Bach held deep regard for the chief
Hanseatic League cities of
Hamburg and
Lübeck throughout his life. In his mid and late teen years, he had opportunities to visit both cities while a student at St. Michael's Church School,
Lüneburg (a period from 1700 to 1702). From November 1705 to February 1706, he again made the trip north from
Arnstadt to Lübeck (and possibly to Hamburg as well). He again visited Hamburg in 1720 to try out for the position of Organist at the
Jakobikirche, a visit during which he won the rarely afforded praise of the aged
Johann Adam Reincken. It is possible that he became acquainted with a work during his earlier visits to Hamburg that would occupy a central place in his musical library for the rest of his life. The manuscripts for the Weimar version (BC 5a) and the first Leipzig version (BC 5b) are: • D-B Mus. ms. 11471/1 – a 45-page set of parts in the hands of Bach, Anonymous Weimar I (Johann Martin Schubart), Johann Heinrich Bach, Anonymous Weimar III, and Christian Gottlob Meißner. The title page of this one bears the inscription "Passion Christi / secundum Marcum [corrected from "Matthäum"] / à 5 Strom 4 Voci / di Sigre / R. [corrected from ?] Kaiser" in the hand of Meißner. This set of parts came into Emanuel Bach's possession after Sebastian's death, at whose death it was purchased (among other Bachiana) by Georg Pölchau, from whom it went into the possession of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin. This collective manuscript consists of: • Score parts written in Weimar (ca. 1713) (parts by Bach, Schubart, Anon. W 3). Parts consist of
Violin I, II;
Viola I, II; Continuo (Cembalo {
Harpsichord));
Soprano;
Alto;
Tenor;
Bass (voice type) • Score parts written in Leipzig (1726) (parts by Bach, Heinrich Bach, Meißner). Parts consist of Continuo (transposed); Soprano; Alto; Tenor I, II; Bass • D-B N. Mus. ms. 10624 – a 57-page score
Wilhelm Rust derived from the previous in the 19th century. He titled this reconstructed score "Dr. Rust / Passion / nach dem Evangelium / St. Marcus / componirt / von ?" and on page 2 "Passion nach dem Ev. Marcus / Aus J. S. Bach's größtentheils eigenhändig geschriebenen Stimmen / in Partitur gesetzt / von / Dr. Wilhelm Rust, Cantor zu St. Thomas / in Leipzig". This is the main source for Bach's Weimar version of
Jesus Christus ist um unser Missetat willen verwundet. indicated in the list of unpublished works, pp. 168–169 of the
Nekrolog, that Bach would have written five Passions. Four of these are easily identified, they were listed as Nos. 244–247 in the
Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis. As for the fifth Passion it is unclear which composition may have been meant by the authors of the
Nekrolog.
Jesus Christus ist um unsrer Missetat willen verwundet as arranged and expanded by Bach is one of the more likely candidates, along with the somewhat elusive
Weimarer Passion, and
Wer ist der, so von Edom kömmt, a pasticcio including a few movements by Bach (although it is unclear whether Bach actively contributed to this pasticcio – possibly it was not assembled until after the composer's death).
Weimar, 1710–1714 (BC D 5a) No evidence exists that Bach was required (in his official duties) to provide Passion music for his early posts in Weimar (1703), Arnstadt (1703–1707), Mühlhausen (1707–1708), and Weimar (1708–1717). However, he did receive requests to do so on two occasions: once on commission by
Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (resulting in the so-called
Weimarer Passion (BWV deest, BC D 1), and another resulting in his first version of
Jesus Christus ist um unsrer Missetat willen verwundet. The origins of the commission for this work (BWV deest, BC D 5a) are unknown. All documentary material for Bach's time in Weimar during this period (1708–1717) were destroyed in a 1774 fire that consumed the palace that Bach was employed in during this period, the Wilhelmsburg. The only evidence that has come down is a set of performance parts archived in the
Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (SBB). There are many questions still surrounding this work. Many scholars question whether the set of parts that we have are complete. Even the dating is questionable. Originally, scholars assigned the dating to Good Friday (14 April) 1713, but is now put down to Good Friday (25 March) 1712 or even a year or two earlier., The work is in 32 movements, of which two were composed by Bach (No. 14 "O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn", BDW and No. 29 "O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid", BDW ): • Sonata and Chorus:
Jesus Christus ist um unser Missetat willen verwundet • Recitative (
Evangelist,
Jesus, Petrus):
Und da sie den Lobgesang gesprochen hatten • Aria (
soprano,
basso continuo):
Will dich die Angst betreten • Recitative (Evangelist, Jesus):
Und nahm zu sich Petrus und Jakobus und Johannes • Chorale: ''Was mein Gott will, das g'scheh allzeit'' • • :Recitative (Evangelist, Jesus):
Und kam und fand sie schlafend • :Recitative (Evangelist, Judas):
Und alsbald, da er noch redet • Aria (
tenor,
violins, continuo):
Wenn nun der Leib wird sterben müssen • • :Recitative (Evangelist, Jesus):
Die aber legten ihre Hände an ihn • :Recitative (Evangelist):
Und die Jünger verließen ihn alle und flohen • :Chorus:
Wir haben gehöret • : Recitative (Evangelist, Hohenpriester, Jesus):
Aber ihr Zeugnis stimmet noch nicht überein • : Chorus:
Weissage uns! • : Recitative (Evangelist, Magd, Petrus): ''Und die Knechte schlugen ihn in's Angesicht'' • : Chorus:
Wahrlich, du bist der einer • :Recitative (Evangelist, Petrus):
Er aber fing an sich zu verfluchen und zu schwören • Aria (tenor, violins, continuo):
Wein, ach wein jetzt um die Wette • Sinfonia • Recitative (Evangelist, Pilatus, Jesus):
Und Bald am Morgen • Aria (
alto, violins, continuo):
Klaget nur, ihr Kläger hier • • :Recitative (Evangelist, Pilatus):
Jesus aber antwortete nichts mehr • :Chorus:
Kreuzige ihn! • :Recitative (Evangelist, Pilatus):
Pilatus aber sprach zu ihnen • :Chorus:
Kreuzige ihn! • Chorale:
O hilf Christe, Gottes Sohn • Sinfonia • • :Recitative (Evangelist):
Pilatus aber gedachte • : Chorus:
Gegrüßet seist du • :Recitative (Evangelist):
Und schlugen ihm das Haupt mit dem Rohr • Aria (
bass (voice type), violins, continuo):
O süßes Kreuz • Recitative (Evangelist):
Und sie brachten ihn an die Stätte Golgatha • Aria (soprano,
oboe or violin I, continuo):
O Golgotha! • Recitative (Evangelist):
Und da sie ihn gekreuziget hatten • Aria (alto, continuo): ''Was seh' ich hier'' • • :Recitative (Evangelist):
Und es war oben über ihm geschrieben • : Chorus:
Pfui dich* [*
Textvariante: Seht doch] • :Recitative (Evangelist):
Desselbengleichen die Hohenpriester • :Chorus:
Er hat anderen geholfen • :Recitative (Evangelist):
Und die mit ihm gekreuzigte waren • : Arioso (Jesus):
Eli, Eli, lama asabthani? • : Recitative (Evangelist):
Das ist verdolmetschet • : Chorus:
Siehe, er rufet den Elias. • : Recitative (Evangelist, Kriegsknecht):
Da lief einer • Chorale (alto, continuo):
Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden • Aria (soprano, tenor, violins, continuo):
Seht, Menschenkinder, seht • Sinfonia • Recitative (Evangelist, Hauptmann):
Und der Vorhang im Tempel zeriß in zwei Stück • Aria (alto, violins,
violas, continuo):
Dein Jesus hat das Haupt geneiget • Recitative (Evangelist):
Und er kaufte eine Leinwand • Chorale:
O Traurigkeit • Chorale:
O selig ist • Chorale:
O Jesu du • Chorale:
Amen. Christian Friedrich Henrici, the man who would later provide Bach with many of his
cantata and
oratorio texts, would use the text for Movement 9 (slightly altered) in one of his own collections (entitled
Sammlung Erbaulicher Gedanken über und auf die gewöhnlichen Sonn- u. Fest-Tage, in gebundener Schreib-Art entworffen). The two Bach additions (Movements 14 and 29) are catalogued as BWV deest serie II: 02 and 03.
Leipzig 1726 (BC D 5b) Nearly three years into his post as '
Cantor (church) of the
Thomasschule zu Leipzig and
Directoris Chori musici in
Leipzig', Bach ran into a quandary. He had begun and nearly completed a score for a
St Matthew Passion, a project which he began in 1725 but put aside for a revival of his
St John Passion, when he again for some unknown reason set aside the project (he would complete it and first perform his
St Matthew Passion on 11 April 1727). Instead he decided to revive his Weimar pastiche. This work was performed on 19 April 1726. For this work, he changed two movements (Nos. 14 and 29 of the Weimar work) and, to fit it to the Church Ordinance for Good Friday Vespers services in Leipzig, he split it into two parts by adding a
chorale. The violin I part for this work (BWV deest, BC D 5b) is missing in all his new additions (and has been reconstructed), but on the whole, the parts are more complete. This work has come down to us in the form of a vocal score and parts set dating from before 1726 in the hands of
Johann Sebastian Bach, Christian Gottlob Meißner, and Johann Heinrich Bach, and is currently stored in the
Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin under the Catalogue number D B Mus. ms. 11471/2. The title page (like the Weimar one) reads 'Passion Christi / secundum Marcum [korrigiert aus Matthäum] / à 5 Strom 4 Voci / di Sigre / R. Kaiser.' In this version the following parts are by Bach: • No. 9b: 'So gehst du nun, mein Jesu', BWV 500a, BDW . • No. 14: 'O hilf Christe, Gottes Sohn', BWV 1084, BDW , which is a variant of the setting included in the Weimar version. • No. 29: 'O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid', BDW , which is a variant of the setting used in the Weimar version The sequence of movements in this version is as follows: Movement 15 was used as a replacement of Movement 14 of BC D 5a, and is cataloged as BWV 1084 (no BC number yet) and is also marked
alla breve as is its predecessor, but instead of half notes as the main beat, the quarter note gets the main beat. Movement 30 was used to replace Movement 29 of BC D 5a, and is cataloged as BWV deest serie II: 04 (similar case as far as notation to Movement 15).
Leipzig 1747–1748 (BNB I/K/2) part for the 2nd Leipzig
St Mark Passion pastiche at the
Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (Courtesy of http://www.bach-digital.de) Bach again revived this pastiche on either 31 April 1747 (at the
St. Nicholas Church, Leipzig) or 12 April 1748 (at the
St. Thomas Church, Leipzig). Of all the pastiches, this one was the most complex and involved. In many ways, it was more a true pastiche than the previous two were. In addition to his own music (two movements), Bach incorporated seven
arias from
George Frideric Handel's
Brockes Passion HWV 48 into the original. This work (BWV deest – Serie II: 005; BC D 5; BNB I/K/2) has come down only in two partial manuscripts. One is a complete
harpsichord part of 10 pages dating from between 1743 and 1748 housed at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin under Catalogue number D B N. Mus. ms. 468. This part is written in the hands of
Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (notes), Johann Sebastian Bach (figures), and
Wilhelm Rust (title page). Its title page reads "Marcus-Passion / angeblich von R: Keiser" and underneath this "NB enthält 6 Arien aus der Brockes'schen / Passion von Händel". After Bach's death, it came into possession of an unknown individual, from whom it entered into possession of Wilhelm Rust, whose heir Maria Rust next took possession of it. It then entered into the possession of an A. Martin in
Weimar, from whence it entered into (in succession) the possessions of an A. Thiele and then B. Thiele (also in Weimar), from whence it entered into the possession of the Antiquarian Bookshop of Joseph Abraham Stargardt in Berlin, from whence it entered into the possession of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin in 1987. The other source material is a one-page fragment of the
Bassoon I part of the Aria "Was Wunder, daß der Sonnen Pracht" from Handel's HWV 48 in the hand of Johann Sebastian Bach dating from between 1743 and 1748. This part followed pretty much the same path as the part above, however after it came into possession of B. Thiele, it next entered into possession of C. Thiele in Kiel. It is marked under catalog number Privatbesitz C. Thiele, BWV deest (Serie II: 005). The text for this work is as follows:
Prima Parte • Sonata and Chorus:
Jesus Christus ist um unser Missetaten willen verwundet • Recitative (Evangelist, Jesus, Petrus):
Und da sie den Lobgesang gesprochen hatten • Aria (soprano, continuo):
Will dich die Angst betreten • Recitative (Evangelist, Jesus):
Und nahm zu sich Petrus und Jakobus und Johannes • Aria (soprano, oboe, continuo):
Sünder, schaut mit Furcht und Zagen • • :Recitative (Evangelist, Jesus):
Und kam und fand sie schlafend • :Recitative (Evangelist, Judas):
Und alsbald, da er noch redet • Aria (tenor, violins, continuo):
Wenn nun der Leib wird sterben müssen • • :Recitative (Evangelist, Jesus):
Die aber legten ihre Hände an ihn • : Recitative (Evangelist):
Und die Jünger verließen ihn alle und flohen • :Chorus:
Wir haben gehöret • :Recitative (Evangelist, Hohenpriester, Jesus):
Aber ihr Zeugnis stimmet noch nicht überein • ::Aria (tenor, oboes, violins, continuo):
Erwäg, ergrimmte Natternbruth HWV 48/23Eingefügte Arie aus Händels Brockes-Passion • ::Recitative (Evangelist):
Da fingen an etliche ihn zu verspeien • :Chorus:
Weissage uns! • :Recitative (Evangelist, Magd, Petrus):
Und die Knechte schlugen ihn ins Angesicht • :Chorus:
Wahrlich, du bist der einer • :Recitative (Evangelist, Petrus):
Er aber fing an sich zu verfluchen und zu schwören • Aria (tenor, violins in unison, continuo):
Wein, ach wein jetzt um die Wette • :Chorale:
So gehst du nun mein Jesus, hin Violino I vermutlich verschollen, und zu rekonstruieren.
Seconda Parte • Sinfonia • Recitative (Evangelist, Pilatus, Jesus):
Und Bald am Morgen hielten die Hohenpriester einen Rat • Aria (alto, violins, continuo):
Klaget nur, ihr Kläger hier • • :Recitative (Evangelist, Pilatus):
Jesus aber antwortete nichts mehr • :Chorus:
Kreuzige Ihn! • :Recitative (Evangelist, Pilatus):
Pilatus aber sprach zu ihnen • :Chorus:
Kreuzige Ihn! • Chorale:
O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn Satz 14a ersetzt den Satz 14 der Weimarer Fassung 1712/1713 in den Fassungen von 1726 bzw. ca. 1745–1748. Violino I vermutlich verschollen, und zu rekonstruieren • Sinfonia • • :Recitative (Evangelist):
Pilatus aber gedachte dem Volk genug zu tun • :Chorus:
Gegrüßet seist du • : Recitative (Evangelist):
Und schlugen ihm das Haupt mit dem Rohr • Aria (bass, violins, violas, continuo):
O süßes Kreuz • Recitative (Evangelist):
Und sie brachten ihn an die Stätte Golgatha • Aria and Chorus (soprano solo, choir, violins, continuo):
Eilt, iht angefochtnen Seelen HWV 48/41 Eingefügte Arie aus Händels Brockes-Passion als Esatz für die Arie 19 "O Golgatha" • Recitative (Evangelist):
Und da sie ihn gekreuziget hatten • Aria (soprano, oboes, violins, viola, continuo):
Hier erstarrt mein Herz in Blut HWV 48/44 Eingefügte Arie aus Händels Brockes-Passion, als Ersatz für die Arie "Was sehe ich hier" • • : Recitative (Evangelist):
Und es war oben über ihm geschrieben • : Chorus:
Pfui dich* [*
Textvariante: Seht doch] • :Recitative (Evangelist):
Desselbengleichen die Hohenpriester verspotteten ihn untereinander • :Chorus:
Er hat anderen geholfen • :Recitative (Evangelist):
Und die mit ihm gekreuzigte waren • ::Aria (soprano, violins, bassoons, continuo):
Was Wunder, das der Sonnen Pracht HWV 48/48 Eingefügte Arie aus Händels Brockes-Passion • :Arioso (Jesus):
Eli, Eli, lama asabthani? • :Recitative (Evangelist):
Das ist verdolmetschet • : Chorus:
Siehe, er rufet den Elias. • :Recitative (Evangelist, Kriegsknecht):
Und da lief einer • Chorale (alto, continuo):
Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden • • :Aria (soprano, violins, continuo):
Seht Menschenkinder, seht • :Aria (tenore, violins, continuo):
Der Fürst der Welt erbleicht • Sinfonia • • :Recitative (Evangelist, Hauptmann):
Und der Vorhang im Tempel zeriß in zwei Stück • :Aria (bass, violins, continuo): ''Wie kömmt's, daß, da der Himml weint'' HWV 48/52 Eingefügte Arie aus Händels Brockes-Passion • :Recitative (Evangelist):
Und es waren auch Weiber da • Aria (alto, violins, violas, continuo):
Dein Jesus hat das Haupt geneiget • Recitative (Evangelist):
Und er kaufte eine Leinwand • Aria (soprano, oboes, violins, continuo):
Wisch ab der Tränen scharfe Lauge HWV 48/55 Eingefügte Arie aus Händels Brockes-Passion, als Ersatz für den Choral "O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid" • Chorale:
O selig ist • Chorale:
O Jesu du • Chorale:
Amen. The instrumentation is for a larger ensemble: SATB soloists and choir, oboe I/II, bassoon I/II, violin I/II, viola I/II, and basso continuo. == Reception ==