Attractive alternative to the well-known St. Matthew Passion
Urtext from the “New Bach Edition”
Straightforward and easy-to-play piano reduction in the vocal score
Unique to the market
Bach’s St. Matthew Passion as we know it today evidently had a long history dating back before 1727. It is unclear whether the work performed at the Thomaskirche on Good Friday 1729 was based on a still earlier version.Whatever the case, the surviving version of 1729 presents the work in a form strikingly different from its later incarnation. For example, the opening section ends with the chorale “ Jesum lass ich nicht von mir ”whichwas replaced by the large-scale cantus firmus chorus “O Mensch , bewein dein Sünde gross” for the 1736 performance.
The well-known alto aria “Ach! nun ist mein Jesus hin ” is still assigned to abass in the earlier version, and the aria “ Komm süsses Kreuz ” calls for a lute instead of the later viola da gamba. Moreover, the pieces for double chorus only require a single continuo group.
Otherdifferences can be found in the instrumental scoring and voice-leading. The early version of the St. Matthew Passion is thus a most interesting addition to the great concert repertoire.
The corresponding volume of the“New Bach Edition” (series II/volume 5b) serves as a conducting score (BA5099-01).
| Instrument | Ensemble, Mixed Choir |
| Typ (fx Lärobok, samling m.m.) | Vocal partitur |
| Media | Noter |
| Bidragsgivare | Sebastian Bach, Johann(Composer) |
| ISMN | 9790006531738 |