Recitatiu: Er antwortete und sprach (Evangelista, Jesús

A Passion is a liturgical drama, an oratorio where part-takers were neither dressed, nor had a stage scenery. The first choral pictures existential anguish, pain and the search for redemption; but there also appear some characters that come from the opera or theatre: the Evangelist recites the story, and he is sometimes accompanied by Jesus or the servants, the supreme priest, Pilate or the people. Bach is not so kind with the people: although they sing passages of extreme beauty, they also shout and scream, spit, lie and accuse Jesus.

The original libretto, by Picander, has been studied in detail: apparently, Bach’s personal books with sermons about the Passion were used to create the final lyrics. The choir is divided in two sections, with different roles: Choir I is made up by peoples contemporary to Jesus, while Choir II represents the faithful witnesses of his death. The Evangelist is interpreted by a tenor, and Jesus is interpreted by a baritone.

Musically, Bach works on several formal diagrams. On the one hand, the recitative secco or accompagnato (the bass with harpsichord and viola, or with more accompanying instruments) sets a theatrical and expressive difference to the narrated parts. The short instrumental fragments are beautiful, with a formally depurated language: here, Bach uses small motives that bring stylistic cohesion to the whole scheme. Some recitatives are sung with the continuo and flutes, or with the oboe, or with violins; but in the following aria, the same instruments appear and bind together each recitative with its corresponding aria.

There are several textures present: counterpoint, the solid homophony in the chorals, accompanying melody in the arias... Diamonds such us Erbarme dich or the last aria Gerne will ich mich bequemen synthesize the stages that we, human beings, must overcome to face our inescapable destiny: negation, struggle, despair and, eventually, acceptance.