Bach: St. John Passion

When we say Passion, everyone first thinks of Bach and then of John and Matthew since Bach’s settings of the Passion story based on these two Evangelists’ texts are the ones that have survived. Passions were composed before and after Bach, but these works have kept their „siblings” in the shadows. Bach submitted the St. John Passion as part of his application to Leipzig; it was the first Passion he performed there. He programmed it multiple times, making various changes along the way. In contrast, he carefully finalized the St. Matthew Passion at the end of his life, dressing it in a „ceremonial robe” for posterity. In the St. John Passion, the Evangelist’s recitatives form a unified whole with the arias and choral movements, often following one another without pause. The chorales engage in a sensitive dialogue—not only with each other and Bach’s time but occasionally with the St. Matthew Passion. Bach’s music lends almost theatrical dramaturgy to the biblical events. It’s no coincidence that his Passions bring the story of redemption to vivid, tangible life—regardless of one’s religious belief or denomination.