Passions and oratorios by Johann Sebastian Bach

It was largely due to his Passions that Bach came to be regarded in terms of a fifth evangelist by the start of the twentieth century. The almost mystical awe in which he was held has long since given way to more rational feelings, but it remains difficult to imagine that anyone could escape the extraordinary effect of the two great Passions. 

The St John Passion was first performed in the church of St Nicholas in 1724. At least three more performances are known to have taken place between 1725 and 1749.

In 1726 Bach performed a Passion, attributed to Reinhard Keiser, which he had known since his years in Weimar. Then in 1727 he presented the first version of the St Matthew Passion, a work which almost ideally complemented and fitted the framing structure of the Good Friday Vespers. In 1736 a number of changes, particularly the addition of the choral fantasy on O Mensch bewein dein Sünde groß,  completed the Passion in the form with which we are familiar today.

Sadly the St Mark Passion from 1731 has not survived. We can only guess at how great a work has been lost: the underlying versions of seven movements can be identified with some probability (especially from the Trauerode, BWV 198), and most of the chorale movements have survived in chorale collections. So there are sufficient clues for a (partial) reconstruction, although that could scarcely do sufficient justice to Bach’s intentions for the whole work.

Bach's other oratorios pose fewer problems, although today the Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 eclipses the Ascension and Easter Oratorios BWV 11 and 249, which are equally accomplished.