Easter

Johannes-Passion

La Petite Bande

17,9928,49
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Original Recording Format: DXD
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Let’s start with a simple question : which version have you recorded? Hmm, this is actually a rather complex question. During Bach’s lifetime there were four different performances, each time with new modifications, some in response to the circumstances at the time, others influenced by which musicians and instruments he then had at his disposal. However Bach experimented to the greatest degree with the second version, dating from 1725: for instance, he used a different opening chorus (which was later to become the closing chorus of the first part of the St Matthew Passion, a work yet to be composed at this stage) and a couple of other arias near the end of the work. For the later performances he reverted to his first version from 1724, albeit with some differences in instrumentation. For instance, in the final version he includes a bassono grosso, but no one knows for certain which instrument he had in mind; possibly a 16-foot bassoon, i.e. a contrabassoon, a veritable chimney pot two metres in length. However, he scored this instrument in combination with the delicate sound of the lute and two violas d’amore, of all things! I cannot believe that Bach would opt for such an instrument in this passage; an 8-foot bassoon is more likely and the term bassono grosso probably indicates this more modern type of instrument rather than the earlier dulcian, although the latter had not totally fallen out of fashion at the time. However, I would not venture a definite opinion as to what bassono grosso means in this context. So we did not use this instrument: this was yet another reason to stick with the first version, since it raises fewer uncertain issues. Nevertheless, there are still various grey areas involved. Even prior to the first performance, before making the individual orchestral parts, Bach began to write out the score in fine calligraphy, a task he did not complete; and this score deviates in some aspects from the orchestral material used in the actual performance. The process of determining the most probable historical truth continues to have elements reminiscent of a detective novel; anyway, it will never be possible to clarify certain details. At any rate, we opted for the first version that everyone performs.

Tracklist

Please note that the below previews are loaded as 44.1 kHz / 16 bit.
1.
First Part- Chorus- Herr, unser Herrscher
09:33
2.
First Part- Recitative- Jesus ging mit seinen Jungern - Chorus- Jesum von Nazareth - Recitative- Jes
02:07
3.
First Part- Chorale- O grosse Lieb
00:41
4.
First Part- Recitative- Auf dass das Wort erfullet wurde
01:02
5.
First Part- Chorale- Dein Will gescheh
00:46
6.
First Part- Recitative- Die Schar aber und der Oberhauptmann
00:41
7.
First Part- Aria- Von den Stricken meiner Sunden
05:05
8.
First Part- Recitative- Simon Petrus aber folgete Jesu
00:12
9.
First Part- Aria- Ich folge dir gleichfalls
03:23
10.
First Part- Recitative- Derselbige Junger
02:45
11.
First Part- Chorale- Wer hat dich so geschlagen
01:27
12.
First Part- Recitative- Und Hannas sandte ihn - Chorus- Bist du nicht seiner Junger einer? - Recitat
02:03
13.
First Part- Aria- Ach, mein Sinn
02:34
14.
First Part- Chorale- Petrus, der nicht denkt zuruck
01:01
15.
Second Part- Chorale- Christus, der uns selig macht
01:03
16.
Second Part- Recitative- Da fuhreten sie Jesum von Kaipha vor das Richthaus - Chorus- Ware dieser ni
03:46
17.
Second Part- Chorale- Ach, grosser Konig
01:20
18.
Second Part- Recitative- Da sprach Pilatus zu ihm - Chorus- Nicht diesen, sondern Barrabam! - Recita
01:46
19.
Second Part- Arioso- Betrachte, meine Seel
02:20
20.
Second Part- Aria- Erwage, wie sein blutgefarbter Rucken
07:30
21.
Second Part- Recitative- Und die Kriegsknechte flochten - Chorus- Sei gegrusset, lieber Judenkonig -
05:21
22.
Second Part- Chorale- Durch dein Gefangnis
00:45
23.
Second Part- Recitative- Die Juden aber schrieen und sprachen - Chorus- Lassest du diesen los - Reci
03:55
24.
Second Part- Chorus & Aria- Eilt, ihr angefochtnen Seelen
03:56
25.
Second Part- Recitative- Allda kreuzigten sie ihn - Chorus- Schreibe nicht- der Juden Konig - Recita
01:53
26.
Second Part- Chorale- In meines Herzens Grunde
00:55
27.
Second Part- Recitative- Die Kriegsknechte aber - Chorus- Lasset uns den nicht zerteilen - Recitativ
03:22
28.
Second Part- Chorale- Er nahm alles wohl in acht
01:00
29.
Second Part- Recitative- Und von Stund an
01:12
30.
Second Part- Aria- Es ist vollbracht
05:09
31.
Second Part- Recitative- Und neigte das Haupt
00:22
32.
Second Part- Chorus & Aria- Mein teurer Heiland
04:17
33.
Second Part- Recitative- Und siehe da
00:28
34.
Second Part- Aria- Mein Herz, in dem die ganze Welt
00:45
35.
Second Part- Aria- Zerfliesse, mein Herze
06:46
36.
Second Part- Recitative- Die Juden aber
01:57
37.
Second Part- Chorale- O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn
01:00
38.
Second Part- Recitative- Darnach bat Pilatum
01:48
39.
Second Part- Chorus- Ruht wohl, ihr heiligen Gebeine
07:19
40.
Second Part- Chorale- Ach Herr, la? dein lieb Engelein
01:43

Total time: 01:44:58

Additional information

Label

SKU

CC72545

Qualities

, ,

Channels

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Artists

Composers

Genres

,

Cables

Siltech

Digital Converters

Dcs

Mastering Equipment

Avalon Acoustic

Microphones

Sonodore

Conductors

Instruments

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Original Recording Format

Producer

Bert van der wolf

Recording Engineer

Bert van der Wolf

Recording location

Academiezaal, St. Truiden, Belgium

Recording Software

Pyramix

Recording Type & Bit Rate

DSD64

Release DateOctober 11, 2014

Press reviews

Positive Feedback

During Bach’s lifetime there were four different performances of the St. John’s Passion, each time with new modifications, some in response to the circumstances at the time, others influenced by which musicians and instruments he then had at his disposal…

What clearly is to be heard in this performance is the aesthetic that Kuijken applies in all of this performances of the Bach choral works: clarity of voice, limited numbers of performers, vocal soloists serving together for the chorus, authentic instruments for the period. His view is that, above all, these religious choral works by Bach were about the text: “This music is first and foremost vocal music: the text, the message is paramount. It is also significant that this soloistic approach creates an extremely natural balance with the instrumental ensemble.”

…And thus we have a performance of great clarity. Which in many ways is most fortuitous for us a listeners because the libretto is a complete hodge-podge of source material. As Kuijken notes, “In contrast to the St Matthew Passion libretto, which was written by a single librettist, the libretto of the St John Passion is a patchwork, a hotchpotch, a puzzle made up of diverse, pre-existing texts, possibly compiled by Bach himself and taken from the gospels, old chorales, poetry by B.H. Brockes, C.H. Postel…” And, in many ways, this “hotchpotch” is what makes the St. John’s Passion such an interesting work.

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