Passions (C. P. E. Bach)
As
History
The tradition of the German
Bach's Passions
Each year while he was in Hamburg, Bach compiled a new Passion to be performed during Lent. The Gospel text to be used was chosen on a rotating cycle, as was the Hamburg tradition established in the late 17th century, in the order
The Passion for the year was performed five times during Lent, once in each church. They were performed starting in the oldest church and moving to the youngest church as follows: St. Peter, St. Nicholas, St. Catherine, St. James and St. Michael. The Passion librettos were printed each year for sale to the congregation; copies of these librettos survive to this day in the Hamburg Staatsarchiv.[2] It is important to note that in addition to the chorale texts, the librettos also listed a corresponding number in the Hamburg Gesangbuch (Hymnal), strongly suggesting that the congregation participated in the chorale singing.
Out of all 21 Passions written in Hamburg, none is an entirely original work. Though Bach did borrow from himself, he more frequently borrowed from other composers. He often borrowed biblical material (usually turba choruses) from Telemann and J. S. Bach. For the arias and non-biblical choruses, he turned to the music of his contemporaries, most often Gottfried August Homilius, but also Georg Benda and Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel.
The Passions were never published in Bach's lifetime, and survive only in manuscript form. These materials, however, were lost after World War II and were only rediscovered in 1999. In 2001, they were returned to their home at the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin, where they remain to this day. They are currently being transcribed into modern, engraved editions by the Packard Humanities Institute. One exception seems to be the last of the passions, a keyboard reduction of which was published in the year of its premiere (1789).[3]
Works
The Passions themselves are as follows (year of performance given):[4]
- Passion according to St. Matthew: 1769, 1773, 1777, 1781, 1785, 1789
- Passion according to St. Mark: 1770, 1774, 1778, 1782, 1786
- Passion according to St. Luke: 1771, 1775, 1779, 1783, 1787
- Passion according to St. John: 1772, 1776, 1780, 1784, 1788
Recordings
- Markus-Passion H. 860 "Gehet heraus und schauet an", by Helmut Rilling, conductor, Bach Collegium, Gächinger Kantorei, CBS 42511 (1987) (complete recording).
- Markus-Passion H. 860 "Gehet heraus und schauet an", by Johann Georg Röllig, Beat Raaflaub, Ad Fontes, Knabenkantorei Basel, ArsMusici (1994) (not a complete recording).
- Matthäus-Passion (1769), H. 782 "Christus, der uns selig macht", by C. P. E. Bach, Ton Koopman, conductor, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Edition Alte Musik ORF 316 (2003).
- Johannes-Passion (1772), H. 785 "Erforsche mich, erfahr mein Herz", by C. P. E. Bach, Joshard Daus, conductor, Capriccio Basel, Zelter-Ensemble der Sing-Akademie zu Berlin, Capriccio Records C60 103 (2004).
- Lukas-Passion (1775) H. 788, "Herr starke mich dein Leiden", by C.P.E. Bach (arrangement of Homilius' Lukas-Passion, HoWV I.5) Paul Dombrecht, Il Fondamento, Harmonia Mundi IF1401 (2015).
- Matthäus-Passion (1781), H. 794, "Jesu, meiner Seelen Licht", by C. P. E. Bach, Karl-Friedrich Beringer, conductor, Deutsche Kammer-Virtuosen, Windsbacher Knabenchor, Rondeau 2027 (2004).
- Matthäus-Passion (1785), H. 798 "O Lamm Gottes, im Staube", by C. P. E. Bach, Joshard Daus, conductor, Zelter-Ensemble der Sing-Akademie zu Berlin, Capriccio Records C60 113 (2005).
- Markus-Passion (1786), H.799 "Ach großer König, groß zu allen Zeiten", by C. P. E. Bach, Joshard Daus, conductor, Mendelssohn Symphonia, Europa Chor Akademie, Capriccio Records C60 132 (2007).
- Lukas-Passion (1787) H. 800 “O Lamm Gottes unschuldig“, by C. P. E. Bach, Joshard Daus, conductor, Mendelssohn Symphonia, Europa Chor Akademie, Glor 8071 (2008).
References
- ^ "ist solche nach historischer und alter Art mit den Evangelisten und anderen Personen vorgestellt oder wird sie nach Art eines Oratorii mit Betrachtungen, wie zum Beispiel die Ramlerische, eingericht?" See Ernst Suchala, C. P. E. Bach: Briefe und Dokumente, I:132–36.
- ^ The librettos are transcribed in Clark (1984).
- ^ Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel. "Matthäus-Passion, H.802". Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ^ H.782-802
Bibliography
- Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel (2006). OCLC 77639949.
- Clark, Stephen Lewis (1984). The Occasional Choral Works of C. P. E. Bach (Ph.D. diss ed.). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University. OCLC 17340187.
- Leisinger, Ulrich (2001). "Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel". In ISBN 978-1-56159-239-5.
- Miesner, Heinrich (1929). Philipp Emanuel Bach in Hamburg. Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel. OCLC 1088311.
- Sanders, Reginald (2001). Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and Liturgical Music at the Hamburg Principal Churches from 1768 to 1788 (Ph.D. diss ed.). New Haven, CT: Yale University. OCLC 51308493.
External links
- The Packard Humanities Institute is currently preparing a complete edition of C. P. E. Bach's works, including the passions.