S. BACH’S JOHN PASSION

S. BACH’S JOHN PASSION

            Passions are the different and distinct characters that are found in the works done by Johann Sebastian Bach. His love composed in particular on Luther’s reformation mainly on the developmental habit that has a basis on the working of Johann Walter Michael praetorians as well as Hans Leo Hassler. The most important predecessor of Johann S Bach was Heinrich Schutz. Bach, based on his text aspect, was aimed at modeling passion of oratorio, the pillar representative of which was a librettist Heinrich who was based in Hamburg. The surprising fact was that before 1723 when J.S.Bach arrived tradition of passions was no longer in Leipzig.They happened to be performed for the first time in the year 1721.J.S.Bach is the remarkably demonstrating author of the two emotions, namely: St John Passion BWV245 as well as St Matthew Passion BWV244.His authorship in st Lukas passion BWV246 is strongly questionable, with the one of the st mark’s BWV 24 text only preserved.

In the discussion presented below is the area of passion in context to Johann S Bach, where Bach is recognized as the musical genius of all times with him composing the two passions “St John Passion” was the first passion which he wrote. Three years later, he then formed the “St Mathew Passion “the composition of the two love enhanced the fame in sacred production that narrated the biblical episode of Jesus crucifixion. The two passions are entailed with the story covering the arousal of Jesus from the dead and the incidences that occurred on the morning of Easter Sunday. But before the incident, there is a narration exhaustively on Jesus’ passion and his death on the cross. These explanations are set by Bach the readings on the New Testament in the book of John chapter 18-19 and Matthew chapter 26-27. The passion which took at least two hours was written for usage in the Lutheran church congregation. Bach made sure the script triggered the group felt the mood of the story in his music.

The title

Why the odd title “st Matthew passion “Bach a staunch Lutheran would never make a referral of the apostle as a saint. While the desire is the Christ’s not Matthews from the full title, which is “the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the gospel of Matthew,” the word passion does not mean love, but in this perspective, it describes the suffering. In the first chorus of his song, Bach ensures that the suffering feeling is felt in the mood of the congregation. With redemptive clarity insisted by the use of a simple childlike tune.

The cast

St Matthew Passion is an oratorio, usually a musical drama which distinguishes itself from other artistic types by excluding the use of makeups costumes or acting musicians. The author only focuses on creating whose scene is realized and expressed through the delivery of the music. This was due to the limitations of religion to abide by performance in the church, which has no stages and does not provide time and room for scene changes. As present in operas, oratorios also happens to have cast. In St Matthew passion there is a narrator known as the evangelist as he recites in the recitatives the story about crucifixion as the gospel tells. “specific actors”-the crowd, Pilate Judas and the high priest have significant roles to find in the short choruses, “to what purpose is this waste “and “not upon this feast “shows the speaking of the crowd if not shouting this is according to the words of the evangelist. This form of turbulent causing emotionally charged musical outcry called turba.

The last actor, Jesus himself, Bach applied the organ with other instruments in the accompanying of most of the voices in the cast by using the string alone when Jesus spoke.

Mood

Bach uses his mastery of musical forms that help him in creating powerful contrasts of mood. This is evident in the chorales that tend to have similar melodies with differentiated harmonization to ensure different emotions are evoked. The chorale “o sacred now wounded “is repeated at least five times in the passion where they are harmonized differently, ensuring that the repetition is not tedious. Two instances that show repetition is the melody blood Jesus “the first chorale in the oratorio and the last one “o wondrous love” intentionally refers to Christ’s prediction about his sufferings. The second one, which follows, is from the crowd shouts, “let him be crucified,” showing that crucifixion has become a firm reality.

Tone pictures

From the st Matthews’s passion through his choral works, Bach has defined recognizable musical images that help him in delivering the narrative. With some being obvious due to the interplaying of music and text. In one scenario, a significant scene is ascended by the cello with the singer’s description of Christ’s ascent of the Mount of Olives. Within the same context, the flurry of chords dispersing in opposite directions shows the scattering of the flock in Christ’s words. Another tonal depiction is experienced in the alto aria “have mercy,” showing peters bitter weeping after he denied Christ. With the keening melody emulating the violins melody that keeps on falling short, an audible symbol is expressing human frailty concerning peter’s failure of courage.

With all said and done, the best testimony with the meaning and power is realizable by the listening of the music through live performance or recording and let the song work in you.

 Issues of performance practice that are pertinent to this aria.

Opening chorus

“Lord our master “is characterized by thirty-six bars of orchestral intonation, which happens before the powerful entrance to the choir. With a single bar imposing single stress of lower tones that happens to weaken up to the end of the bar. The base beats are then accompanied by the other remaining higher tunes, with the legato used in the singing of the prospective intent. The last six bars in the orchestral intro are producing an intense crescendo that brings the shouting forte opening three bars within the chorus, from where the choir joins the sequences of the deep stresses. The said is filled with torment in texts but a calm manner majestic piece of music. ‘Herr unser herrsher’ creates a sounding which sounds like it contains  chains of dissonance in the two oboes of the turmoil and oboes of the sixteenth rolling notes on the strings particularly when the bass is filled with anguish and hence characterizing the st john passion

Commenting areas

In the first part of st John, love is inclusive of known three commenting arias. Where there is an alto aria” from the bonds of my sins, “which is the inconsistency of twisted oboe line, that is the result of bringing back the opening chorus. Another aria identified is the soprano duet and an enchanting “flute (ichfolgedirgleichfalls), this luring Bach great pleasure in musical illustration. The final aria is represented by a passionate tenor solo, which is accompanied by all the instruments my soul.”

The death of Jesus

“It is accomplished; what comfort for the suffering of human souls! I can see the end of the night of sorrow. The hero from Judah ends his victorious fight.it is accomplished! “The Centre part is viola da gamba and an alto aria. With the content being introduced by the viola da gamba that is slightly accompanied by the basso continuo setting .after which comes the solo vocal interpretation.

Closing chorale

“o lord, let your dear little angels “from this chorale there are alternative lyrics is found in the regular use in the congregations. At the beginning of the content is a descending sequence, but from overall, the theme is filled with emotions as well. When singing this chorale standalone, it fails to sound like a closing chorale unless the singing is done at closing or the end of the real ceremony.

Description of this aria, characterizing the aria overall and dividing it into sections, then briefly describe the structure and content of each section and its contribution to the formal scheme, comments on the musical treatment given the text.

“Ich folge dir gleichfalls” was written as Da capo aria, which was an accessible format during the Baroque period.  Overall keys are in tonic to dominant with a relatively minor in the middle section and back to the tonic as it is in typical Da capo aria form.  The aria starts with an instrumentation introduction with a melodic legato line, assisted by flute depicting the joyous footstep.  With this flute introduction, it sets the mood as a pastoral atmosphere with Jesus is described as a shepherd.  The aria is written with canon style.  They imitate each other throughout the piece.  It is clear to see that the melody part has a strong tonal character.  Speaking of using canon style, canonic imitation of Bach’s aria is a double one, since the word gleichfalls makes reference to Peter, who has similarly followed Jesus, and if we wish, to the other disciple as well. The rising and falling sequences of the flutes that first appear in the ritornello are, in fact, a development of the critical melodic step to which the word Schritten is set.  The affection of joy is also conveyed by choice of the soprano voice, and for the contemporary rhetorical analysis of joy found it to be expressed in a soft and light quality of sound; to this. The flute is a peculiarly suitable compliment mainly when it displays its characteristic agility, which adds, employing the ceaseless sixteenth-note motion, an attractive feeling of effervescence to the affection. The key of B flat major had a character in Bach’s time that made it appropriate for devotions that were joyous but, at the same time, not frivolous. The repetition that is so typical of the aria we are discussing is due primarily to the word gleichfalls rather than folge. Right at the opening of the ritornello, there is an exact and immediate repetition of the first measure at the same pitch, and the vocal version of this phrase still more pointedly employs the repetition of a tone in the setting of gleichfalls. Tonal repetition is again used to capture the meaning of “Und Lasse Dich Nicht,” which starts in m. 29, but its most general occurrence is really like a pedal point against which the progress of the stepping is measured and set off. The fact that such pedal points occur typically on the tonic reinforces the impression of simplicity that is associated with the primary affection of the aria. The singer becomes troubled instead of joyful, and he appeals to Jesus to draw near and to urge him onward ceaselessly. Where the central section is set in B flat major and modulates to the dominant, which is F major in m. 48, the middle part hurries to G minor in m.66 and then to C minor in m.87, mirroring major with minor and the dominant with the subdominant. A point of additional interest is the elimination of the first part of the ritornello in the G small passage so that the characteristic first line of the text is not represented. It is only with the repetition of the appeal to Jesus that the folge motive is reinstated, as though in answer to the singer’s request.  In the epilogue, harmony becomes more abundant in quality with doubling in the octave in the bass piano part and finished with the tonic key.  It is written with a typical Baroque style of oratorio aria, and sometimes Bach adds unusual chromaticism to emphasize important words.  The instrumentation is written with the voice is almost as a duet, which the balance between the two just makes a great collaboration, and it expresses the meaning of the text.

Briefly discuss this aria about other solos for soprano in Bach’s St. John Passion and the St. Matthew Passion. What function do the soprano solos serve in the Passions overall?  In what ways is “Ich folge dir gleichfalls” similar to the other soprano solos?

The theme of great passion

“out of love is my savior willing to die “this part is usually sung by a soprano, which is in the key of a minor this represents the reflection of this aria that can appear through attending of the simplest elements in it.  These arias evoke the passion for work, by moving us powerfully, provoking our wonder showing what music is and why it can move us. The chorus is found in the key of Eminor, where we hear the extended orchestral opening fostering the world to recognize Jesus as the bridegroom as well as the sacrificial lamb. Following choruses that sing with a sad vigor. The music is relentless in its complexity and cruel, it sounds in depthless that seemingly constant to rise to the heavens. The melodic gestures from the adults provide an upward sweep with sopranos outlining the extending of Eminor, showing the elements of grief. Leaving the listener in complications that reaction of joyous and somberness.  All of the soprano arias have a text-painting with instrumentation.  Compared to other passion soprano arias, “Ich folge dir” has lighter in color and text it not too depressing.  This aria is a beautiful song with a bright 16^th note, but because of this effect, sometimes it can feel as that singing a sudden unnatural line could interrupt the song, but it depends on the audiences with how much or well they listen.  Most of the arias have a similar pattern.  They all have a big leap between the pitches. The introduction part starts with the instrumentation to depict the mood of the song, duet or trio between voice and instrumentation, requires fast trill, long musical phrasing line withholding one word, such as “Her—ze. For—ge, and blu—te.”  There always is chromatic line with sudden accidentals with 8th, 16^th and 32^nd rhythmic patterns where it reappears many times.  In Bach’s music, it requires good German diction to articulate better to project the right text, especially with the first ending consonants, almost to exaggerate them.  Bach’s passion arias have a significant and fascinating melodic line that depicts the story.  We all know that Bach was a Christian, and these two passion oratorios were written for Jesus Christ’s crucifixion.  I thought only the people who are Christian are interested in this oratorio. Still, Bach made it so enjoyable enough that non-Christian people perform and interested in Bach’s passion oratorio.  Bach’s music is not only for certain people or specific places, but it is for everyone who enjoys music.

The art of John Bach consisted of all the art in the musical perspective that is important in ensuring that the message of salvation reaches the believers most conveniently, for example, through his songs.