmic patterns 6. Complex harmonies

7. Soloistic25

Because a soloistic texture does not apply in this particular setting and a precise metronome marking for determining the “slow tempo” of item three is omitted by Bach, evidence of the other five elements must be used as determinants to classify each movement.

In “Wir Setzen Uns Mit Tränen Nieder” of the St. Matthew Passion, common sarabande rhythms are most strongly suggested by the rhythms in viola line, which clearly delineates regularly occurring dotted figures that litter the sarabande (occasionally written as a tied figure instead). The melody in the flutes, oboes, and violins is frequently passed between the orchestras through offbeat entrances which also serve to imply the same shift between duple and compound

24_{Helen Hoekema van Wyck. "Mourning into Dancing: Dance Rhythms in J.S.}

Bach St. Matthew Passion." Choral Journal 40:3 (October 1999), 9-21.

25_{Meredith Little and Natalie Jenne. Dance and the Music of J.S. Bach: Extended}

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meter. Furthermore, the melodic accenting of beat two, which occurs in measures four and five, and recurs in subsequent parallel phrases, creates a temporarily feeling of hemiola, common in the sarabande.26 Bach’s use of the figure seems to be two-fold in serving as an effective musical representation of the text (“rufen” or crying out) and also creating dramatic contrast with the serious mood of the sarabande. “Wir Setzen” uses an ABA form and symmetrical four bar phrasing, which seems to fit the balanced style of the sarabande described in item four of the list. In addition, the active continuo line allows for the complex harmonies of item six as well as shifts in tonality throughout the chorale. Since all of these sarabande elements are illustrated in the brief twelve bar orchestral introduction, the listener is able to identify the corresponding dance style even before the entrance of the chorus.

Example 1. Bach, St. Matthew Passion, “Wir Setzen Uns Mit Tränen Nieder,” mm. 1-13

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“Ruht Wohl” of the St. John Passion, by contrast, is considerably more ambiguous in terms of rhythm, since only a few rare dotted rhythms or tied hemiola effects are present throughout the work. Despite these observations, in a comprehensive discussion of sarabande form, Meredith Little cites that, “ ‘Ruht Wohl”…rarely incorporates the sarabande rhythmic module, but neither do some titled sarabandes, e.g., BWV 1002 for solo violin, and BWV 1010 and 1011 for solo cello. The piece is cast in balanced phrases throughout…The angular,

wrenching melodies, and frequently chromatic bass line…produce a serious affect.”27 In other, “Ruht Wohl” still satisfies all of characteristics of the sarabande even if the rhythmic

qualifications may not be quite as obvious as in “Wir Setzen.”

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Example 2. Bach, St. John Passion, “Ruht Wohl,” mm. 1-8

One suggestive feature of the sarabande was that, unlike other dance classifications, it originated as “a dance accompanied by singing and instruments,” in its early Spanish and New World folk arts forms.28 Therefore, the presence of the vocal lines in the two choruses would not have been nearly as out of place as they might have been in another dance form.

These chorale movements clearly embody popular Baroque era dance styles that many of Bach’s churchgoers would likely have recognized. This conclusion calls into question the possibilities of other implications and associations which the sarabande may have evoked. Leonard Ratner proposes the idea that all Baroque dance styles, “were associated with various feelings and affections…dances, by virtue of their rhythms and pace, represented feeling.”29 Of the sarabande in particular, Wilfrid Mellers points out that this dance genre is particularly fitting

28_{Little and Jenne, 92.}

29_{Leonard G. Ratner. Classic Music: Expression, Form, and Style. (New York: Schirmer Books,}

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considering the text at the beginning of the St. Matthew Passion depicting Christ as the bridegroom. “By Bach’s time [the sarabande] was not only ceremonial, but also solemn, sometimes even sacral, a marriage or altar dance.”30 Ratner identifies the sarabande as also holding associations as being, “high style, elegant and courtly.”31 This would have been appropriate for a work of music centered on Christ as the King of Kings. This high style was further described by Johann Adolf Schiebe in Der crtische Musikus in 1745. Schiebe’s writings illuminate the concept that high dance forms, “should only be used for heroes, kings, and other great men and noble spirits; magnamity, majesty, love of power, magnificence, pride,

astonishment, anger, fear, madness, revenge, doubt, and other similar qualities and passions can only expressed in the high style.”32_{In other words, within the context of reserved Baroque}

society, this classification of dance may have offered one of the few emotional outlets

appropriate for the congregation to grieve over the loss of their savior. Wilfrid Mellers points out that dance music in general also kept a focus on earthly concerns, “the metrical order of the dance, originally derived from the dances of the court masque…literally a symbol of human solidarity in the here-and-now. Men and women measuring time as they beat the earth with their feet, create concord within a clearly defined system of harmonic order and tonal relationships.”33 However, the sarabande in particular has a sort of dual identity in this respect: “the sarabande is both human and divine- not because it is a ceremonial dance…but because it reveals the

sacramental significance of human love.”34 Since the New Testament emphasizes the love of Christ above all else, this would have been a particularly fitting association for Bach to close

30_{Wilfrid Mellers. Bach and the Dance of God. (New York: Oxford University}

Press, 1981), 23.

31_{Ratner, 11-12.} 32_{Ratner, 7.} 33_{Mellers, 10.} 34_{Mellers, 30.}

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with.

The text of each chorale also goes a long way in suggesting the particularities of the musical message Bach would have intended to convey. The following translations are offered from the Bach Cantatas Website:

Ruht Wohl

Ruht wohl, ihr heiligen Gebeine, Rest in peace, you sacred limbs, Die ich nun weiter nicht beweine, I shall weep for you no more,

Ruht wohl und bringt auch mich zur Ruh!

rest in peace, and bring me also to rest. Das Grab, so euch bestimmet ist The grave that is allotted to you Und ferner keine Not umschließt, and contains no further suffering,

Macht mir den Himmel auf und schließt die Hölle zu.

opens heaven for me and shuts off hell.

Wir Setzen

Wir setzen uns mit Tränen nieder We sit down with tears

Und rufen dir im Grabe zu: And call to you in your term Ruhe sanfte, sanfte ruh! Rest gently, gently rest!

Ruht, ihr ausgesognen Glieder! Rest, you exhausted limbs! Euer Grab und Leichenstein Your grave and tombstone Soll dem ängstlichen Gewissen For our anguished conscience shall be Ein bequemes Ruhekissen

A pillow that gives peace and comfort Und der Seelen Ruhstatt sein.

And the place where our souls find rest. Höchst vergnügt schlummern da die Augen ein.

With the greatest content there our eyes will close in sleep.

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Both poetic texts make reference to a metaphorical link between death and sleep. The use of dance music inherent invokes references to physical motion. Wilfrid Mellers notes that the text of the “Ruht Wohl” chorale “involves bodily gesture-an appeal to Jesus and to us his redeemed servants to lie down and sleep- and metaphysical in that corporeal movement leads to spiritual release.”35_{In both cases, the slow tempo of the sarabande would have been the only}

one suitable to call to mind the gentle, peaceful resting of the weary body of Christ.

In a sense, the sarabande was a sort of musical chameleon; while it always set a serious and majestic mood for the dancer, the compositional palette of the composer could vary greatly, in terms of melody, harmony, and rhythm. Perhaps the empowerment of this compositional freedom is the very element that led Bach to write more sarabandes than any other dance style.36

In addition to expressive versatility, the many possible overlapping connotations of the sarabande would have had the ability to convey and contain both the solemn reverence of an important church service and the passionate grieving of the congregation over the death of their savior. By simultaneously expressing passionate and serious emotions, the sarabande paralleled the paradox of Christ’s dual identity as a suffering human and a divine entity.

Having examined all of this evidence, it is clear that the sarabande was not only an ideal setting for these concluding choral movements, but, ultimately, the only suitable choice among the dances familiar to Bach’s audience. While biographers sometimes characterize Bach as a composer who obsessed over archaic or dying styles of music, these chorales point out that he was just as capable of composing in the contemporary styles of his time if the context called for it. This analysis builds support for a vision of a cognizant and versatile Johann Sebastian Bach who discovered that, paradoxically, a less-than-divine medium was the most potent intermediary

35_{Mellers, 148.}

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CHAPTER THREE

The Implications of Bach’s Use of Tonal Allegory in “Wir setzen uns mit Tränen nieder”

Will Doran

To composers of the Baroque era, word painting and allegory in music were about as common as animals at a zoo. There have been various debates as to what degree allegory is prevalent in the music of Bach, with scholars like Susan McClary and Eric Chafe analyzing every aspect of form and tonality for hidden meaning and implications while others, such as David Schulenberg, believe that these musical choices can be explained more easily.37 While we will never know the real answer to what Bach’s intentions may have been, given the philosophy of the times in which he lived (e.g. specific aspects of art and music can literally represent emotions and objects, and it is the artist’s job to move our affections), it is not too much of a stretch to assume that some extra-musical meanings end up in his music, especially in an important work like the St Matthew Passion. In fact, by examining Bach’s use of harmonic language and tonal allegory in the final movement of the Passion, “Wir setzen uns mit Tränen nieder,” we can see how Bach emphasizes Lutheran theology about the Passion story and why he chooses to leave us in such a sad state at the end of this piece.

Tonal allegory can take on many forms and definitions. Manfred Bukofzer, in an early article on the subject, used the term “allegory” to describe a coherent relationship between a musical element and something extra-musical.38 A triad can represent the trinity, for example, because it embodies the “three in one” concept by having three notes in one chord. Following this, tonal allegory is the use of any tonal element—key, modulation, sharp sign, or the key

37_{David Schulenberg, “’Music Allegory’ Reconsidered: Representation and Imagination in}

the Baroque,” The Journal of Musicology 13, no. 2 (Spring 1995): 203‐239. 

38_{Manfred Bukofzer, “Allegory in Baroque Music,” Journal of the Warburg Institute 3, no. 1}

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Doran, Implications of Bach’s Use of Tonal Allegory

structure of a lengthy work—to express a coherent relationship with something extra-musical.39 The two passions by Bach are unique in that they both employ a wide range of keys. The St Matthew Passion, for example, uses twenty-three of the major and minor keys; seventeen as the keys of the movements, and the rest through modulation within the movements.40 This

distinguishes the passions from the cantatas and his other larger works, such as the B-Minor Mass, which only has seven different key signatures. It also begs the question of why Bach chose to use so many different keys, especially considering how the tuning systems of the day did not allow Baroque instruments to sound equally good in all keys.

Eric Chafe makes the argument that the opposition between sharps and flats is the main allegorical structural principle in the two passions. He also believes that in the St Matthew Passion, the keys follow the text. This can happen because there are various connotations associated with flat and sharp keys in the Baroque period. According to Chafe, sharps are generally seen as masculine, and throughout the Matthew Passion, all scenes dealing with the crucifixion (such as the trial, the shouts of the mob for Jesus’ death, and his scourging) and glory (Christ’s prediction of the Kingdom of God, the spread of the gospel, his resurrection, and Peter’s repentance) are in sharp keys. Flats, on the other hand, are associated with the “soft,” feminine affections. Scenes involving Jesus’ weakness, such as his difficulty accepting the cup at first and his depressed states on the Mount of Olives and on the cross are in flat keys. Also in the flat category are the Christian reactions to his sufferings (“Wer hat dich so gechlagen,” “O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden”), the disciples’ sleep in the garden, Jesus’ final sleep in the grave, and

39_{Eric Chafe, “Key Structure and Tonal Allegory in the Passions of J.S. Bach: An}

Introduction,” Current Musicology 31 (1981): 39. 

40_{Eric Chafe, “Allegorical Music: the ‘Symbolism’ of Tonal Language in Bach Canons,” The}

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His finding rest in the believer’s heart.41

Another example of tonal allegory is the use of sharps for texts dealing with the cross, the reason being that “Kreuz” means both sharp and cross in German.42 An example of this occurs right at the outset of the St Matthew Passion with the opening chorus, “Kommt, ihr Töchter helft mir klagen.” This movement is set in e minor, the key of many Baroque laments, including passions.43 The movement represents Christ bearing the cross for us, and the drudging pedal bass brings to mind Jesus’s slow trek under its weight. Also of note is the one sharp in the key

signature, a possible representation of the cross Christ is bearing for us. In fact, the key of e minor is predominant up until “Andern hat er geholfen.” After the crucifixion, however, flat keys dominate the rest of the passion, ending in a lamenting c-minor.

Additional evidence linking the keys of e-minor and c-minor are the multiple instances where Bach confronts the two keys throughout the St Matthew Passion, with c-minor always following e-minor in a way that seems to point towards the final ending of the passion. This confrontation between the two keys appears six times: the prediction of betrayal, Peter’s mention of Jesus’ death, the buying of the potter’s field, the actual crucifixion, and so on.44_{Also of note}

with the crucifixion is the giant e-minor cadence in “Ander hat er geholfen” at the end of the movement. Every voice and instrument is playing an e at this point, and the text is “ich bin Gottes Sohn” (I am God’s son). According to Chafe, the interval of an octave has the meaning of the Son in this era, so Bach is choosing to represent the text with a reference to Baroque symbols

41_{Chafe, “Key Structure,” 46.} 42_{Helen Wyck, “Mourning into Dancing: Dance Rhythms in J.S. Bach’s ‘St Matthew Passion,’”} Choral Journal 40, no. 3 (October 1999): 9.  43_{Chafe, “Key Structure,” 50.} 44_Ibid.

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that his contemporaries would recognize.45 Also, considering that this is the last occurrence of e-minor and sharp keys in general in the Passion, it seems like Bach is trying to make a bigger deal out of this last cadence. That he would so sharply divide the passion at this point suggests to me that his key choice in the St Matthew Passion is no coincidence, and that Bach is conscious of his tonal plan and how it relates to the passion story.

Why, then, does Bach choose to end the Matthew Passion with a chorus that, as Peter Williams says, “…leaves behind the impression of so terrible a story and cathartic

exhaustion…?”46 After all, according to Luther, the Passion story is one of joy for salvation from our sins and how much Jesus loves us. Why, then, would Bach, being a devout Lutheran, choose to seemingly contradict Luther’s theology? To answer this question, one must take into account the context of the Matthew Passion when it was composed. Because the passion was performed on a Good Friday service, the triumphant part of the story when Jesus is resurrected and ascends to heaven is yet to come. Bach’s passion narrative leaves us in the throes of mourning after Jesus’ death, and in fact, the way that Bach tells the Passion does not instill hope for salvation: Jesus never once speaks as a victor, the Resurrection is only briefly hinted at, and the whole work ends with a sort of funeral “dirge.”47

This is actually directly in keeping with Martin Luther’s teachings about how believers should experience the Passion story. In his writings, Luther aligns Jesus’ death with terror and guilt and the Resurrection with the joy of Christ’s victory over sin. According to Luther,

Christians should suffer as they contemplate the crucifixion story: he believes that reflecting on 45_{Chafe, “Key Structure,” 51. Also, the interval of a fifth is representative of the Holy Spirit,} while a unison represents the Father.  46_{Peter Williams, J.S. Bach: A Life in Music, (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007),} 198.  47_{David Hill, “The Time of the Sign: ‘O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden’ in Bach’s St Matthew} Passion,” The Journal of Musicology 14, no. 4 (Autumn 1996): 515‐516. 

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the Passion properly requires great endurance on the part of the believer and that the horror of the crucifixion must be sympathetically experienced. “This terror must be felt as you witness the stern wrath and the unchanging earnestness with which God looks upon sin and sinners.”48

Another important aspect of “Wir setzen” is its relationship to the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew uses two passages—one near the beginning, and one near the end—to show that he believes that God is present on Earth through Jesus. The first passage comes from the scene where an angel is appearing to Joseph in a dream to dissuade him from divorcing Mary: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us” (Matthew 1:22-23). The second passage is from the last verse in the book: “and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20b). Following this notion, if God is present on Earth through Jesus Christ, then the three days between Jesus’ death and his resurrection are all the more tragic because they mark the only time in Matthew’s Gospel that God is not present with humanity.49 Another important point about Matthew’s Gospel is that the Ascension is not depicted, just alluded to. Bach reflects the character of the Gospel of Matthew by also downplaying the resurrection in the Matthew Passion.

With all of this in mind, the mood of “Wir setzen” makes a bit more sense. Bach is following the Lutheran tradition of contemplating the crucifixion with guilt and mourning by creating a very mournful end to the Passion narrative, leaving us in the correct emotional state for Good Friday. Because the Resurrection will not be commemorated until Sunday, Lutherans are meant to suffer during the days leading up to it, just like Christ himself suffered. Being a Baroque composer, Bach would not be one to pass up an opportunity to manipulate the affections

48_{Martin Luther, “A Meditation on Christ’s Passion (1519),” qtd. in Hill, 526.} 49_Hill, 519.

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of his congregation.

As mentioned before, “Wir setzen” is mostly in c-minor, but it modulates often to other flat keys. The movement as a whole can be seen as having the character of a sarabande,50 and it has a solemn, steady stream of eighth and sixteenth notes, either in the melody or the

counterpoint (Example 1). The pedal bass is reminiscent of the opening movement’s quarter note low e pedal (Example 2), once again bringing in ties between e-minor and c-minor. Overall, the melodic contour is conjunct and downward, giving the feeling of a “piece of burial music.”51

Example 1. J.S. Bach: St Matthew Passion, “Wir setzen uns mit Tränen nieder”

Example 2. J.S. Bach: St Matthew Passion, “Kommt, ihr Töchter helft mir klagen.”

An instrumental introduction stating the main theme in c-minor opens the movement, however, the first phrase cadences in the relative major, e-flat, at measure twelve. The immediate

my _{a I cR” eR( l} mR _{2 l}

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implications of this harmonic choice are not obvious without the text. When the voices do enter, though, we can see Bach’s motivation. The first phrase, “We sit down with tears,” is all very much in c minor, following the text. For the next part of the line, “and call to you in your tomb, rest gently, gently rest,” the music moves into e-flat major (measures seventeen to twenty-four). One gets the sense that the narrator is telling Jesus that now that he has completed the task that he feared so much in the Garden of Gethsemane, he can rest. The dynamics and texture at this point also support this theory. Half of the musicians drop out while the other half implores Jesus to rest gently. The second group then echoes the first before the whole ensemble comes together, repeating and emphasizing the point to “rest gently.”

For the second phrase, starting at measure twenty-five, the same opening motive is repeated by the orchestra, only this time the piece is still in e-flat major. In a sort of reversal of the first cadence, this phrase starts in e-flat major and ends on the dominant of c-minor before quickly modulating back to e-flat for the chorus’ entrance. At measure thirty-seven, the chorus enters again with the same text and echoes the instrumental interlude. Repeating the same text in a major tonality going to a minor one gives a slightly different shade of meaning. The rest does not seem as peaceful, and the final cadence of the phrase in measure forty-eight contains a strikingly dissonant appoggiatura on the leading tone that is highlighted even more by the timbre of the instruments playing it, the flute.52

This dissonance seems to be at odds with the text going on at the moment, in this case being the desire for Jesus to “rest gently.” However, Bach obviously did not want this rest to be completely at peace. The meaning of this text, at this point, could be examined from two

different points of view. The first viewpoint would be that the object of the text is Jesus and the

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mourning believers are lamenting his passing and wishing him a peaceful rest after all his

suffering. The second point of view would still be talking about Jesus resting, but in this case, he is not resting in his grave, but metaphorically in the heart of the believer.

This is not too far of a leap of faith considering the rest of the text of this movement. “Your grave and tombstone / for our anguished conscience shall be / a pillow that gives peace and comfort / and the place where our souls find rest / with the greatest content, there our eyes will close in sleep.” Essentially, the believer is finding rest and comfort in Jesus, or in Lutheran terms, salvation and peace in knowing Christ’s love for us.

Also supporting this notion of Jesus resting metaphorically in the hearts of believers is the reference made to this point in the last aria before this chorus, “Mache dich, mein Herze, rein.” This aria expresses how the believer wants to “bury Jesus within” himself. “For he now within me / forever / shall have his sweet rest. / World, depart from my heart, let Jesus enter!” Considering this is the last aria in the whole passion, it makes a particularly lasting impression upon the listener.

So, going back to the question of why there is such a harsh dissonance in the cadence of measure forty-eight, and ultimately in the last chord of this movement and the passion as a whole, the answer would be that Bach is trying to express more Lutheran theology. The life of a believer is difficult, and while one can find rest in their salvation and through the love of Christ, the path of imitating Christ is difficult:

Luther, feeling keenly his own persecution, stressed that Christ’s passion should not be acted out in words or appearances but in one’s own life; having acknowledged guilt and received Christ’s loving redemption, all should foster their potential to imitate Christ and be fearless in the face of persecution.53

Based on these details, one can conclude that the final words of the St Matthew Passion are

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imploring Jesus to rest inside of the believer, but Bach and Luther are warning them of the persecution they will face.

Is this too much of a stretch? Again, given the context of the St Matthew Passion, it was certainly composed as a sort of sermon. Its intended audience was a congregation of Lutherans, and, as John Butt says, as opposed to an opera, “…much of the poetic material in the Passions— derived as it is directly from sermon poetry—speaks directly to the individual listener.”54 Just like a sermon, the St Matthew Passion was meant to move and inspire its congregation.

Arguments have been made about other aspects of the Passion being used to reinforce Lutheran tenets, such as the vocal scoring of the work.55 It would seem just as likely that Bach would use harmonic means to get across his points as well.

As for the B section of “Wir setzen,” Bach uses several more devices to emphasize the points already made. Starting at measure forty-nine, the soprano melody immediately outlines a diminished chord while singing the words, “Rest, you exhausted limbs.” This shows just how badly the believer is yearning for Christ to rest in them, in a very pietistic sort of manner. Measure fifty-four sequences the same four measures up a fourth, making the plea sound even more desperate. It is also worth mentioning that measure fifty-four to fifty-five are in b-flat minor, which is fairly difficult to play in tune on Baroque instruments. The intonation problems would add even more to the sound of the desperate, imploring cry of a believer for Christ’s presence in their life.

In conclusion, throughout the St Matthew Passion, Bach uses many tools to add shades of meaning to the text he uses. Bach’s use of tonal allegory is just one of the many ways he

espouses Lutheran theological principles through his music. In particular, however, examining

54_Butt, 106. 55_{Ibid., 99‐107.}

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“Wir setzen uns mit Tränen nieder” is important, as it is the last piece of music in the St Matthew Passion, and therefore Bach’s last words to us during the Good Friday service. No one will ever truly know what Bach’s intentions behind his music are, but by trying to get into Bach’s head to get an understanding of what his music may have meant to him, perhaps performers of this work can better convey a hidden meaning behind the music that would otherwise be lost to the vestiges of time. Overall, however, even if these theories about allegories behind the music seem far-fetched, it is important to note that music is Bach’s only way of communicating to us. Why would he not include these sorts of allegories if he could? After all, “…Bach and his librettists went out of their way to show… that we are not predestined to be damned or saved, but that contrition, faith in Christ’s love and the imitation of Christ are the way forward.”56

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CHAPTER FOUR

A Historical Biography of

J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion BWV 244 Steven Hildebrand

Before we can analyze the complex dimensions of a work as substantial as J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion BWV 244, it is necessary to gain a thorough

understanding of the piece’s background, history, and original context. We must be certain that we recognize some universal understanding of how a piece came about before we can analyze what it means. Therefore, I propose to provide an in depth description of the origin and nature of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion BWV 244 in order to preface further conceptualization and discussion of more specific aspects of the work.

The most fundamental understanding we can gain about this work stems from recognizing the definition of the genre, the passion. A passion is the story of the Crucifixion as told in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They are recited during Mass on various days throughout the Holy Week, with the Gospel of Matthew being recited on Palm Sunday57. Recitations of the passion texts have been set to pitches since as early as the 12th_{century; however, it wasn’t until the 15}th

century that we see polyphonic settings of the text. Bach expanded on the basic polyphony, “motet” style of composing for the Gospels. He incorporated elements of the oratorio by introducing instrumental sections as well passages with text that

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Hildebrand, Historical Biography

was not taken from scripture, but rather, was written for the passion58.

Bach wrote five passions: the St. Matthew Passion, the St. John Passion, the

St. Mark Passion, the St. Luke Passion, and the Weimar Passion. The St. Matthew Passion is perhaps the most well known because of its use of two choirs and two

orchestras. These large-scale concerted passions were performed during the

Vespers, the early afternoon services, on Good Friday in the two principal churches in Leipzig, the Nikolaikirche and the Thomaskirche, alternating between churches each year. A typical church service structure during Good Friday Vespers

proceeded as follows: 1) a singing of the Hymn Da Jesus an den Kreuze stund, 2) a performance of the first part of a passion, 3) a giving of the Sermon, 4) a

performance of the second part of the passion, 5) a performance of the motet Ecce

quomodo moritur, written by Jacob Handl, 6) the Collection of the Offering, 7) the

Benediction, and finally 8) the Hymn Nun danket alle Gott59.

Referred to by composer Felix Mendelssohn as “the greatest of Christian works”, the St. Matthew Passion is a setting of the Passion story from the Gospel of St. Matthew and was first performed on Good Friday, April 11 1727 at the

Thomaskirche in Leipzig, Germany60. Historically the work was not thought to have been performed until 1729; however, after uncovering various pieces of evidence, in 1975, many scholars accepted that the passion was indeed first performed in 1727. Although the original manuscript score and parts are no longer extant, scholars have 58_{Conservapedia. "St. Matthew Passion." Available from Braun, Werner. "Passion." Grove} Music Online Oxford Music Dictionary.. Internet; accessed 24 March 2010.  59_{Boyd, Malcolm. Oxford Composer Companions: J.S. Bach. New York: Oxford University} Press, 1999.  360‐261  60_{Boyd, Malcolm. Oxford Composer Companions: J.S. Bach. New York: Oxford University} Press, 1999. 430 

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found copies and manuscripts from various later sources including the libretto by Christian Friedrich Henrici (1729), the 1748 manuscript of the score by J.C Atkinol, one of Bach’s pupils, and a incomplete copy of the score by J.F Agricola, another pupil of Bach61. Besides these manuscripts and copies, there are numerous pieces of evidence that suggest that the premiere date was in 1727.

Evidence suggests that Bach began preparing the St. Matthew Passion as early as 1725. There is a connection between the fourth movement of Cantata 127

Herr Jesu Christ, wahr’ Mensch und Gott, first performed in February of 1725, and

the chorus Sind Blitze, sind Donner from the passion. The cantata movement melody echoes the melody of the passion chorus, suggesting that Bach composed the chorus before the cantata movement62. More evidence comes from a libretto composed by Picander (actual name) that was part of a collection of cantata librettos entitled Sammlung Erbaulicher Gedancken über und auf die gewöhnlichen Sonn-

und Fest-Tage (1724-25). Christian Friedrich Henrici, who composed the libretto

for the St. Matthew Passion, wrote text for nos. 39, 49, and 68 as parodies of

movements from his libretto found in the 1724-1725 collection63. More evidence is found on the verso of the viola part from the Sanctus BWV 232, prepared in 1726. Written upside down in the bottom right corner of the manuscript is a sequence of notes that is found in the first violin part of the aria Mache dich, meine Herze, rein

61_{Boyd, Malcolm. Oxford Composer Companions: J.S. Bach. New York: Oxford University} Press, 1999. 431  62_{Boyd, Malcolm. Oxford Composer Companions: J.S. Bach. New York: Oxford University} Press, 1999. 430  63_{Boyd, Malcolm. Oxford Composer Companions: J.S. Bach. New York: Oxford University} Press, 1999. 431 

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from the passion64. Finally, the last piece of evidence confirms that the passion was not first performed in 1729; movements of the St. Matthew Passion were parodied for a memorial service for Prince Leopold of Cöthen in March of 1729. The funeral cantata for this service, Klagt, Kinder, Klagt es aller Welt contains parodies from nos. 3, 5, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 20, 22, and 24 of the St, Matthew Passion.65_Although

these pieces of evidence seem small and fragmented, they have persuaded scholars to universally accept that the passion was not first performed in 1729, but rather, in 1727.

As mentioned above, most of the libretto for the St. Matthew Passion was composed by a German poet by the name of Christian Friedrich Henrici (1700-1764). Henrici’s pseudonym was Picander, and he is most often referred to as such. Picander studied poetry at the University of Leipzig and later wrote for many of Bach’s cantatas and passions. The Passion is composed of Picander’s own text, text that he borrowed from other German poets as well as segments of biblical

scripture66_.

As mentioned above, part of what makes St. Matthew Passion so well known is the use of doubled ensembles. The scoring calls for two SATB choirs

accompanied by two orchestras, each containing two flutes dolce, two transverse flutes, two oboes, two oboes d’amore, two oboes da caccia, two violins, one viola, one viola da gamba, and basso continuo. These two ensembles were placed opposite 64_{Boyd, Malcolm. Oxford Composer Companions: J.S. Bach. New York: Oxford University} Press, 1999. 431  65_{Boyd, Malcolm. Oxford Composer Companions: J.S. Bach. New York: Oxford University} Press, 1999. 255  66_{Conservapedia. "St. Matthew Passion." Available from Braun, Werner. "Passion." Grove} Music Online Oxford Music Dictionary.. Internet; accessed 24 March 2010. 

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one another to create an antiphonal effect. Bach also wrote sixteen vocal solo parts. He assigned two sopranos, alto, tenor, and bass to one choir as soloists and then another soprano, alto, tenor, and bass to the second choir as soloists. The remaining seven soloists, soprano, tenor, and five basses, performed outside of either

ensemble67_{. Twelve of the soloists are named and outline the story of the Passion.}

The characters are as follows: Erste Magd (First Servant Girl), soprano; Zweite Magd (Second Servant Girl), soprano; Pilati Weib (Pilate’s Wife), soprano; Zeuge (Female Witness), alto; Evangelist (Narrator), tenor; Zeuge (Male Witness), tenor; Jesus, bass; Petrus (Peter), bass; Judas, bass; Pilatus (Pontius Pilate), bass; Pontifex I, bass; and Ponitfex II, bass68_.

The Passion is divided into two sections with a total of sixty-eight

movements, or numbers, including choruses, recitatives, and arias. Bach used many hymn tunes to compose the choruses in the Passion, which allowed his audience to be more familiar with the work and to more easily relate to it. For example, the Passion begins with a chorale fantasia based on the hymn O Lamm Gottes

unschuldig, composed by Nicolaus Decius. No. 3 is a chorale setting of Herzliebster Jesu by Johann Crüger; nos. 10 and 37 are settings of O Welt ich muss dich lassen

by Heinrich Isaak; no. 25 is a setting of Was mein Gott will, das g’scheh Allzeit, an anonymously composed hymn based off a secular German song; no. 29 is a setting of Es sind cloch selig alle by Matthias Greiter; no. 32 is a setting of In dich hab’ ich

gehoffet by Seth Calvisius; and finally, no. 40 is a setting of Werde munter, mein

67_{Green, Jonathan. A Conductor's Guide to the ChoralOrchestral Works of J.S. Bach. Lanham:}

The Scarecrow Pres, Inc., 2000.  502 

68_{Green, Jonathan. A Conductor's Guide to the ChoralOrchestral Works of J.S. Bach. Lanham:}

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Gemüthe by Johann Schop69. Bach also used the chorale melody O Haupt voll Blut

und Wunden, often referred to as the “Passion Chorale” composed by Hans Leo, five

times throughout the Passion (nos. 15, 17, 44, 54, and 62) as well in his Christmas Oratorio and Cantatas 135, 159, and 16170.

The structure of the Passion follows a simple pattern that progresses the story of the Passion as told by the Gospel. First, a biblical narrative is sung, primarily by the Evangelist. The narrative tells of the Crucifixion and advances the Passion story. The narrative is then followed by a comment. The comment, usually a recitative, reflects on the narrative and relates it to the audience. Finally, the prayer follows the comment. The prayer occurs in the form of an aria and is a

transformation of the comment. It turns the emotion and understanding of the comment into an artistic and beautiful expression. This pattern repeats throughout the Passion, interrupted by chorales. These chorales punctuate the narrative at various junctures throughout the story. They give the audience time to reflect on the story, and they often prepare for the next repetition of the pattern71_{. Examples of the}

pattern include nos. 4, 5, and 6; nos. 11, 12, and 13; and nos. 21, 22, and 23- all examples of a narrative, comment, and prayer72.

Furthermore, the Passion was also composed on a chiastic structure. The term chiastic refers to the symmetry of the movement orders. Bach often wrote in a 69_{Green, Jonathan. A Conductor's Guide to the ChoralOrchestral Works of J.S. Bach. Lanham:} The Scarecrow Pres, Inc., 2000.  503  70_{Boyd, Malcolm. Oxford Composer Companions: J.S. Bach. New York: Oxford University} Press, 1999. 361  71_{Boyd, Malcolm. Oxford Composer Companions: J.S. Bach. New York: Oxford University} Press, 1999. 432  72_{Boyd, Malcolm. Oxford Composer Companions: J.S. Bach. New York: Oxford University} Press, 1999. 432 

(43)

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pattern such as chorus, recitative, aria, recitative, and chorus. This creates an “X” shape when analyzing the order of the movements. The “X” refers to the Greek letter “chi”. The letter “chi” is the shape of the Greek cross (an “X”), which is similar to the shape of a Christian cross. The connection between the Cross and the structure of the Passion holds great significance, as it reinforces the meaning of the Crucifixion.

It is important to note that Bach made a few key revisions to the Passion in 1736. One of the most important of these additions included the addition of two organs, placed in opposite balconies to accompany the ensemble. Bach also replaced the chorale Meinen Jesum lass ich nicht, which ended the first part of the Passion, with a more elaborate fantasia setting of O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde

gross. Interestingly, the latter was used as the opening movement of the second

version of the St. John Passion73. The earliest manuscript of the Passion dates from 1736 and includes all of these revisions. This manuscript also happens to be one of the most beautifully perfected manuscripts from the Baroque era. Bach clearly held this Passion in high regard above most of his other sacred works; for he was inspired to copy the entire Passion in a blackish ink while using a bright red ink to compose the chorale melody in the opening movement O Lamm Gottes unschuldig as well as the text that was taken from the Gospel74. Bach would make later minor revisions to the Passion in 1739 and 1745. The Passion was not heard out of Leipzig until 1829

73_{Boyd, Malcolm. Oxford Composer Companions: J.S. Bach. New York: Oxford University} Press, 1999. 432  74_{Rifkin, Joshua. "The Passion According to St Matthew BWV 244." Bach Cantatas. Available} from http://www.bach‐cantatas.com/Articles/SMP%5BRifkin%5D.htm. Internet; accessed  24 Mar 2010. 

Bach

St. Matthew Passion

St. Matthew Passion

a book completed by members of

MUS480:

Advanced Seminar in Musicological Topics

Spring 2010:

The Music of J. S. Bach

instructor: J. Gibson

at

James Madison University

Justin Abel

Laura Bock

Will Doran

Steven Hildebrand

Chi Nguyen

Andrew Pham

Ashley Porter

Evan Sarver

Rebecca Springer

CONTENTS