(studies in the history of christian traditions 168) loewe - johann sebastian bach's st john passion...

8/19/2019 (Studies in the History of Christian Traditions 168) Loewe - Johann Sebastian Bach's St John Passion BWV 245 a Th…

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Johann Sebastian Bach’s

St John Passion (BWV 245):

A Theological Commentary

With a New Study Translation by Katherine Firthand a Foreword by N.T. Wright

By

Andreas Loewe

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For Katherine

∵


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Contents

List of Tables and Figures List of Abbreviations Foreword

N.T. Wright Acknowledgements

Introduction 1 F ro m t he ‘ Fi ft h Eva ng el is t’ to th e Bi rt h of t he Neue Bachausgabe 3

T he ol og ic al Ba ch Re s ea rc h: Ba ck to th e S ou rc es 6 C on si de ri ng A nt i- Ju da is m i n B ac h’s M us ic 9 B ac h a nd T he ol og y Re -a ss es se d 10 P ur pos e a nd S cop e of T his St udy 12

1Composer and Work

Learning the Craft of a Church Musician 21 Bach’s Schooling 21 S in ge r, I ns tr um en ta li st , C hu rc h M us ic ia n 24 ‘ Si ng in g p re ac hi ng an d p ra is in g o f G od ’ 29

‘It pleased God that I should be called’—Bach’s Oce and Craft 32 T he P urp os e o f C hu rc h Mu sic 36 ‘ Gn ad en - Ge ge nw ar t’ : Go d’s P re s en ce i n S ac re d Mu si c 39

Music for the Glory of God 41

Proclaiming Scripture through Music—The Development of Bach’s

Cantatas 44 M us ic al a nd Te xt ua l Mo de ls f or B ac h’s E ar ly C an ta ta s 45 The ‘Modern Cantata’ 49 F ro m Kö th e n to L e ip zi g: f ro m Ca pe ll me is te r to L ut he ra n Ca nt or 54 T he L e ip zi g Ca nt at as : Wo rd s an d Mu si c th at A mp li fy S c ri pt ur e 60

C om po si ng , R eh ea rs in g a nd Pe rf or mi ng th e C an ta ta 66

Bach’s St John Passion 68 T he D ev el op me nt of th e Lu th er an Re s po ns or ia l Pa ss io n 70


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List of Tables and Figures

Tables

Libretti published in Salomo Franck’s Evangelisches Andachts-Opfer ,

Geist und Weltlicher Poesien Zweyter Teil and Evangelische Sonn- und

Festtages-Andachten (1716) 53

Libretti published in Ziegler ’s Versuch in gebundener Schreib-Art

(1728) 62

Libretti published in Picander ’s Ernst-Schertzhafte und Satyrische

Gedichte 63 Libretto of Bach’s St John Passion a s r s t p e r f o r m e d i n 1 7 2 4 ( I ) 82

Libretto of Bach’s St John Passion a s p e r f o r m e d i n 1 7 2 5 ( I I ) 83

Kn own and Un known sources of Free Poetry in Bach’s St John

Passion 86

Con solation and Commitmen t in Arias an d Ariosos of Bach’s St John

Passion 87

In te ri or Q ues ti on s a nd A nswe rs in t he C hor us A ria s o f Ba ch’s St John

Passion 88

Actus C h o r a l e s i n B a c h ’ s St John Passion 89

Pe ti ti on s fro m S to ckma nn’s Pa ssi on C ho ra le i n B ach’s St John Passion 90

Figures

Dedication of Solomon’s Temple: Frontispiece of the 1673 Eisenachisches

Gesangbuch, Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel, TL 45 37

Exterior and Interior of St Thomas’ Church Leipzig: Frontispiece of the 1710

Leipziger Kirchen-Staat, Niedersächsische Staats- und

Universitätsbibliothek Göttingen, 8 H E RIT I, 11920 57

Picander’s T e x t s f o r t h e P a s s i o n- M u s i c a c c o r di ng t o t h e Ev a ng e l i s t

Matthew set to music by Bach in the S t M a t t h e w P a s s i o n, 1727, from the 1748

Er ns t - S c h e r z h a f t e u nd S a t y r i s c h e G e di c h t e , p . 4 7 1 , Bayerische

Staatsbibliothek München, P.O. germ. 600 e/2 65

Frontispiece of Bach’s copy of Calov’s annotated New Testament from the

G r e a t G e r m a n B i b l e , Concordia Theological Seminary, St Louis, Missouri 137

Mors: Olearius’ commentary on John’s account of the death of Jesus,

Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München, 2 Exeg. 650 e-5 139


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Autograph Score, p. 11: Diferent Cross-motifs (1–3, 2–4 and 1–4, 2–3) on

‘Jesum von Nazareth’, Bach Digital Project 151

Autograph Score, p. 12: Cross-motifs (1–4, 2–3) on ‘Jesum von Nazareth’,

Bach Digital Project 155 Autograph Score, p. 17: Cross-motif (1–4, 2–3) on ‘ Je s u na c h u nd’ , Bach

Digital Project 165

Intrade H e r r n S e b a s t i a n K nü p f e r s , Kritischer Bericht 179

Autograph Score, p. 34: Answers to Questions, though not in Bach’s hand ,

Bach Digital Project 203

Johann Saubert , D Y O D EK A S e m b l e m a t u m s a c r o r u m (1625): The alto voice

as an expression of the Holy Spirit, Bibliothèque Municipale de Lyon, SJ

CS 320/5 272


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List of Abbreviations

ADB Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie ( L ei pz i g : D u n c k er & H u m b l o t , 1 8 9 0) Ant . Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, with an English Translation by Louis H. Feldman, L o e b C l a s s i c a l L i b r a r y 4 1 1 ( C a m b r i d g e , M a s s . : H a r -

vard University Press, 1969)BB Robin A. Leaver, Bachs theologische Bibliothek: Eine kritische Bibliogra-

phie (Neuhausen-Stuttgart: Hännsler, 1985)BBKL Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon ( H erz b erg : T ra u g ot t

Bautz, 1993)

BD We rn er Ne uma nn an d Ha ns J oac hi m Sc hu lze , e ds. , Bach-Dokumente, 3 vols (Kassel: Bärenreiter, 1963–1972)BW V Wo lf ga ng S ch mi ed er, e d. , Thematisch-systematisches Verzeichnis der

musikalischen Werke von Johann Sebastian Bach: Bach-Werke-Verzeich-nis [ B a c h W o r k s Ca t a l o g u e] ( W i esb a d en : B r ei t k o pf u n d H ä r t el , 1 9 8 0)

CB Abraham Calov, ed., I. N. J./ Die Heilige/ Bibel/ nach S. Herrn D. Martini Lutheri. Deutscher Dolmetschung und Erklärung/ … mit großem Fleiß/ und Kosten ausgearbeitet/ und verfasset/ von/ D. Abraham Calovio (Wit-tenberg: Christian Schröter, 1681–1682)

ES Reinhold Vormbaum, ed., Evangelische Schulordnungen, I: Die evange-lischen Schulordnungen des Sechzehnten Jahrhunderts (Gütersloh: Ber-telsmann, 1860)

HS Johannes Olearius, Haupt Schlüßel der gantzen Heiligen Schrift , 3 v o l -u m es i n 5 pa r t s ( L ei pz i g : T a r n o v en , 1 6 7 8 – 1 6 8 0)

Kritischer Bericht Jo h a n n S eb a st i a n B a c h , Johannes-Passion BWV 245 , A r t h u rM e nd e l, e d ., N e ue B a ch -A us g ab e S e ri e I I : M e ss e n, Pa s si o ne n , o ra to -r i sc h e We r ke , 5 v ol s ( K as s e l: B ä re n re i te r, 1 974 ) , I V: Kritischer Bericht von

Arthur Mendel K S G io rg io C ol li a nd M az zi no M on ta ri ni , e ds ., Friedrich Nietzsche Werke.

Kritische Gesamtausgabe (Berlin: de Gruyter, 1969–1978)Livy, History of Rome T i tu s L i vi u s [ L iv y ], Ab Urbe condita libri , W. We i ss e n-

b o r n , H . J. M ü l l er ed s. ( L ei pz i g : T eu b n er , 1 8 9 8 )N BR H an s D av id a nd A rt hu r M e nd el , e d s. e t a l. , r ev is ed a nd e nl ar ge d b y

Christoph Wolf, The New Bach Reader: A Life of Johann Sebastian Bachin Letters and Documents (London: W.W. Norton, 1998)

WA Martin Luther, D. Martin Luthers Werke: Kritische Gesamtausgabe, Joachim Karl Friedrich Knaake, ed. et al. (Weimar: Hermann Böhlau,

1883–1985) WA Br Briefwechsel , L u t h er ’ s L et t er s


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WA Tr Tischreden, L u t h er ’ s T a b l e T a l k War Flavius Josephus, The Jewish War, with an English Translation by H. St.

J. Thackeray, L o eb C l as s ic a l L i br ar y 2 0 3 ( C am br i dg e, M as s .: H a rv ar d

University Press, 1967)


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Foreword

N.T. Wright *

S t J o h n ’ s a c c o u n t o f t h e t r i a l a n d d e a t h o f J e s u s c o n t a i n s s o m e o f t h e d e n s e s t ,a s w e l l a s t h e m o s t v i v i d , w r i t i n g i n h i s a l r e a d y a s t o n i s h i n g G o s p e l . R o m a nh i st or i an s h av e l o ng a g re e d t h at t h e d e ta i le d p r es e nt a ti o n o f t h e t o- a nd - fr ob e t w e e n J e s u s , P o n t i u s P i l a t e a n d t h e J u d a e a n l e a d e r s a n d c r o w d s c a r r i e s s t r o n gh i st or i ca l v e ri s im i li t ud e : t h is i s, m o re o r l e ss , h ow s u ch R om a n t r ia l s w ou l dh a v e b een . B u t t h e d r a m a t i c a r g u m en t s b et w een t h e r epr esen t a t i v es o f G o d ’ s

k in gd om a nd t he E mp er or ’s k in gd om a re n ot s im pl y a s tr ik in g a cc ou nt o f t o t a l i t a r i a n s n e e r i n g o n t h e o n e h a n d a n d t h e o l o g i c a l c o u r a g e o n t h e o t h e r ,t h o u g h t h e y a r e t h a t . T h e y a r e t h e p l a c e w h e r e J o h n d r a w s t o g e t h e r , a t l a s t , a l lt h e r i c h , c o m p l e x s t r a n d s t h a t h a v e m a d e h i s G o s p e l w h a t i t i s . T h e h o u r h a sc o m e : t h i s i s w h e r e i t w a s a l l l e a d i n g . B a c h ’ s m u s i c , o f c o u r s e , m a t c h e s J o h ns t r i d e f o r s t r i d e i n i t s d e n s e c o m p l e x i t y a s w e l l a s i t s b e a u t y a n d p o w e r .

T hi s i s w he re i t wa s a ll l ea di ng , g oi ng b ac k to t he ve ry b eg in ni ng ; w hi ch i s, o f c ou rs e, w he re J oh n e ch oe s t he b oo k o f G en es is : ‘ in t he b eg in ni ng w as t he Wo rd… a n d t h e W o r d b e c a m e e s h ’ ( J o h n 1 . 1 , 1 4 ) . J o h n ’ s b o o k i s a b o u t t h e o n e G o d who made a good world and who loves it still, even though when he comes inp e r s o n , a s l i g h t i n t o t h e d a r k n e s s , t h e d a r k n e s s d i d n o t u n d e r s t a n d h i m , j u s ta s t h e w o r l d i t s e l f , h i s o w n c r e a t i o n , d i d n o t k n o w h i m . A l l t h a t , w o v e n i n t op a s s a g e a f t e r p a s s a g e i n t h e G o s p e l , c o m e s t o f u l l e x p r e s s i o n , a s P i l a t e c a n n o tb e b o t h e r e d t o w o r k o u t w h a t J e s u s i s t a l k i n g a b o u t . H e c a m e , s a y s J o h n , t o h i so w n , a n d h i s o w n d i d n o t r e c e i v e h i m : a l l o f t h a t , t o o , i s s e t b e f o r e u s t h r o u g h o u tt h e G o s p e l , a s J e s u s ’ o w n p e o p l e r e f u s e h i s m e s s a g e , a n d i t n o w c o m e s t o f u l le x p r e s s i o n a s t h e a n g r y c h i e f p r i e s t s i n s i s t t h a t t h e y h a v e a l a w a c c o r d i n g t o

which Jesus should die, that if Pilate lets him go he is not the friend of theE m per o r , a n d , c h i l l i n g l y , t h a t t h ey t h em sel v es h a v e ‘ n o k i n g b u t t h e E m per o r ’( Jo h n 1 9 . 1 5 d , m o v em en t 2 3 f ) .

B u t t h e G o s p e l w h i c h o p e n s w i t h t h a t p r o l o g u e , s o e x a c t l y a n t i c i p a t i n g t h ec l i m a x a t t h e h e a r t o f B a c h ’ s StJohnPassion, c o n t i n u e s a s t h e e x p o s i t i o n o f h o w ,pr ec i sel y w i t h i n t h i s f r a m ew o r k o f m i su n d er st a n d i n g a n d r ej ec t i o n , ‘ t h e W o r dh a s b e c o m e e s h a n d d w e l t a m o n g u s , s o t h a t w e b e h e l d h i s g l o r y , g l o r y a s o f t h e F a t h e r ’ s o n l y S o n , f u l l o f g r a c e a n d t r u t h ’ ( J o h n 1 . 1 4 ) . T o u n d e r s t a n d J o h n ’ s

* T h e R t R ev d N . T. W ri g ht i s P r o f es s or o f N ew Te s ta m en t a n d E a r ly C h ri s ti a ni t y, T h e S c h oo l o f

Divinity, University of St Andrew’s.


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P a ssi o n n a r r a t i v e, w e h a v e t o u n d er st a n d t h a t c l i m a c t i c v er se i n t h e P r o l o g u e. John is writing, as it were, a new rst chapter of Genesis; and, just as the climax

o f t he r st c ha pte r o f G en es is i s t he c re at io n o f h um an ki nd i n t he i ma ge o f G od ,

s o t h e c l i m a x o f t h e P r o l o g u e o f J o h n i s t h e c o m i n g i n t o t h e w o r l d o f t h e ‘ T r u eI m a g e’ , t h e ‘ P r o per M a n ’ i n L u t h er ’ s ph r a se ( M a r t i n L u t h er , The Freedom of aChristian, 1 52 0) . S o w he n, i n t he Pa ss io n n ar ra ti ve , P il ate b ri ng s J es us o ut to t hec rowd s o n t he s ix th d ay o f t he we ek , t he d ay w he n h um an s we re c re ate d a s t hec li ma x o f G od ’s c re at io n, a nd d ec la re s ‘ Se he t, w el ch e in M en sc h’ ( Be ho ld , w ha ta p er so n, J oh n 1 9. 15 b, m ov em en t 2 1c ), we o ug ht t o h ea r b ot h t he s ho ck in g i ro ny o f t h e c a l l o u s R o m a n g o v e r n o r s n e e r i n g a t J e s u s a n d t h e m a s s i v e t h e o l o g i c a la r ma ti on : h er e i s t he t ru e M an , c om pl et in g G od ’s l ov in g wo rk o f r es cu in g h is

creation.T h e W o r d b e c a m e e s h , s a y s J o h n i n t h e P r o l o g u e , a n d h e ‘ p i t c h e d h i s t e n t ’a m o n g u s , ‘ t a b e r n a c l e d ’ i n o u r m i d s t ( J o h n 1 . 1 4 ) . W i t h t h a t , w e a r e i n t r o d u c e dt o a n o t h e r m a j o r t h e m e o f t h e w h o l e G o s p e l . T h e g l o r y o f I s r a e l ’ s G o d h a da b a n d o n e d t h e T e m p l e a t t h e t i m e o f t h e e x i l e , a n d n o w h e r e i n t h e p o s t - e x i l i c writings does it say that the divine glory has returned to take up residencea m o n g h i s p e o p l e . N o w a t l a s t , d e c l a r e s J o h n , i t h a s h a p p e n e d — b u t n o t i n t h eT e m p l e m a d e w i t h h a n d s , H e r o d ’ s r e b u i l t T e m p l e i n J e r u s a l e m , b u t i n a n d a sa h u m a n b e i n g , the h u m a n b e i n g , t h e p e r f e c t i m a g e , J e s u s h i m s e l f . T h e o l d e r Ige t, t he m or e i t s ee ms to m e t ha t t hi s t he me , t he g lo ry o f I sra el ’s G od re tu rn in ga t l a s t i n t h e f o r m o f J e s u s , i s t h e c e n t r a l t h e m e o f t h e w h o l e N e w T e s t a m e n t ,a n d t h e s t r a n g e r i t s e e m s t o m e t h a t f o r s o l o n g t h e c h u r c h a n d t h e w o r l d o f s c h o l a r s h i p h a v e s i m p l y n o t s e e n i t . T h e g l o r y s h i n e s f o r t h a s J e s u s c h a n g e s water into wine, ‘revealing his glory’ and, in the next breath, declaring that thep r e s e n t T e m p l e w i l l b e d e s t r o y e d a n d a n e w o n e , n o t m a d e w i t h h a n d s , b u i l ti n i t s p l a c e — r e f e r r i n g , s a y s J o h n , t o t h e t e m p l e o f h i s b o d y . A n d n o w , t h o u g ht h e w o r d ‘ g l o r y ’ i s n o t f o u n d i n t h e P a s s i o n n a r r a t i v e , J o h n h a s s t r u c t u r e d h i s

G o s p e l i n s u c h a w a y t h a t w e o u g h t t o b e , i n h e a r t a n d m i n d , i n t h e T e m p l e ,b eh ol di ng t he g lo ry : w he n J es us a rr iv es i n J er us al em i n c ha pt er 1 2, t he n ar ra ti veb re ak s o f , a nd w e h av e n o f ewe r t ha n v e c ha pte rs o f m ed it at io n, t he s o -c al le d‘ Fa re we ll D is co ur se s’, w he re we n d o ur se lv es i n t he p re se nc e o f t he l iv in g G od ,p r o m i s e d t h a t w e , t o o , s h a l l b e l l e d w i t h h i s S p i r i t , a n d c o m m i s s i o n e d f o ro u r o w n t a s k s t o s h i n e a s l i g h t s i n t o t h e d a r k w o r l d . T h e g l o r y o f t h e L o r d i sr e v e a l e d , a n d a l l e s h s h a l l s e e i t t o g e t h e r . A l l o f t h a t , i f w e k n o w w h a t w e a r ea b o u t , w e s h o u l d h a v e i n o u r h e a d s a n d o u r h e a r t s a s w e c o m e t o t h e P a s s i o n

narrative.B a c h , o f c o u r s e , k n e w e x a c t l y w h a t h e w a s a b o u t . W h e n h e n a l l y d e c i d e d

o n t h e o p e n i n g c h o r u s o f h i s St John Passion a s w e k n o w i t t o d a y , h e p i c k e do u t t h a t v e r y t h e m e , w i t h w o r d p l a y w h i c h w o r k s i n G e r m a n t h o u g h n o t e a s i l y


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i n E n g l i sh : Herr, unser Herrscher, dessen Ruhm in allen Landen herrlich ist! Zeiguns … daß du, auch in der größten Niedrigkeit, verherrlicht worden bist! — Herr , Herrscher , herrlich, verherrlicht worden bist : G l or i ou s L o rd , o u r g l or io u s m a st er,

your glory i s h o n o u r e d i n a l l t h e w o r l d , y o u a r e gloried e v e n i n t h e d a r k n e s s .T h i s i s s p o t o n a s a n i n t r o d u c t i o n t o w h a t J o h n i s t r y i n g t o s a y . Within and among these themes of the true Man, the true Temple, the true

G l o r y , J o h n h a s w o v e n t h e s h a r p d i s c u s s i o n o f J e s u s a s t h e K i n g . ‘ A r e y o u t h ek i n g o f t h e J e w s ? ’ ( J o h n 1 8 . 3 3 b ) ‘ M y k i n g d o m i s n o t f r o m t h i s w o r l d ’ ( 1 8 . 3 5 ) ; ‘ Y o us a y i t , I a m a k i n g ’ ( 1 8 . 3 7 b ) ; ‘ D o y o u w a n t m e n o w t o l e t g o f o r y o u t h e k i n g o f t h e J e w s ? ’ ( 1 8 . 3 9 ) ; ‘ E v e r y o n e w h o m a k e s h i m s e l f a k i n g i s a g a i n s t t h e E m p e r o r ’( 1 9 . 1 2 c ) ; ‘ T h a t i s y o u r k i n g ! ’ ( 1 9 . 1 3 ) ; ‘ S h a l l I c r u c i f y y o u r k i n g ? ’ ( 1 9 . 1 5 c ) ‘ W e h a v e

n o k i n g b u t t h e E m p e r o r ’ ( 1 9 . 1 5 d ) . ‘ J e s u s o f N a z a r e t h , k i n g o f t h e J e w s ’ ( 1 9 . 1 9 ) ;‘ D o n o t w r i t e : t h e k i n g o f t h e J e w s , b u t r a t h e r t h a t h e s a i d : I a m t h e k i n g o f t h e Jews’ (19.21b). And when we pause and ponder the ancient Biblical vision that

t h e t r u e K i n g o f I s r a e l , w h e n h e a r r i v e d , w o u l d b e t h e k i n g o f t h e w o r l d , w i t h ad om in io n f ro m s ea t o s ea , we r ea li se w ha t i s a t s ta ke : t wo v is io ns o f a ll o f r ea li ty,t he E mp er or- vi si on , i n w hi ch t ru th i s a f un ct io n o f p ow er, c re at in g k in gd om b y violence, and the Jesus-vision, in which truth is a function of redemption, andr ed em pt i o n g en er a t es k i n g d o m b y l o v e. Jesu s, h a v i n g l o v ed h i s o w n w h o w er ei n t h e w o r l d , l o v e d t h e m t o t h e u t t e r m o s t , eis telos, t o t h e e n d ( J o h n 1 3 . 1 ) . T h i si s t he v ic to ry t ha t ov erc om es t he wo rl d a nd l au nc he s, a t l as t, t he p ro je ct o f n ew c re at io n, a n ew c re at io n t ha t t ake s u s n ot away f ro m t he wo rl d b ut o ut i nto t he world with the news of resurrection and, once more, love.

All this is drawn to its head as Jesus dies on the cross, with the single Greek word tetelestai , ‘ I t i s n i s h e d ’ ( J o h n 1 9 . 3 0 a ) . F o r u s , ‘ n i s h e d ’ c a n m e a n , s i m p l y ,‘ st o pped ’ , ‘ i t ’ s o v er ’ ; ‘ t h a t ’ s en o u g h o f t h a t ’ . B u t tetelestai m e a n s m u c h m o r e , ‘ I tis completed ’ ; t h e w o r k i s d o n e , i s a c c o m p l i s h e d . A n d , t e l l i n g l y , i t e c h o e s t h e word spoken at the end of the sixth day in Genesis 1: God nished a l l h i s w o r k

which he had made. Not, God stopped, as though he was bored; rather, Godcompleted t h e f u l l t a s k . N o w , o n t h e s i x t h d a y , G o d c o m p l e t e s h i s w o r k . A g a i n ,L u t h e r ’ s G e r m a n g e t s i t e x a c t l y r i g h t : Es ist vollbracht , f r o m t h e v e r b vollbringen:i t i s ‘ b r o u g h t t o t h e f u l l ’ . A n d t h e r e s u l t , f o r t h e m o m e n t a t l e a s t , i s t h e s a m e a si n G en es is : o n t he s ev en th d ay G od r es te d f ro m a ll h is w or k. T hu s B ac h’s s e tt in gc l o s e s w i t h t h e g r e a t c h o r u s Ruht wohl , ‘ R e s t w e l l ’ ( m o v e m e n t 3 9 ) . T h i s i s n o tt he n al e nd ; a s t he s ho rt c lo si ng c ho ra le w il l te ll u s, t hi s ‘ re st ’ i s b ut t he p re lu deto t he r st d ay o f t he n ew we ek , t he d ay o f re su rre ct io n. B ut , f or n ow, we wa tc h

t h e L o r d o f G l o r y l a i d t o r e s t i n t h e t o m b w i t h h i s w o r k c o m p l e t e . A n d , a s i na ll t he G os p el Pa ss io n s to ri es , t he s ce ne i s l le d o ut w it h t he s ma ll er c ha ra ct er s with whom we are quietly invited to identify: Judas and Peter, of course, most worryingly, and perhaps also the angry and incomprehending crowds, but also


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t h e b y s t a n d e r s , t h e t h r e e M a r y s a t t h e f o o t o f t h e c r o s s , t h e b e l o v e d d i s c i p l e ,a n d t h en t h e f a i t h f u l a n d b r a v e Jo seph o f A r i m a t h ea .

What has Johann Sebastian Bach done with this huge, towering narrative?

He h as tu rne d it i nto a wor ld a nd inv ite d u s to c om e i nto t hat wor ld a ndm a k e i t o u r o w n . T h a t i s w h a t a r t , a t i t s b e s t , a l w a y s d o e s . W o r k i n g i n t h ee a rl y e i gh te e nt h c e nt u ry, b e fo re t h e s p li t- l ev e l w or l d o f t h e E n li g ht en me n th ad s ep ara te d o ut a es th et ic s f ro m f ai th ( as i t a ls o d id w it h j us ti ce ), B ac hp r o d u c e d o n e o f t h e g r e a t e s t - e v e r s y n t h e s e s o f a r t a n d f a i t h , a r t a s e x p r e s s i o no f f a i t h a n d a r t a s i n v i t a t i o n t o f a i t h , a f a i t h w h i c h c o u l d n e v e r r e m a i n a b a r eb e l i e f b u t m u s t t u r n i t s e l f i n t o s t o r y a n d s o n g , i n t o l i f e a n d l o v e . A s y o u w i l ld is co ve r i n t hi s c om me nt ar y a nd w he n l is te ni ng i nt en tl y t o B ac h’s m us ic , B ac h

l ov ed to p ai nt wo rd s a nd t he me s i nto t he m us ic ; i n t he r st h al f o f t he St John Passion, t h e c h e e r f u l l i t t l e s o n g w h i c h s a y s w e a r e g o i n g t o f o l l o w J e s u s joyfully with happy steps (movement 9) comes crashing to the ground as Peter

d e n i e s J e s u s a n d w e e p s b i t t e r l y ( a b i t o f t e x t B a c h b o r r o w e d f r o m M a t t h e w ; John leaves Peter’s tears unstated but strongly implied, movement 12b). And

i n t he p ow er fu l a nd e xt ra or di na ry t en or a ri a Erwäge, i n t h e m i d d l e o f t h es e c o n d h a l f o f t h e P a s s i o n ( m o v e m e n t 2 0 ) , r e e c t i n g o n t h e b r u t a l s c o u r g i n go f J e s u s , B a c h t a k e s w o r d s w h i c h , w e m i g h t h a v e t h o u g h t , b e l o n g m o r e i n ah i gh l a te - me d ia e va l s p ir i tu a li t y t h an i n a n a u st er e L u th e ra n a t mo s ph e re , w or ds which speak of the bloodstained back of Jesus as appearing like a rainbow int h e s ky a f te r t h e h e av y, d re n ch i ng r ai n , t h e r ai n bo w w h ic h s p e ak s o f f o rg i ve n es sa f t er o u r si n s h a v e b een w a sh ed a w a y . B a c h c r ea t es n o t o n l y t h e m u si c a l e f ec to f t h e w a t e r o o d s b u t a l s o , b r e a t h t a k i n g l y ( l i t e r a l l y i f y o u a r e t h e s o l o i s t ) t h ee f ec t o f t he r ai nb ow, o ve ra rc hi ng t he h or iz on w it h t he m es sa ge o f h ea li ng a ndnew creation.

B u t a l l t h i s i s s i m p l y t h e t i p o f t h e i c e b e r g . A s m a n y c o m m e n t a t o r s h a v ep oi nt ed o ut , n o d et ai l i s l ef t t o c ha nc e; l ike S ha ke s pe ar e, B ac h d id n ot hi ng

b y a cc id en t. T he c ho ic e o f ke y, t he o rc he st ra ti on , t he d en se h ar mo ni es , s om u c h h a r d e r t o s i n g t h a n t h o s e i n t h e l a t e r St Matthew Passion ( per h a ps, w es pe cu la te , B ac h h ad h ad s om e s ha rp c om me nt s f ro m w ea ry s in ge rs ?) —a llo f t he se c on tr ib ut e b ot h to t he o ve ra ll e f ec t a nd t he u nf at ho ma bl e d et ai l.

Wherever you look, or, better, listen, you will nd the music telling us in ourh e a r t s a n d s o u l s a s w e l l a s o u r m i n d s w h a t t h i s s t o r y i s a b o u t , a n d i n v i t i n g u st o c o m e i n t o t h e w o r l d o f t h e s t o r y a n d m a k e i t o u r o w n , h a v e o u r o w n l i v e st u r n e d i n s i d e o u t a n d u p s i d e d o w n b y t h e g l o r y o f G o d ’ s l o v e m a d e e s h .

I n p a r t i c u l a r — a n d t h i s i s , a s i t w e r e , t h e s e c r e t h e a r t o f t h e s e c o n d h a l f o f the Passion i n pa r t i c u l a r — B a c h c r ea t es a m u si c a l a r c h , a s sev er a l m o v em en t sc o m e t o g e t h e r , m a t c h i n g o n e a n o t h e r o n e i t h e r s i d e o f a c e n t r a l p o i n t . ‘ H a i l ,b el ov ed k in g o f t he J ew s’ ( J o h n 1 9. 3, m ov em en t 2 1b ) i s m at ch ed m us ic al ly


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b y ‘ D o n o t w r i t e : t h e k i n g o f t h e J e w s ’ ( J o h n 1 9 . 2 1 b , m o v e m e n t 2 5 b ) . ‘ C r u c i f y ,c r u c i f y ’ ( J o h n 1 9 . 6 b , m o v e m e n t 2 1 d ) i s e c h o e d b y ‘ A w a y , a w a y , c r u c i f y h i m ’ ( J o h n1 9 . 1 5 b , m o v em en t 2 3 d ) . ‘ W e h a v e a L a w , a n d a c c o r d i n g t o t h a t L a w h e sh a l l d i e’

( J o h n 1 9 . 7 c , m o v e m e n t 2 1 f ) i s m a t c h e d b y ‘ I f y o u l e t t h i s o n e g o , y o u a r e n of r i en d o f t h e E m per o r ’ s’ ( Jo h n 1 9 . 1 2 c , m o v em en t 2 3 b ) . ( B a c h em pl o y s t h e sa m et ec h n i q u e el sew h er e, f o r i n st a n c e i n t h e m o t et Jesu Meine Freude, B W V 2 2 7 , am e d i t a t i o n o n R o m a n s 8 . ) A n d i n t h e c e n t r e o f t h i s m u s i c a l a r c h , s u r r o u n d e dby t he s ho ut in g o f t he c rowd s a nd t he c yn ic al v ac il la ti on o f P il ate , i s t he s im pl eb u t u t t er l y pr o f o u n d c h o r a l e Durch dein Gefängnis, Gottes Sohn, ‘ T h r o u g h y o u rp r i s o n , S o n o f G o d ’ ( m o v e m e n t 2 2 ) , w h i c h i t s e l f m a k e s s o m e t h i n g o f a n a r c ha s t h e s t a t e l y t u n e r i s e s a n d t h e n f a l l s , a n d d e c l a r e s t h a t a l l t h i s i s h a p p e n i n g

s o t h a t t h r o u g h t h e u n j u s t f a t e o f J e s u s o u r o w n f r e e d o m i s a c c o m p l i s h e d . A n da t t h i s p o i n t B a c h h a s b r o u g h t t h e p r e c e d i n g m u s i c a r o u n d s o t h a t i t e n d s i nt h e k e y o f E m a j o r , t h e o n l y t i m e i n t h e w o r k i t i s u s e d . E m a j o r h a s f o u r s h a r p si n i t s k e y s i g n a t u r e , a n d a s h a r p i s o f c o u r s e t w o c r o s s e s s u p e r i m p o s e d , s o t h a tt h e c o n d u c t o r , t u r n i n g t h e p a g e o f t h e f u l l s c o r e t o t h i s c h o r a l e , i s f a c e d w i t hl i t e r a l l y d o z e n s o f c r o s s e s d e c l a r i n g t h a t h e r e , a t t h e c e n t r e o f t h e w o r l d ’ s r a g ea n d b l i n d n e s s , s t a n d s t h e s y m b o l w h i c h m a k e s s e n s e o f i t a l l , i n w h i c h w e c a n n d o ur l if e a nd ou r ho pe . An d t he c horu s w hic h f ol lows, ‘ If you le t t his o ne go’( m o v em en t 2 3 b ) , c o n t i n u es i n E m a j o r , f o r c i n g t h e c r o w d t o d ec l a r e m u si c a l l y where their rage is all going.

And so to Bach’s meditation on that nal word, Es ist vollbracht ( J o h n 1 9 . 3 0 a ) .F o r J o h n t h i s i s n o t a s h r u g o f t h e s h o u l d e r s , ‘ W e l l , t h a t ’ s o v e r a t l a s t ’ , b u t ap owe rf ul s ta te me nt o f t he c om pl et io n o f t he w or k o f r ed em pt io n, t he s ix th - day a c h i e v e m e n t o f t h e P r o p e r M a n . H e r e B a c h , i n t h e g r e a t A l t o a r i a ( m o v e m e n t3 0) a cc om pa ni ed b y t he a lr ea dy a rc ha ic v io la d a g am ba , l oo ks b ac k o n t hi s p as tev en t , t h i s su pr em e a c c o m pl i sh m en t , a n d m a k es i t q u i t e c l ea r w h a t vollbracht m e a n s w i t h t h e s t r i k i n g , a l m o s t s h o c k i n g , b u r s t i n g i n o f t h e m i l i t a r y t h e m e :

Der Held aus Juda siegt mit Macht und schließt den Kampf , ‘ t h e H e r o o f J u d a ht r iu m ph s w i th p o we r a n d c o nc l ud e s t h e b a tt l e’. Yo u o n ly u n de r st a nd vollbracht when you know that this is the victory of all victories, the overcoming of the world that Jesus had spoken about in the Farewell Discourses. But, equally, andB a c h a c h i e v e s t h i s u n f o r g e t t a b l y , y o u o n l y u n d e r s t a n d t h e n a t u r e o f t h a t v i c t o r y when you stand at the foot of the cross, as the martial music suddenly stops, andt h e w e i g h t a n d d e p t h o f t h e a c c o m p l i s h m e n t a r e o n c e a g a i n a r m e d w i t h f u l lsolemnity.

Which points us to the question, what does all this say to us today? Art tellsu s w h a t i t t e l l s u s , b u t t h i s n o t e o f v i c t o r y t h r o u g h t h e c o m p l e t e d w o r k o f t h ec r o s s s p e a k s r i g h t i n t o t o d a y ’ s w o r l d . M y k i n g d o m , s a i d J e s u s , i s n o t from this world, because if it were my servants would be ghting ( John 18.36, movement


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1 6 e ) . B u t t h i s d o e s n o t m e a n t h a t J e s u s ’ k i n g d o m i s a n o t h e r w o r l d l y o n e , w i t hn o v i s i b l e c o n n e c t i o n t o t h e r e a l w o r l d , t h e w o r l d w h e r e E m p e r o r s s t i l l s n e e ra n d t h e c r o w d s s t i l l b a y f o r b l o o d . O n t h e c o n t r a r y , J e s u s ’ k i n g d o m i s for this

world; that is its point, that is why the world will still hate Jesus’ followers.T h e c h u r c h t o d a y s t a n d s b e t w e e n t h e P i l a t e s o f t h e s e c u l a r s t a t e a n d t h e C h i e f P r i e s t s o f t h e s h r i e k i n g f u n d a m e n t a l i s m s . O u r t a s k i s n o t t o g h t b a c k , o r t os h r i e k b a c k , b u t t o b e a r w i t n e s s w i t h o u r l i v e s , w i t h o u r c o m m u n i t i e s , w i t ho u r f a i t h a n d h o p e a n d a b o v e a l l o u r l o v e , t o t h e d i f e r e n t s o r t o f k i n g d o m , t h ek i n g d o m t h r o u g h w h i c h i s r e v e a l e d t h e s t r a n g e g l o r y o f I s r a e l ’ s G o d , t h e g l o r y o f t h e h e a l i n g a n d r e b i r t h o f c r e a t i o n i t s e l f , t h e g l o r y o f t h e l o v e w h i c h h a s l o v e du s t o t h e u t t er m o st .

John’s Gospel has often, quite rightly, been seen as the very heart of ana u t h e n t i c C h r i s t i a n s p i r i t u a l i t y . B u t t h a t s p i r i t u a l i t y c a n n e v e r b e a n e s c a p ef r o m t h e w o r l d , b u t r a t h e r a c o m m i s s i o n t o g o i n t o t h e w o r l d . T h e r i s e n J e s u sb r e a t h e s h i s s p i r i t o n h i s f o l l o w e r s a n d s a y s , ‘ A s t h e F a t h e r s e n t m e , s o I s e n d you’ ( John 20.21). And with that ‘As … so’ we nd ourselves thinking andp r a y i n g b a c k t h r o u g h t h e e n t i r e s t o r y , a n d p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e e n t i r e s t o r y o f t h eP a s s i o n , a n d a s k i n g o u r s e l v e s , W h a t m i g h t i t l o o k l i k e f o r t h e c h u r c h t o b e a rt h a t s a m e w i t n e s s t o t h e P i l a t e s a n d t h e C h i e f P r i e s t s o f o u r d a y ? A n d , t h o u g ht h i s d o e s n o t p r o v i d e t h e a n s w e r , t h e q u e s t i o n i s f r a m e d a g a i n i n J o h n 2 1 , a st h e r i s e n J e s u s a s k s P e t e r , ‘ S i m o n , s o n o f J o h n , d o y o u l o v e m e ? ’ ( J o h n 2 1 . 1 7 ) ,t h e n c o m m i s s i o n i n g P e t e r , f o r g i v e n a n d r e s t o r e d , t o t e n d a n d f e e d h i s l a m b sa nd s he e p. B ac h b ri ng s u s, i n a ll o ur m ul ti - di me ns io na l h um an r ea li ty, i nt o t he very heart of John’s Passion narrative. As you ponder Bach’s StJohnPassion, y o um i g h t p r a y t h a t t h e H o l y S p i r i t w o u l d a w a k e n i n u s t h e a n s w e r w h i c h P e t e r g a v et o J e s u s ’ q u e s t i o n : ‘ Y e s , L o r d , y o u k n o w t h a t I l o v e y o u ’ ( J o h n 2 1 . 1 7 ) ; a n d t h a t , with that grateful love welling up afresh, we might discern, and then undertake,t h e t a s k s w h i c h w i l l a g a i n t u r n t h e l i v i n g W o r d i n t o l o v i n g e s h .


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Acknowledgements

T h i s w o r k w a s r s t c o n c e i v e d i n H o l y W e e k 2 0 0 2 a s p a r t o f a w e e k - l o n g m u s i cp r o j e c t u n d e r t h e p a t r o n a g e o f T o n K o o p m a n , Holy Week with JSB . H e l d a t S tM a r y ’ s P a r i s h C h u r c h S l o u g h , B e r k s h i r e , t h e p r o j e c t l e d t o a l i t u r g i c a l p e r f o r -m a n c e o f B a c h ’ s St John Passion b y y o u n g p e r f o r m e r s f r o m A r t s a t S t M a r y ’ sS l o u g h o n t h e a f t e r n o o n o f G o o d F r i d a y 2 0 0 2 . I a m g r a t e f u l t o t h e R e c t o r a n dP a r i s h W a r d e n s o f U p t o n - c u m - C h a l v e y a n d m e m b e r s o f t h e A r t s a t S t M a r y ’ sS l o u g h t ea m f o r t h ei r r ea d y su ppo r t o f t h e i n i t i a t i v e, K a t i e H a w k s f o r sel ec t i n ga n d r e h e a r s i n g t h e m u s i c i a n s , a n d a l l p a r t i c i p a n t s o f Holy Week with JSB who

r eq u est ed t h eo l o g i c a l r e ec t i o n s o n t h e St John Passion. W i t h o u t t h ei r i n t er esti n t h e t h eo l o g i c a l m ea n i n g o f B a c h ’ s w o r k , t h i s pr o j ec t w o u l d n o t h a v e st a r t ed . Without the uncountable contributions of my partner, Dr Katherine Firth, thisb oo k w ou ld n ot h av e b ee n c om pl et ed : K at he ri ne h el pe d e st ab li sh t he m et ho d-o lo gy o f j oi nt c lo se t ex tu al a nd m us ic al a na ly si s. S he p ro vi de d a dv ic e a s a m us i-c o l o g i st , l i b r et t i st , a n d l i t er a r y sc h o l a r . S h e w o r k ed o n t h e pr o j ec t a s t r a n sl a t o r ,g r a n t w r i t er , r esea r c h a sso c i a t e, w r i t i n g c o n su l t a n t a n d ed i t o r , b o t h pa i d a n du n p a i d , o v e r t h e d e c a d e t h i s p r o j e c t h a s t a k e n t o c o m e t o f r u i t i o n .

T h i s b o o k w a s w r i t t e n i n t h r e e d i f e r e n t s e t t i n g s , o n t w o c o n t i n e n t s . I n i t i a lr es ea rc h t oo k p la ce i n t he t wo y ea rs i mm ed ia te ly f ol lo wi ng Holy Week with JSB ,a n d f u r t h er w o r k w a s u n d er t a k en d u r i n g f o u r y ea r s a t Ca m b r i d g e’ s U n i v er si t y C h u r c h , G r e a t S t M a r y ’ s . M o s t o f t h e w o r k w a s w r i t t e n i n e a r n e s t d u r i n g m y t i m e a s G a v a n L e c t u r e r i n T h e o l o g y a n d C o l l e g e C h a p l a i n a t T r i n i t y C o l l e g e , t h eU n i v e r s i t y o f M e l b o u r n e . M a n y c o l l e a g u e s o n t h e w a y h a v e h e l p e d m a k e t h i sp r o j e c t p o s s i b l e : a t t h e e n d o f Holy Week with JSB , t h e pa r i sh ’ s R ec t o r D r D a v i dM i e l l p r e s e n t e d m e w i t h a N e u e B a c h a u s g a b e f u l l s c o r e o f t h e w o r k f o r m y m us ic al a na ly si s. I n C am br id ge , my c ol le ag ue C an on D r J oh n B in ns a nd S el wy n

I m a g e pr o v ed t o b e t h o u g h t f u l i n t er l o c u t o r s. G r ea t S t M a r y ’ s D i r ec t o r o f M u si cS a m H a y e s , t h e C a m b r i d g e U n i v e r s i t y B a r o q u e E n s e m b l e a n d M i c h a e l h o u s eS i n g er s r ea d i l y pu t o n l i t u r g i c a l per f o r m a n c es o f so m e o f B a c h ’ s c h o r a l w o r k s,a nd my p ar is hi on er s a nd f ri en ds t oo k g re at i nt er es t i n B ac h, h is m us ic , a nd t hi spr o j ec t : t h a n k y o u .

At Trinity College Melbourne, the Warden, Canon Professor Andrew M cG owa n, D ea n C am pb el l B ai rs to w, C hi ef o f S ta f D r B re nd a H ol t a nd H ea d o f Academic Programs Dr Sally Dalton-Brown welcomed me into a warm and sup-

po r t iv e r esear c h c o m mu n i t y. T ri n i ty pr ov i d ed o u t sta n d in g i n st it u t i on a l su p-p o r t , e n a b l i n g m e t o a t t e n d c o n f e r e n c e s i n t h e e l d , a s w e l l a s v i s i t c o l l e a g u e s ,a r c h i v es a n d l i b r a r i es i n G er m a n y , I sr a el a n d t h e U n i t ed S t a t es. T r i n i t y Co l l eg eD i r e c t o r o f M u s i c M i c h a e l L e i g h t o n J o n e s a n d I l e d t w o c h o i r t o u r s t o L e i p z i g


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with the splendid Choir of Trinity College; the rst Australian choir to leadc h o r a l w o r s h i p a t S t T h o m a s ’ C h u r c h , L e i p z i g . W i t h M i c h a e l I w a s a l s o a b l eto w or k c lo se ly w it h J er emy S um me rl y a nd S te ph en L ay to n o n c ur at in g a n um -

b er o f p er fo rm an ce s o f t he Pa ss io n a nd w it h T ho ma sk an to r C hr is to ph B il le r o np er fo rm in g s om e o f t he Pa ss io n’s c ho ra le s. I l ea rn t m uc h f ro m t he ir i nt er pr et a-t i o n s o f t h e w o r k s a n d a m p r i v i l e g e d t o h a v e w o r k e d w i t h t h e m .

M y c o l l e a g u e s a t T r i n i t y C o l l e g e T h e o l o g i c a l S c h o o l a c t i v e l y f u r t h e r e d m y r es ea rc h: t he D ea n o f S ch oo l, t he R ev d P ro fe ss or D or ot hy L ee w as a lwa ys r ea dy t o d i s c u s s t h e n e r p o i n t s o f t h e J o h a n n i n e P a s s i o n n a r r a t i v e o v e r a c u p o f t e a ,D r D a v i d G o r m l e y O ’ B r i e n s h e d l i g h t o n t h e r e l i a b i l i t y o f J o s e p h u s a n d D r M e g

Warner helped me with my reading of Olearius’ Hebrew variants. Towards the

e n d o f t h e p r o j e c t t w o T r i n i t y c o l l e a g u e s h e l p e d m e t r a n s i t i o n f r o m C o l l e g eCh a pl a i n t o D ea n o f M el b o u r n e: Ca n o n D r R a y Cl ea r y , A c t i n g D ea n o f S t P a u l ’ sC a th e dr al M e lb o ur n e, a n d t h e R ev d C h ri s to p he r C a ro l an e . A t S t Pa u l’s , m y c ol le ag ue s o n t he C at he dra l C ha pte r a nd o n t he s ta f te am e na bl ed m e tot a k e s o m e r e s e a r c h t i m e t o c o m p l e t e a n d r e v i e w t h e m a n u s c r i p t . T h a n k y o u ,c o l l ea g u es o l d a n d n ew , f o r y o u r g en er o si t y o f t i m e a n d f r i en d sh i p.

M uc h o f my r es e ar ch wa s s up po rt ed b y a n um be r o f c om pe ti ti ve g ra nt sf r o m t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f D i v i n i t y , M e l b o u r n e , m a k i n g i t p o s s i b l e f o r m e t o w o r k c l o s e l y w i t h a r e s e a r c h a s s i s t a n t : t h e D i r e c t o r o f M u s i c o f S t P a u l ’ s C a t h e d r a lM el bo ur ne , P hi li p N ic ho ll s, wo rke d w it h m e o n t he m us ic al a na ly si s o f t hes e c o n d p a r t o f t h e w o r k a s a n i m p o r t a n t c o l l a b o r a t o r , a n d r e v i e w e d t h e e n t i r em an us cr ip t. I n t hi s, h e w as c ap ab ly a id ed b y S am ue l A ll ch ur ch o f Tr in it y C ol le ge M el bo ur ne a nd C ai us C ol le ge C am br id ge . At t he U ni ve rs it y o f D iv in it y M e lb o ur n e I s h ou l d l i ke t o t h an k t h e V i ce - C h an c el l or, P ro f es s or Pe te r S h er l oc k ,t he D ir ec to r o f R es ea rc h, P ro fe ss or M ar k L in ds ay, a nd t he H ea d o f B ib li ca lS t u d i es o f t h e U n i t ed Fa c u l t y o f T h eo l o g y , A sso c i a t e P r o f esso r S ea n W i n t er , f o rt h e i r s u p p o r t . T h a n k s a r e a l s o d u e t o t h e S . R . S t o n e m a n F o u n d a t i o n f o r t h e

u s e o f S to n em a n’ s h o me Duneira o n M ou nt M ac ed on , V ic to ri a f or t wo s um me r writing weeks, and to Allan Myer for enabling me to visit archives and specialistcollections in Germany.

I a m v e r y g r a t e f u l t o P r o f e s s o r T o m W r i g h t o f S t A n d r e w ’ s U n i v e r s i t y f o rc o n t r i b u t i n g t h e F o r e w o r d t o t h i s b o o k . A m o n g m y A u s t r a l i a n c o l l e a g u e s i nt h e e l d I s h o u l d l i k e t o t h a n k P r i n c i p a l F e l l o w J a n S t o c k i g t a n d D r S u e C o l ea t t h e Co n ser v a t o r i u m o f M u si c , t h e U n i v er si t y o f M el b o u r n e, P r o f esso r P et erT r eg ea r a t A u st r a l i a n N a t i o n a l U n i v er si t y , a n d D r S a m a n t h a O w en s a t t h e U n i -

versity of Queensland for their friendship and insight, and Hans Schroedera n d t h e A u s t r a l i a n B a c h S o c i e t y f o r t h e i r e n t h u s i a s m f o r t h i s p r o j e c t . A m o n gm y i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o l l e a g u e s I a m i n d e b t e d t o P r o f e s s o r C h r i s t o p h B i l l e r a n dP r o f esso r M a r t i n P et z o l d t i n L ei pz i g , P r o f esso r R u t h H a Co h en a n d D r E d w a r d


21/350

B r e u e r a t t h e H e b r e w U n i v e r s i t y J e r u s a l e m , P r o f e s s o r R o b i n L e a v e r a n d P r o -f e s s o r M a r k u s R a t h e y a t Y a l e , D r N i k o l a u s B a c h t a t t h e H u m b o l d t U n i v e r s i t y B er l i n , ser i es ed i t o r P r o f esso r R o b er t B a st , t h e t w o a n o n y m o u s r ev i ew er s a n d

m y ed i t o r a t B r i l l , I v o R o m ei n , f o r m a n y i n t er est i n g c o n v er sa t i o n s— el ec t r o n i ca n d i n p e r s o n — o n B a c h , m u s i c a n d t h e o l o g y i n g e n e r a l , a n d e a r l i e r d r a f t s o f t h i s b o o k i n pa r t i c u l a r .

N um er ou s c ol le ct io ns p ro vi de d a cc es s to m an us c ri pt m at er ia ls , e ar ly p r i n t e d b o o k s a n d o u t o f p r i n t m a t e r i a l s : I t h a n k t h e l i b r a r i a n s o f T r i n i t y C o l -l eg e, a nd t he U ni ve rs it y o f M el bo ur ne f or o bt ai ni ng s pe c i c w or ks f or m e; s ta f a t t h e S ä c h si sc h e L a n d esb i b l i o t h ek — S t a a t s- u n d U n i v er si t ä t sb i b l i o t h ek D r es-d e n, t h e B ac h ar ch i v a n d t h e S t ad t ar ch i v L e ip zi g , t h e S t aa t sb i bl i ot h ek z u B e rl i n

P r e u s s i s c h e r K u l t u r b e s i t z , a s w e l l a s t h e I s r a e l S t a t e A r c h i v e s i n J e r u s a l e m f o rg i v i n g m e a c c ess t o t h ei r c o l l ec t i o n s; a n d st a f a t B ä r en r ei t er V er l a g f o r r ea d i l y p r ov i di n g d i gi t al c o pi e s o f o u t o f p r in t b o ok s a n d j o ur n al s. Pa r ti c ul a r t h an k s a red u e t o t h e st a f o f t h e H er z o g A u g u st B i b l i o t h ek W o l f en b ü t t el , t h e N i ed er sä c h -si sc h e S t a a t s- u n d U n i v er si t ä t sb i b l i o t h ek G ö t t i n g en , t h e B a y er i sc h e S t a a t sb i -b l i o t h ek M ü n c h en , t h e A r c h i v es o f Co n c o r d i a T h eo l o g i c a l S em i n a r y , S t L o u i s,M i ssi o u r i , t h e B i b l i o t h èq u e M u n i c i pa l e d e L y o n , a n d t h e B a c h - D i g i t a l P r o j ec tf o r c r e a t i n g d i g i t a l i m a g e s o f r e s o u r c e s f o r m e , a n d g r a n t i n g r e p r o d u c t i o n r i g h t sf o r t h e i m a g e s c o n t a i n e d i n t h i s w o r k .

M y f a m i l y a n d f r i e n d s h a v e l i v e d w i t h B a c h a n d t h i s p r o j e c t f o r a l o n g t i m e :t ha nk y ou f or y ou r p at ie nc e. I s ho ul d l ike t o t ha nk my m ot he r, D r B ri gi tt eL o e w e , f o r r s t i n t r o d u c i n g m e t o t h e m u s i c o f B a c h t h r o u g h h i s Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach a n d f o r i n t r o d u c i n g m e t o t h e t h o u g h t o f M a r t i n

L u t h e r ; m y s i s t e r , E v a L o e w e , f o r h e r l o v e a n d s u p p o r t ; m y S a x o n f a m i l y f r o mB a ch’ s n e ig h bo u rh o od , m y L ow er S a xo n a n d M u ni c h f a mi l y f o r t h ei r f r ie n ds h ipa n d h o s p i t a l i t y ; m y M e l b o u r n e f a m i l y f o r a t t e n d i n g m a n y o f m y B a c h p e r f o r -m a n c e s a n d l e c t u r e s , a n d a l l o f t h e m f o r t h e i r l o v e . T h a n k y o u a l s o t o P e r r y

S o a n d A n n a G r a b e r f o r t h e i r w o n d e r f u l f a c s i m i l e o f a B a c h a u t o g r a p h s c o r e ,t o D r C a r s t e n M u r a w s k i f o r t h e i m a g e o f t h e s t u n n i n g H i g h A l t a r p i e c e a t S tP a u l ’ s C a t h e d r a l f o r u s e o n t h e c o v e r o f t h i s w o r k , t o D r Y a z e e d S a i d f o r h o s t -i n g m e a t t h e T a n t u r E c u m e n i c a l I n s t i t u t e i n J e r u s a l e m , t o A n n a S a n d e r , D r

Julian Littlewood and Dr Joy Littlewood and Dr John Bithell, to Anne MarieK o per a n d S a n d er P i n k se, Jo h n a n d D ei r d r e K r a i m er , a n d Ch r i st o ph a n d Ch a r -l ot te v on F ri ed eb ur g f or t he ir h os pi ta li ty o n r es ea rc h v is it s d ur in g t he c ou rs e o f t h i s pr o j ec t .

Above all, a heartfelt and profound thank you to my partner Katherine:t h a n k y o u f o r y o u r l o v e f o r m e , f o r y o u r b e l i e f i n t h i s p r o j e c t a n d y o u r u n t o l dc o n t r i b u t i o n s t o i t . T h i s b o o k i s f o r y o u , m y L o v e .

S t P a u l ’ s Ca t h ed r a l , M el b o u r n e, 2 01 3


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© , , | : . / _

Introduction

T h e p e r f o r m a n c e o f t h e St John Passion a t S t N i k o l a i L e i p z i g i n L e n t 1 7 2 4 i st h e r s t s u r v i v i n g e x a m p l e o f B a c h ’ s n e w P a s s i o n g e n r e , m a k i n g t h e St John Passion a n d i t s l o n g e r s u c c e s s o r , t h e St Matthew Passion, m i l e s t o n e s f o r l a t e r

c o m po ser s o f P a ssi o n s. I n spi t e o f t h e si g n i c a n c e o f B a c h ’ s St John Passion ast h e p r in c ip a l t ex t ua l m o de l a n d m u si c al i n sp i ra t io n f o r n u me r ou s l a te r Pa s si o nc o m po si t i o n s, t h er e i s c u r r en t l y n o c o m pr eh en si v e si n g l e w o r k i n E n g l i sh t h a te x a m i n e s b o t h t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e n e w g e n r e a n d p r o v i d e s a s u s t a i n e da n a l y s i s o f t h e w o r d s a n d t h e m u s i c o f B a c h ’ s St John Passion.

T h i s v o l u m e d o c u m e n t s t h e g e n e s i s o f B a c h ’ s P a s s i o n g e n r e a n d p r o v i d e s at h o r o u g h i n t er pr et a t i o n o f t h e l i b r et t o a n d m u si c o f h i s r st su r v i v i n g P a ssi o n .T h e r s t p a r t o f t h i s v o l u m e e x a m i n e s t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f B a c h ’ s StJohnPassiona s a p r in c ip a ll y L u th e ra n a rt f o rm b y c o ns i de r in g t h e c o mp o se r ’s o wn t h or ou g hL u t h e r a n u p b r i n g i n g a n d h i s s e l f - u n d e r s t a n d i n g a s a L u t h e r a n c h u r c h m u s i -c i a n , w h i l e t h e sec o n d pa r t pr esen t s a t h eo l o g i c a l a n d m u si c a l c o m m en t a r y o f t h e w o r k i n o r d e r t o s h o w h o w B a c h c o m m u n i c a t e d a n d a n c h o r e d t h e C h r i s -t i a n P a s s i o n n a r r a t i v e i n t h e d e v o t i o n a l s t o r y o f h i s c o m m u n i t y t h r o u g h h i sm u s i c . T h o s e f a m i l i a r w i t h t h e l i f e a n d e d u c a t i o n o f B a c h , t h e d e v e l o p m e n to f t h e L u t h er a n P a ssi o n t r a d i t i o n i n g en er a l a n d B a c h ’ s w o r k i n pa r t i c u l a r , m a y wish to move directly to the second part of the volume, and the close readinga n d m u si c o - t h eo l o g i c a l a n a l y si s o f B a c h ’ s St John Passion.

D r aw i n g o n B a c h ’s n e c r o l og u e i n : W er n e r N e u ma n n a n d H a n s J o a c h im S c h u l z e, e d s . , Bach-

Dokumente, 3 v o l s ( K a s s e l : B ä r e n r e i t e r , 1 9 6 3 – 1 9 7 2 ) [ c i t e d a s B D ] , 3 , n o . 6 6 6 , P h i l i p p S p i t t a , Johann Sebastian Bach, 2 v o l s ( L e i p z i g : B r e i t k o p f u n d H ä r t e l , 1 8 7 3– 1 8 8 0 ) , 2 , p . 333f . , s u g g e s t s

t ha t i n 1 71 7 B ac h m ay w el l h av e w ri tt en a n ow l os t ‘ We im ar P as si on’, a n um be r o f a ri as h e u se d

f o r h i s 1 7 2 5 r e v i s i o n o f t h e St John Passion ( V e r s i o n I I ) , s e e Ta b l e 6 , b e l o w , p a g e 8 6 . Fo r o t h e r

p o t e n t i a l P a s s i o n s b y B a c h , s e e : D a n i e l M e l a m e d , Hearing Bach’s Passions (New York: Oxford

University Press, 2005), pp. 78–130.

T wo p re v io u s s t u d ie s r e ec t i n d et a il o n B ac h’ s StJohn P a s s i o n : M a r t i n G e c k , JohannSebastian

Bach: Johannespassion BWV 245 , M e i s t e r w e r k e d e r M u s i k : W e r k m o n o g r a p h i e n 7 , M u s i k g e -

s c h i c h t e 5 5 ( M ü n c h e n : W i l h e m F i n k V e r l a g , 1 9 9 1 ) c e n t r e s o n a n u m b e r o f s e l e c t e d m o v e -

ments, while Alfred Dürr, Johann Sebastian Bach’s St John Passion: Genesis, Transmission and Meaning ( O x f o r d : U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 2 0 0 0 ) a n d E r i c C h a f e , Tonal Allegory in the Vocal Music

of J.S. Bach ( B e r k e l e y : U n i v e r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n i a P r e s s , 1 9 9 1 ) p r i m a r i l y r e e c t o n t h e m e a n i n g

i n h e r e n t i n t h e m u s i c a l s t r u c t u r e o f t h e w o r k . B o t h w o r k s s e l e c t o n l y a n u m b e r o f m o v e m e n t s ,

r a t h e r t h a n c o m m e n t o n t h e e n t i r e Passion.


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2

Cen t r a l t o t h i s i n t er pr et a t i o n o f B a c h ’ s St John Passion i s a n e w a n n o t a t e dt r a n s l a t i o n o f t h e l i b r e t t o b y D r K a t h e r i n e F i r t h . M a k i n g u s e o f t h e Neue Bach-ausgabe sc o r e a s i t s G er m a n t ex t u a l b a se, Fi r t h ’ s t r a n sl a t i o n pr o v i d es a n a c c u -

r a t e m o d er n E n g l i sh st u d y t ex t t h a t w i l l en a b l e E n g l i sh - spea k er s w i t h l i t t l e o rn o k n o w l e d g e o f G e r m a n t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e p o e t i c , l i n g u i s t i c a n d t h e o l o g i c a lr i ch n es s o f t h e o r ig i na l l i br et to . T h e t ra n sl a ti o n e s c he w s t h e C ra n me r ia n i d io m r s t i n t r o d u c e d b y J o h n T r o u t b e c k i n h i s a d a p t a t i o n o f t h e w o r k f o r t h e 1 8 7 2N o v e l l o e d i t i o n o f B a c h ’ s w o r k . B e c a u s e T r o u t b e c k ’ s t r a n s l a t i o n s e r v e d a s am od e l f o r a lm o st a l l s u bs e qu e nt t r a ns l at or s , t h e u s e o f t h is o u t da te d i d io m h a sper sev er ed w el l i n t o t h e t w en t y - r st - c en t u r y . A l t h o u g h P et er P ea r s’ c o l l a b o -r a t i o n w i t h I m o g en H o l st i n pr o d u c i n g a n E n g l i sh l a n g u a g e per f o r m a n c e t ex t

f o r B e n j a m i n B r i t t e n ’ s 1 9 7 1 r e c o r d i n g o f t h e w o r k r e s u l t e d i n a h i g h l y i n n o v a -t i v e a n d d y n a m i c E n g l i s h p a r a p h r a s e o f t h e l i b r e t t o , i t s t i l l u s e d t h e E n g l i s h o f t h e r ef o r m a t i o n . E v en r el a t i v el y r ec en t t r a n sl a t i o n s, su c h a s A l f r ed Cl a y t o n ’ s2 0 00 t ra n sl a ti o n i n D ü rr ’s e x am i na ti o n o f t h e St John Passion, s t il l r e nd e re dt he t ex t i nt o a rc ha ic E ng li sh . A n ot ab le e xc e pt io n to t he r ul e i s t he l ite ra la n n o t a t ed t r a n sl a t i o n o f t h e l i b r et t o i n M i c h a el M a r i ssen ’ s 1 9 9 8 Lutheranism, Anti-Judaism,and Bach’s St John Passion which, like the present translation, was

a l s o i n t e n d e d a s a s t u d y r a t h e r t h a n a p e r f o r m a n c e t e x t .

J o ha n n S e b as t i a n B ac h , t r. a n d a d a p te d b y J o hn Tr o ut b e c k, St John Passion (London: Novello,

E w e r a n d C o . , 1 8 7 2 ) .

I ns pi ri ng f or i ns ta nc e H en ry S . D ri nk er ’s t ra ns la ti on i n J oh an n S eb as ti an B ac h, A rt hu r

Mendel, ed., St John Passion: Vocal Score ( N e w Y o r k : S c h i r m e r , 1 9 5 1 ) , r e u s e d , w i t h s l i g h t v a r i -

a n t s , f o r t h e 1 9 8 1 Neue Bachausgabe piano reduction, St John Passion: Vocal Score with Piano

Reduction by Walter Heinz Bernstein ( K a s s e l : B ä r e n r e i t e r , 1 9 8 1 ) , a s w e l l a s t h e p e r f o r m a n c e

s c or e c o mm i ss i on e d f o r D av i d W il l co c ks ’ 1 9 73 D ec c a r ec o rd in g o f t h e St John Passion by P e t e r P e a r s a n d A n d r e w Ra e b u r n : J o h a n n S e b a s t i a n B a c h , The Passion of our Lord accord-

ing to St John, t r . P e t e r P e a r s a n d A n d r e w Ra e b u r n , A c e o f D i a m o n d s G O S 6 2 8 – 6 30 ( L o n d o n :

D e c c a , 1 9 7 3) . Z . P h i l i p A m b r o s e , J.S. Bach: The Vocal Texts in English Translation with Com-

mentary ( B l o o m i n g t o n : X l i b r i s , 2 0 0 5 ) s t i l l r e n d e r s t h e t e x t i n t o a n o w o u t d a t e d C r a n m e r i a n

idiom.

T he i nn ov at iv e n at ur e o f Pe ar s’ a nd H ol st ’s p ar ap hr as e i s a pp ar en t f ro m t he v er y b eg in ni ng o f

t h e w o r k : J o h a n n S e b a s t i a n B a c h , t r . P e t e r P e a r s a n d I m o g e n H o l s t , St John Passion, BWV 245 ,

S ET 5 31 – 53 3 ( L on d on : D e cc a , 1 9 71 ) , ‘ S ir e, L o rd a n d M a st er / u n to t h ee b e p ra i se a n d g l or y

e v e r m o r e . / A h , b y t h y l o v i n g s a c r i c e / t h o u , L o r d , t h e o n l y S o n o f G o d / a r t r i s e n o n h i g h /f r o m d e e p e s t w o e a n d b i t t e r p a i n / t r i u m p h a n t o v e r d e a t h ’ .

A l f re d C l a yt o n’ s t r a n sl a t io n o f t h e l i b r et t o i n D ü r r ( 2 0 0 0 ), p p . 1 32 – 17 7 .

M i ch a el M a ri s se n , Lutheranism, Anti-Judaism, and Bach’s St John Passion: With an annotated

literal translation of the Libretto (New York: Oxford University Press, 1998).


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F i r t h p r o v i d e s a t r a n s l a t i o n o f t h e l i b r e t t o i n t o c o n t e m p o r a r y E n g l i s h t h a tr e m a i n s a s c l o s e t o t h e w o r d c h o i c e , g r a m m a r , s e q u e n c e a n d s t r u c t u r e o f t h eo r i g i n a l l i b r et t o a s po ssi b l e. H er t r a n sl a t i o n t a k es i n t o a c c o u n t r epet i t i o n s a n d

c o g n a t e v a r i a t i o n s i n t h e G e r m a n t e x t , s u c h a s d e l i b e r a t e w o r d c l u s t e r s . T h en ot es t o h er t ra ns la ti on h ig hl ig ht a nd c om me nt o n m ul ti pl e a nd v ar ia nt m ea n-i n g s i n t h e G e r m a n o r i g i n a l . T h e s e c o n d p a r t o f t h e b o o k , w i t h i t s t h e o l o g i c a la n d m u si c a l c o m m en t a r y , i n t u r n , pr o v i d es f u l l d et a i l s o f v a r i a n t t ex t u a l r ea d -i n g s i n t h e t h r e e d i f e r e n t v e r s i o n s o f t h e w o r k , a n d c o m m e n t s i n d e p t h o n t h epr o v en a n c e o f t ex t s a n d t h e w a y i n w h i c h B a c h t r a n sl a t es spec i c t ex t u a l c o n -c ept s i n t o m u si c .

1 From ‘Fifth Evangelist’ to the Neue Bachausgabe

T h i s w o r k b u i l d s o n g e n e r a t i o n s o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l B a c h r e s e a r c h . T h e v i e w o f B a c h a s a w r i t e r o f d i v i n e m u s i c , w h e t h e r a r t i c u l a t e d b y n i n e t e e n t h - c e n t u r y ph i l o so ph er s su c h a s Fr i ed r i c h N i et z sc h e o r m u si c o l o g i st s l i k e P h i l i pp S pi t t a ,s i g n i c a n t l y i n u e n c e d B a c h r e c e p t i o n a n d s c h o l a r s h i p a t t h e t u r n o f t h e t w e n -t i e t h c e n t u r y . W h i l e N i e t z s c h e f e l t ‘ t h a t w h e n l i s t e n i n g t o B a c h ’ s m u s i c i t i s a si f w e w e r e p r e s e n t a t t h e m o m e n t a t w h i c h G o d c r e a t e d t h e w o r l d ’ , S p i t t a w a sc o n v i n c ed t h a t t h e su b j ec t o f h i s g r o u n d b r ea k i n g w o r k ‘ c ea sel essl y po i n t ed t ot h e h i g h e s t a n d h o l i e s t t h a t w e p o s s e s s ’ . F o l l o w i n g t h e F i r s t W o r l d W a r , t h ei d e a t h a t B a c h ’ s m u s i c w a s a t o n c e d e e p l y m y s t i c a l a n d p r o f o u n d l y i n t u n e w i t hd i v i n e r e v e l a t i o n w a s f u r t h e r d e v e l o p e d , p r i n c i p a l l y b y t h e t w o N o b e l p e a c ep r iz e w i nn e rs a mo n g t h e s t ud e nt s o f B ac h’s w or k . A lb e rt S c hw ei t ze r u n de r-s t o o d B a c h t o b e ‘ t h e g r e a t G e r m a n m y s t i c ’ ; N a t h a n S ö d e r b l o m b e l i e v e d h i mt o b e t h e f t h e v a n g e l i s t . B o t h S c h w e i t z e r a n d S ö d e r b l o m s e t t h e t o n e f o r t h e

F ri e dr i ch N i et z sc h e, Der Wanderer und sein Schatten, i n : G i o r g i o C o l l i a n d M a z z i n o M o n -

t a r in i , e d s. , Friedrich Nietzsche Werke. Kritische Gesamtausgabe [ c it ed a s: K S] ( Be rl in : d e

G r u y t e r , 1 9 6 9 – 1 9 7 8 ) 2 : 6 1 5 : ‘ B e i B a c h s M u s i k i s t u n s z u m u t e , a l s o b w i r d a b e i w ä r e n , w i e G o t t

d ie We lt s c hu f ’, s e e a l s o h i s r e ec t io n s o n t h e i n u en c e o f B a ch ’s m u si c i n Menschliches,

Allzumenschliches K S 2 : § 2 1 9 . S p i t t a ( 1 8 7 3 ) , 1 , p . : ‘ M i t s e i n e m u n a b l ä s s i g e n H i n w e i s a u f

d a s H ö c hs t e u n d H e i li g s te , w a s w i r b e s it z e n’. For o t h e r, n i n et e e nt h - c en t u r y b i o gr a p hi e s, s u c h

a s C . H . B i t t e r ’ s , Johann Sebastian Bach ( 1 8 6 5 ) , ‘ s o o n a f t e r … e c l i p s e d b y S p i t t a ’ s ’ , s e e : D a n i e l

M e l a m e d a n d M i c h a e l M a r i s s e n , An Introduction to Bach Studies (New York: Oxford Univer-s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 9 8 ) , p p . 33 f .

A l be r t S c hw ei t ze r ( No b el p e ac e p r iz e 1 9 52 ) , J.S. Bach, t r an s la te d b y E r ne s t N ew m an ( L on d on :

A.C. Black, 1911), p. 280. Nathan Söderblom (Nobel peace prize 1930), Christian Fellowship: Or,

The United Life and Work of Christendom ( N e w Y o r k : Fl e m i n g H . Re v e l l , 1 9 2 3) , p . 1 4 5 : ‘ I f I w e r e


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p o p u l a r p e r c e p t i o n o f B a c h a s a ‘ m u s i c a l g i a n t ’ w i t h u n r i v a l l e d i n s i g h t s i n t ot h e r e v e l a t i o n o f G o d w h o c o m m u n i c a t e d t h e s e i n s i g h t s b y ‘ a c o m b i n a t i o n o f per f ec t i o n [ a n d ] g en i u s’ . G er m a n sc h o l a r s o f B a c h ’ s m u si c su c h a s Fr i ed r i c h

S me nd a nd M ar ti n J an se n to ok u p t he b ato n, c la im in g B ac h n ot o nl y f orG o d , b u t f o r G e r m a n y . I n 1 9 2 6 S m e n d c o n r m e d t h e v i e w t h a t B a c h w a s ‘ o n eo f o u r g r e a t e s t ’ , w h i l e n i n e y e a r s l a t e r J a n s e n t e s t i e d t o ‘ o u r G e r m a n e v a n -g el is t’. Fo r J an se n B ac h w as ‘ th e M as te r o f B ar oq ue M us ic w ho w as c on - vinced of the all-powerful nature of music’ and who, in his compositions,‘ b u i l t o n h o l y g r o u n d w i t h i n t h e r m c o n v i c t i o n t h a t t h e A l l - K n o w i n g a n d A l l -Co m pr eh en d i n g w o u l d r ec ei v e h i s e f o r t s b y g r a c e, a n d b l ess t h em ’ . T h o u g h a w ed i n t h ei r pr o m o t i o n o f a ‘ g r ea t m a n t h eo r y ’ a n d t h ei r po si t i o n i n g o f B a c h

a s a g u r e h e a d f o r t h e G e r m a n i s a t i o n o f L u t h e r a n i s m , t h e r s t g e n e r a t i o n o f m od e rn B ac h s c ho l ar s n e ve r th e le s s p ro d uc e d a c o mp r eh e ns i ve o ve r vi e w o f B a c h ’ s l i f e a n d w o r k . P h i l i pp S pi t t a ’ s w o r k i n pa r t i c u l a r l a i d t h e f o u n d a t i o n sf or t he l at er d oc um en ta ti on o f t he c om po se r ’s l if e, b ot h b y e xa mi ni ng h is m us i-c al o ut pu t a nd b y c om pi li ng t he r st c om pe nd iu m o f m an us cr ip t a nd c on te m-po r a r y pr i n t ed m a t er i a l s o n B a c h ’ s l i f e.

While many of their insights on the form and structure of Bach’s music haves to od t he te st o f t im e, by t he m id dl e o f t he t we nt ie th c en tu ry t he a ss es sm en t o f B a c h a s a g e n i u s i n t e n t t o c r e a t e ‘ p u r e m u s i c ’ p r o m o t e d b y t h e r s t g e n e r a t i o no f B a c h s c h o l a r s w a s s i g n i c a n t l y r e v i s e d . I n s t r u m e n t a l i n t h i s w a s F r i e d r i c hB l u m e ’ s 1 9 6 2 s e m i n a l ‘ O u t l i n e s o f a n e w p i c t u r e o f B a c h ’ (Umrisse eines neuen

a s k e d f o r a f t h G o s p e l I s h o u l d n o t h e s i t a t e t o n a m e t h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s o f t h e s e c r e t o f

t h e r e d e m p t i o n t h a t r e a c h e d i t s c l i m a x i n J o h a n n S e b a s t i a n B a c h ’ .

A ar on C o pl an d, ‘ T he P l ea su re s o f Mu si c’, i n: i d em , Copland on Music ( G a r d e n C i t y : D o u -

b l e d a y , 1 9 6 0 ) , p p . 2 3– 5 1 , p . 36 . F r ie d ri c h S m en d , ‘ D ie J o h an n es - Pa s si o n v o n B ac h . A uf i hr en B a u u n t e rs u ch t ’, i n : Bach-

Jahrbuch 2 2 ( 1 92 6 ), p p. 1 0 5– 1 28 , p . 1 2 8: ‘ E in e s u n se re r G rö ß te n’ ; M a rt i n J an s en , ‘ B ac h s

Z a h le n s y mb o l ik , a n s e i ne n P a ss i o ne n u n t er s u c ht ’, Bach-Jahrbuch 3 4 ( 19 3 7) , p p. 9 6 –1 1 7,

p. 117: ‘Unseres deutschen Evangelisten’.

J an s en ( 1 9 37 ) , p. 9 6 : ‘ D e r v on d e r A l l ma c ht d e r M u s ik ü b e r ze u gt e M e is t er d e s B a ro c ks ’,

p . 1 1 7 : ‘ I n d e r f e s t e n Ü b e r z e u g u n g , d a ß e r s o a u f a u f h e i l i g e m G r u n d b a u e u n d d a ß d e r

Allwissende und Allverstehende sein Mühen in Gnaden annehme und segne’.

F or t h e v i ew t h at t h e r s t g e ne ra t io n o f B a ch s c ho l ar s p u rp o se f ul l y e x ch a ng ed a c o nt ex t ua l

view of Bach’s work in order to promote a ‘true liturgical view of the Cantata’ (Wahrel i t u rg i s ch e K a n t at e n an s c h au u n g ), s e e : S v en H i e mk e , ‘ B a c h- D e ut u n g en i m U m f el d d e r

k i r ch e n mu s i ka l i sc h e n E r n e ue r u n gs b e we g u ng ’, i n : M i c ha e l H e i ne m a nn a n d H a n s J o ac h i m

H i n ri c h se n , e d s ., Bach und die Nachwelt , 4 v ol s. ( La ab er : L aa be r, 2 00 0) , 3 , p p. 6 3– 11 3,

p . 6 9 .


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Bach-Bildes) . T he p op ul ar p er ce p ti on o f B ac h a pp ea rs t o h av e b ee n l it tl ea fe c te d b y B lu m e’s r ea s se s sm e nt . C e rt a in l y, w h en A a ro n C o pl a nd r e ec te d o nB a c h ’ s m u s i c f o r a p o p u l a r a u d i e n c e i n t h e 1 9 6 0 s , h e c o n t i n u e d t o p r o m o t e t h e

i m a g e o f B a c h a s a d i v i n e l y i n s p i r e d m u s i c i a n :

I f o n e w e r e a s k e d t o n a m e o n e m u s i c i a n w h o c a m e c l o s e s t t o c o m p o s i n g without human aw, I suppose general consensus would choose JohannS eb as ti an B ac h. O nl y a f ew m us ic al g ia nt s h av e e ar ne d t he u ni ve rs ala d m i r a t i o n t h a t su r r o u n d s t h e g u r e o f t h e ei g h t een t h - c en t u r y G er m a nmaster.

T h i s p o p u l a r p e r c e p t i o n o f B a c h a s a m u s i c a l ‘ g i a n t ’ w h o s i n g l e - h a n d e d l y a n da l m o s t i n i s o l a t i o n t r a n s f o r m e d t h e m u s i c a l l a n d s c a p e o f t h e r s t h a l f o f t h ee i gh te e nt h -c e nt u ry r em a in s i n n e ed o f r e vi s io n . T h is b oo k t h er ef o re c l os e ly e x am i ne s B a ch’ s e d uc a ti o na l b a ck gr ou n d t o e s ta b li s h t h at h i s i n si g ht s i n to t h e-o l o g y w e r e b y n o m e a n s e x c e p t i o n a l b u t s h a r e d b y a n e n t i r e g e n e r a t i o n o f s t u -d e n t s a n d m u s i c i a n s . I t d o c u m e n t s h i s c o l l a b o r a t i o n s w i t h o t h e r c o n t e m p o r a r y a r t i s t s t o d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t h i s c h u r c h m u s i c w a s s h a p e d i n c o n s t a n t i n t e r a c -t i on w i th o t he r s c o ll a bo ra to r s, w h et h er t h eo l og i an s , l i br e tt i st s o r c o mp o se r s. I tex a m i n es h i s c u l t u r a l c o n t ex t t o i d en t i f y t h e ex t er n a l f a c t o r s t h a t d et er m i n edB a c h ’ s w o r k , s u c h a s t h e n e e d s o f h i s p a t r o n s o r t h e l i m i t e d m u s i c a l r e s o u r c e sa v a i l a b l e i n t h e pl a c es o f h i s em pl o y m en t .

When Copland composed his panegyric to the ‘intangible greatness of Bach’sm us ic ’, t he w or k o f a s ec on d g en er at io n o f B ac h s ch ol ar s wa s a lr ea dy w el lu n de r wa y. T h e t i me b e tw ee n t h e b i ce n te n ar y c e le b ra t io n s o f B ac h’s d e at hi n 1 95 0 a nd t he t er ce nt en ar y c el eb ra ti on s o f h is b ir th i n 1 98 5 g en er at ed a ni m m en se b o d y o f sc h o l a r sh i p, o f w h i c h W er n er N eu m a n n ’ s a n d H a n s- Jo a c h i mSchulze’s Bach-Dokumente ( 1 9 6 3 – 1 9 8 4 ) a n d t h e pu b l i c a t i o n o f t h e Neue Bach-

ausgabe ( 1 9 5 4 – 2 0 0 7 ) u n d e r t h e d i r e c t o r s h i p o f W e r n e r N e u m a n n a n d A l f r e dD ü r r a r e o u t st a n d i n g ex a m pl es. T h e sy st em a t i c pu b l i c a t i o n o f a r c h i v a l m a t er i -a l s l o d g e d i n c o l l e c t i o n s i n L e i p z i g a n d e l s e w h e r e c o v e r e d a n i n c r e d i b l e e l dt h a t r a n g e d f r o m a n a l y s e s o f p o r t r a i t s o f t h e c o m p o s e r ’ s f a m i l y a n d p e r s o n a lr ec ei pt s f or p ur ch as es m ad e b y t he c om po se r, t o t he p ub li ca ti on o f t he s ta tu te s

J an s en ( 1 9 3 7) , p . 9 7 ; F r ie dr i ch B l u me , ‘ U m ri s se e i n es n e u e n B a ch - Bi l de s : Vo r tr ag f ü r d a s

B a c h f e s t d e r i n t e r n a t i o n a l e n B a c h - G e s e l l s c h a f t i n M a i n z , 1 . J u n i 1 9 6 2 ’ , Musica 1 6 ( 1 9 6 2 ) ,p p . 1 6 9 – 1 7 6 , a n d r e a c t i o n s f r o m r s t g e n e r a t i o n s c h o l a r s , s u c h a s Fr i e d r i c h S m e n d , ‘ W a s

bleibt? Zu Friedrich Blumes Bach-Bild’, Der Kirchenmusiker 1 3 ( 1 9 6 2 ) , p p . 1 7 8 – 1 8 8 .

C op la nd ( 19 60 ), p. 3 6.

C op la nd ( 19 60 ), p. 3 8.


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o f S t T h o m a s ’ S c h o o l a n d t h o r o u g h a c c o u n t s o f t h e d e v o t i o n a l l i f e a t t h e p r i n -c i pa l L ei pz i g c h u r c h es. T h ese d o c u m en t s h a v e g r ea t l y f a c i l i t a t ed su b seq u en tr e s e a r c h i n t o B a c h ’ s c o n t e x t a n d c u l t u r a l b a c k g r o u n d . A t t h e s a m e t i m e , t h e

r e a s s e s s m e n t o f t h e v i e w t h a t B a c h ’ s m u s i c w a s u n i q u e a n d a b l e t o d e v e l o pi n r el a t i v e i so l a t i o n f r o m c o n t em po r a r i es pr o m o t ed b y so m e r st g en er a t i o nsc h o l a r s, h a s b een c o n si st en t l y t em per ed b y r esea r c h i n t o t h e pr ec u r so r s a n dcontemporaries of Bach.

2 Theological Bach Research: Back to the Sources

F r o m 1 9 7 6 o n w a r d s t h e r e l i g i o u s c o n t e n t o f B a c h ’ s w o r k b e g a n t o b e c l o s e l y s c ru t in i se d b y a n a s so c ia t io n o f i n te r na t io n al B ac h s c ho l ar s , t h e Internationale Arbeitsgemeinschaft für theologische Bachforschung (International Working

G r o u p f o r T h eo l o g i c a l B a c h R esea r c h ) , a g r o u p o f m u si c h i st o r i a n s, m u si c o l o -g i st s a n d— p re d om i na n tl y— L ut h er an t h eo l og i an s. E s ta b li s he d a t t h e 5 1 stB a c h Fest i v a l o f t h e Neue Bachgesellschaft ( N ew B a c h S o c i et y ) b y W a l t er B l a n -k e n b u r g , R e n a t e S t e i g e r a n d C h r i s t o p h T r a u t m a n n , u n t i l t h e t u r n o f t h e t w e n t y - r st c en t u r y t h e W o r k i n g G r o u p c o n si d er ed t h e pa r a d i g m t h a t B a c h w a s a t h e-o l o g i c a l l y t r a i n ed m u si c i a n w h o i n t en t i o n a l l y set o u t t o c o m m u n i c a t e Ch r i s-t i an d o ct r in e s t h ro u gh m u si c : v oc a l a n d i n st r um e nt a l, s a cr ed a n d s e cu l ar. S i gn i c an t d i sc ov e ri e s, s u ch a s t h e a u th e nt i ca t io n o f a t h re e -v ol u me c o mm e n-t a te d B ib l e f ro m B a ch’ s e s ta te a n no t at ed i n t h e c o mp o se r ’s h a nd , e n ab l ed m or esu st a i n ed en g a g em en t w i t h B a c h ’ s t h eo l o g i c a l u n d er st a n d i n g a n d g en er a t ed a

Fo r i n s ta nc e: C on ra d F r ey se , ‘ D a s P or tr ät A mb ro si us B ac hs ’, Bach-Jahrbuch 4 6 ( 1 95 9 ),

p p . 1 4 9 – 1 5 5 ; H a n s B e s c h , ‘ E i n e A u k t i o n s - Q u i t t u n g J . S . B a c h s ’ , i n : Festschrift für Friedrich

Smend: Zum 70. Geburtstag dargebracht von Freunden und Schülern (Berlin: Merseburger,1 9 63) , p p . 74 – 79 ; H a n s J o a ch i m S c h ul z e , e d . , Die Thomasschule Leipzig zur Zeit Johann

Sebastian Bachs: Ordnungen und Gesetze, 1634, 1723, 1733 (Kassel: Bärenreiter, 1953), Gün-

ther Stiller, Johann Sebastian Bach und das Leipziger gottesdienstliche Leben seiner Zeit

( K as s el : B ä re n re it er, 1 9 70 ) , t r. H e rb e rt B o uw m an , D an i el P oe l lo t , H i lt o n O s wa l d, e d. R ob i n

Leaver, Johann Sebastian Bach and Liturgical Life in Leipzig (St Louis: Concordia, 1984).

F or i n s t an c e: F r i ed r ic h B l um e , ‘ Da s We r k d es M i c h ae l P r ae to r iu s ’ i n : M a rt i n R u hn ke , e d .,

Syntagma Musicologicum ( K a s s e l : B ä r e n r e i t e r , 1 9 6 3) , p p . 2 2 9 – 2 7 4 , K u r t v o n Fi s c h e r , ‘ D i e

Passionshistorien von Heinrich Schütz und ihre geschichtlichen Voraussetzungen’, Musik

und Gottesdienst 2 0 ( 1 9 6 6 ) , p p . 4 8 – 5 9 . I n 1 99 8 o n e o f t he Wo rk in g G ro up ’s f ou nd er s, R en at e S t ei ge r, p ub li sh ed t he h is to ry o f

t h e Wo r ki n g G ro u p i n : R en a te S te i ge r, e d ., Theologische Bachforschung heute, 1976–96:

Dokumentationund Bibliographieder InternationalenArbeitsgemeinschaft für theologische

Bachforschung ( B e r l i n : G a l d a & W i l c h , 1 9 9 8 ) .


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wealth of academic research, including one of the rst signicant assessmentso f B a c h ’ s u n d er st a n d i n g o f t h eo l o g y i n E n g l i sh , R o b i n L ea v er ’ s 1 9 7 6 ‘ T h e Ca l o v Bible from Bach’s library’.

L e a v e r w a s n o t o n l y i n s t r u m e n t a l i n o p e n i n g u p t h e o l o g i c a l B a c h r e s e a r c ht o a n i nt er na ti on al a ud ie nc e, b ut a ls o w as a mo ng t he r st s ch ol ar s t o p ro -m o t e t h e i d e a o f ‘ B a c h ’ s t h e o l o g i c a l l i b r a r y ’ . B a s e d o n t h e l i s t o f m a i n l y t h e -o l o g i c a l w o r k s n u m b e r e d a f t e r B a c h ’ s d e a t h i n t h e Specication of the Estate Left by the Late Mr Johann Sebastian Bach, L eav er c on tr ib ut ed t o a n u nd er -

s ta nd in g o f B ac h a s ‘ th e l ea rn ed m us ic ia n’ w ho se i ns ig ht s a bo ut G od w er eg a i n e d n o t a s m u c h b y d i v i n e i n s p i r a t i o n a s b y s o l i d t h e o l o g i c a l l e a r n i n g . By t he t im e o f t he te rc en te na ry o f h is b ir th i n 1 98 5 t he u nd er st an di ng o f

B a c h a s a t h e o l o g i c a l l y s c h o o l e d c o m p o s e r w h o u s e d h i s l e a r n i n g a n d r e a d -i n g i n o r d e r t o s h a p e m u s i c t o c o m m u n i c a t e a d i s t i n c t i v e t h e o l o g i c a l m e s s a g eh a d b ec o m e r m l y est a b l i sh ed . L ea v er po st u l a t ed t h a t B a c h ’ s l i t u r g i c a l c h o r a lm u s i c f u n c t i o n e d i n w a y s t h a t c a n b e c o m p a r e d t o a L u t h e r a n e x p o s i t o r y s e r -m o n ; i n d e e d , L u t h e r s c h o l a r J a r o s l a v P e l i c a n a l r e a d y n u m b e r e d B a c h a m o n gt h e t h eo l og i an s , c a re f ul l y p o si t io n in g t h e c o mp o se r i n a t h eo l og i ca l m i dd l eg r o u n d b et w een L u t h er a n O r t h o d o x y a n d ei g h t een t h - c en t u r y P i et i sm . T h i s

Fo r i n s ta n ce : C h ri s to p h T ra u tm a nn , ‘ “ Ca l ov i i S c hr i f t en . 3 B ä nd e” a u s J o ha n n S e ba s ti an

B a c h s N a c h l a ß u n d i h r e B e d e u t u n g f ü r d a s B i l d d e s l u t h e r i s c h e n K a n t o r s B a c h ’ , Musik

und Kirche 39 ( 1 9 6 9 ) , p p . 1 4 5 – 1 6 0 ; H e l e n e W e r t h e m a n n , ‘ B a c h s Fu n d a m e n t “ a l l e r g o t t g e -

f ä l l i g e r K i r c h e n m u s i k ” ’ , i n : Fr a n k B e y e r a n d C h r i s t o p h Tr a u t m a n n , e d s . , 51. Bachfest der

Neuen Bachgesellschaft: Bachfest-Vorträge 1976 (Kassel: Bärenreiter, 1976), pp. 3–17; Robin

A. Leaver, ‘The Calov Bible from Bach’s Library’, Bach: The Journal of the Riemenschnei-

der Bach Institute, 7 . 4 ( 1 9 7 6 ) , p p . 1 6 – 2 2 , a n d i d e m , J.S. Bach and Scripture: Glosses from the

Calov Bible ( S t L o u i s : C o n c o r d i a , 1 9 8 6 ) .

Rob in A. L eaver, Bachs theologische Bibliothek: Eine kritische Bibliographie (Neuhausen-Stuttgart: Hännsler, 1985) [cited as: BB].

B D 2 , n o. 6 27 , H an s D av id a nd A rt hu r M en de l, e ds . e t a l. , r ev is ed a nd e nl ar ge d b y C hr is to ph

Wolf, The New Bach Reader: A Life of Johann Sebastian Bach in Letters and Documents

[ c it ed a s N BR ] ( L on d on : W. W. N or t on , 1 9 98 ), n o. 2 79 . C hr i st op h Wo l f ’ s b i og r ap hy o f B a ch ,

Johann SebastianBach: The LearnedMusician ( O x fo r d : U n i ve r s it y P r e ss , 2 0 0 1 ), d e l ib e r at e l y

e c h o e s P r i n c e L e o p o l d o f A n h a l t - K ö t h e n ’ s e p i t h e t o f B a c h , B D 2 , n o . 1 2 8 , N B R n o . 9 6 .

Rob in A . L eaver, Music as Preaching:Bach, Passions, and Music in Worship (Oxford:Latimer

H o u s e , 1 9 8 2 ) a n d h i s JohannSebastian Bach asPreacher: HisPassions andMusic in Worship

( S t L o u i s : C o n c o r d i a , 1 9 8 4 ) ; J a r o s l a v P e l i c a n , Bach among the Theologians (Philadelphia:Fo r tr es s, 1 9 86 ) , p p. 5 7 –5 8 : ‘ H e w as n o t t o b e c o n ne d b y t h e c a te go r ie s o f P i et i sm a ny m o re

t h an h e w as b y t h os e o f R a ti o na l is m a n d C o nf e ss i on a l O r th o do xy ’. L e av er f o ll ow s P el i ca n’ s

a s s es s m e nt , ‘ B a c h a n d P i e t is m : S i m il a r it i e s t o d ay ’, Concordia Theological Quarterly 55

( 1 9 9 1 ) , p p . 5 – 2 2 .


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p e rc e p ti o n w as u n de r pi n ne d b y s u st a in e d r e se a rc h b y M ar t in Pe t zo l dt a n do t h e r c o n t r i b u t o r s t o h i s 1 9 8 5 Bach als Ausleger der Bibel ( B a c h a s a n I n t e r p r e t e ro f t h e B i b l e ) w h o p r o v i d e d b o t h a v a l u a b l e o v e r v i e w o f s o m e o f t h e e x e g e t i c a l

t e c h n i q u e s e m p l o y e d i n B a c h ’ s m u s i c , a n d o f e r e d n e w i n s i g h t s i n t o t h e l i t u r -g i c a l a n d d ev o t i o n a l l i f e o f ei g h t een t h - c en t u r y L ei pz i g . D u r i n g t h e 1 9 8 0 s a n d t h e e a r l y 1 9 9 0 s s c h o l a r s i n G e r m a n y a n d t h e U n i t e d

S ta te s f ur th er p ur su e d t he p ar ad ig m o f B ac h a s a n e xp on en t o f t he ol og y, e xa m-i n i n g B a c h ’ s c h o r a l w o r k s i n t er m s o f ex eg et i c a l a n d h o m i l et i c c o n t en t , a s w el la s a na ly si ng s tr uc tu re a nd f or m o f h is w or ks i n o rd er t o r ev ea l t he ol og ic alm e an i ng . E r ic C h af e’ s 1 98 1 ‘ T h e S t J o hn Pa s si o n: t h eo l og y a n d m u si c al s t ru c tu re ’a n d h i s 1 9 9 1 Tonal Allegory in the Vocal Music of J.S. Bach r e- ex a m i n ed t h e w o r k

o f r st g en er at io n B ac h- s ch ol ar s s uc h a s F ri ed ri ch S me nd w it hi n t he p ar ad ig mo f t he Wo rk in g G ro up i n o rd er to d oc um en t t he ol og ic al m ea ni ng i n B ac h’s work. The German theologian Elke Axmacher provided wide-ranging insightsi nt o t he c ul tu ra l c on te xt o f B ac h’s c om po si ti on s i n h er c om pa ra ti ve s tu dy o f c