''Sankt-Bach-Passion'' (Saint Bach Passion) is an

oratorio An oratorio () is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is mus ...

composed by

Mauricio Kagel Mauricio Raúl Kagel (; 24 December 1931 – 18 September 2008) was an Argentine-German composer. Biography Kagel was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, into an Ashkenazi Jewish family that had fled from Russia in the 1920s . He studied music, his ...

in 1985 for the tricentenary of the birth of

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

. It follows the model of Bach's Passions, but the topic is not biblical, rather refers to Bach's biography. The text includes documents such as Bach's letters to patrons, and excerpts from contemporary biographies. The work is an extended oratorio for soloists, choir, and orchestra. It was premiered in Berlin in 1985, conducted by the composer, and recorded shortly afterwards by the same performers.

History

received the commission for ''Sankt-Bach-Passion'' in 1981. He conceived a work which follows the model of Bach's Passions, but referring to Bach's biography, which is told in contemporary texts, such as his letters to patrons, and excerpts from biographies. Kagel set the text as an

for soloists (

mezzosoprano A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle ...

tenor A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...

, and

baritone A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the r ...

), a narrator, children's choir and choir, organ and orchestra, taking aspects of structure and scoring from Bach's ''

St John Passion The ''Passio secundum Joannem'' or ''St John Passion'' (german: Johannes-Passion, link=no), BWV 245, is a Passion or oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach, the older of the surviving Passions by Bach. It was written during his first year as direc ...

''. Kagel commented: "No one believes in God any more, but everyone believes in Bach". The music contains no quotations or parodies of Bach's music. Compared to Bach's Passion, reflection in

aria In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...

s and

chorale Chorale is the name of several related musical forms originating in the music genre of the Lutheran chorale: * Hymn tune of a Lutheran hymn (e.g. the melody of "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme"), or a tune in a similar format (e.g. one of the t ...

s is less extended. A reviewer compared the work's seriousness to late works by

Hanns Eisler Hanns Eisler (6 July 1898 – 6 September 1962) was an Austrian composer (his father was Austrian, and Eisler fought in a Hungarian regiment in World War I). He is best known for composing the national anthem of East Germany, for his long artisti ...

and to Hindemith's ''

Mathis der Maler ''Mathis der Maler'' (''Matthias the Painter'' is an opera by Paul Hindemith. The work's protagonist, Matthias Grünewald, was a historical figure who flourished during the Reformation, and whose art, in particular the Isenheim Altarpiece, inspi ...

'', and summarized "This is a respectful, even reverent, tribute from one composer to a great predecessor". The work was premiered, conducted by the composer, as part of the Berliner Festwochen at the

Berlin Philharmonie The Berliner Philharmonie () is a concert hall in Berlin, Germany, and home to the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. The Philharmonie lies on the south edge of the city's Tiergarten and just west of the former Berlin Wall. The Philharmonie is on ...

in November 1985, by soloists

Anne Sofie von Otter Anne Sofie von Otter (born 9 May 1955) is a Swedish mezzo-soprano. Her repertoire encompasses lieder, operas, oratorios and also rock and pop songs. Early life Von Otter was born in Stockholm, Sweden. Her father was Göran von Otter, a Swe ...

Hans Peter Blochwitz Hans Peter Blochwitz (born 28 September 1949) is a German lyric tenor, who is known internationally in opera and concert, especially for singing parts in Mozart operas. Career Born in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on 28 September 1949, Blochwitz fir ...

Roland Hermann Roland Hermann (born 17 September 1936; died 17 November 2020) was a German operatic baritone and former professor at the Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe. A member of the Opernhaus Zürich, he performed leading roles internationally, not only i ...

, narrator , organist

Gerd Zacher Gerd Zacher (6 July 1929 – 9 June 2014) was a German composer, organist, and writer on music. He specialized in contemporary compositions, many of which feature extended techniques, and are written in graphic or verbal scores. He interpreted th ...

, the

Limburger Domsingknaben Limburger Domsingknaben (; "Limburg Cathedral singing boys") is the name of the boys' choir at the Limburg Cathedral in Limburg, Hesse, Germany. The choir was founded in 1967 by the then bishop of Limburg, Wilhelm Kempf. Its conductors were Hans ...

, the

NDR Chor The NDR Chor (North German Radio Choir) is the choir of the German broadcaster Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), based in Hamburg. It was founded in 1946, with Max Thurn as the first director of then 55 singers. The group has participated in premiere ...

and Südfunk-Chor Stuttgart, and the

Radio Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart The Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra (German: ''Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR'') was a German radio orchestra based in Stuttgart in Germany. History The ensemble was founded in 1945 by American occupation authorities as the orchest ...

. It was recorded shortly afterwards with the same performers.

Structure

The text combines contemporary texts, including chorales, which are sometimes slightly changed, to mean Bach instead of Jesus: # Vivace – O a (Chorus, Baritone) # Chorale: Für deinen Thron tret' ich hiemit (Chorus, Mezzo-soprano, Baritone) # Moderato ma rubato, accompagnando – Johann Sebastian Bach, gehöret zu einem (Tenor) # Chorale:

Ach wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig "" (Ah how fleeting, ah how insubstantial) is a German Lutheran hymn with lyrics by Michael Franck, who published it with his own melody and a four-part setting in 1652. Johann Crüger's reworked version of the hymn tune was published in 1661. Sev ...

! (Chorus) – Kehren wir zur unserm Johann Sebastian zurück (Tenor) # Chorale: Das neugeborne Kindelein (Chorus, Mezzo-soprano) # Andantino – Zwingt die Saiten in Cythara (Mezzo-soprano, Children's Chorus, Baritone) # Chorale: Er lasse uns sein Antlitz leuchten (Chorus, Children's Chorus) # Andante – Johann Sebastian Bach war noch nicht zehen (Tenor, Children's Chorus) # Chorale: Bach, der uns selig macht (Chorus, Baritone) # Andantino – Nachdem sein Bruder gestorben war (Tenor, Children's Chorus) # Chorale: Den Vater dort oben (Chorus) # Larghetto, ma poco rubato – Johann, rucke deine Kahle (Mezzo-soprano, Baritone) # Andantino – Von Lüneburg aus reisete er zuweilen (Tenor) # Andantino, un poco rubato – Im Jare 1703 kam er nach Weymar, und wurde daselbst Hofmusikus (Tenor) # Chorale: In allen meinem Taten (Speaker, Chorus) # Moderato – Urlaubsüberschreitung bei der Reise nach Lübeck (Tenor, Speaker, Baritone, Chorus) # Andantino – Den 17. Oktober 1707, ist der Ehrenwerte Herr Johann Sebastian Bach (Mezzo-soprano, Chorus) # Andantino, un poco rubato – Mühlhausen konnte das Vergnügen nicht haben (Tenor) # Chorale: Herzliebster Johann, was hast du verbrochen (Chorus, Mezzo-soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Children's Chorus) # Andantino: Magnifice, Hoch und Wohledle (Speaker, Chorus) # Chorale: Ein feste Burg ist unser Bach (Chorus) – Das 1717. Jahr grab dem bereits beruhmten Bach eien neue Gelegenheit (Tenor) # Chorale: Der du bist drei in Einigkeit (Chorus, Tenor, Speaker) # Chorale:

O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß "" (O man, bewail thy sin so great) is a Lutheran Passion hymn with a text written by Sebald Heyden in 1530. The author reflects the Passion of Jesus, based on the Four Evangelists, originally in 23 stanzas. The lyrics were written for an older m ...

(Chorus, Mezzo-soprano, Baritone) # Colla parte: Andante – Staatsarchiv Weimar, Dokument 8995, folio 78 verso (Tenor, Baritone) # Chorale:

O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid Gottfried Vopelius (28 January 1645 – 3 February 1715), was a German Lutheran academic and hymn-writer, mainly active in Leipzig. He was born in Herwigsdorf, now a district of Rosenbach, Oberlausitz, and died in Leipzig at the age of 70. Rober ...

(Chorus, Mezzo-soprano) # Allegretto – Siebzehnhundertacht, Wilhelm Friedermann (Mezzo-soprano, Speaker) # Chorale: Das walt' unser Vater Bach (Chorus, Children's Chorus) # Vivace – Die Stadt Leipzig erwählte Bach im Jahre 1723 (Tenor, Speaker, Chorus, Baritone) # Chorale:

Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort "" ("Keep us, Lord, faithful to your word" or "Lord, keep us in Thy Word and Work") is a Lutheran hymn by Martin Luther with additional stanzas by Justus Jonas, first published in 1542. It was used in several musical settings, including the chorale ...

(Chorus, Mezzo-soprano, Tenor, Baritone) # Allegretto – Der Dienst in Leipzig ist bey weitem (Speaker) – Chorale: Du, o schönes Weltgebäude (Chorus, Children's Chorus, Speaker) # Andantino – Um Jahre 1747 that er eine Reise nach Berlin (Tenor) # Chorale: Die Nacht ist kommen (Chorus, Tenor, Mezzo-soprano, Baritone, Speaker) # Chorale:

O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden O, or o, is the fifteenth Letter (alphabet), letter and the fourth vowel letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in ...

(Chorus, Mezzo-soprano, Baritone)

Evaluation

In 2002, Paul Griffiths compared recordings of four Passions modeled after Bach's works, commissioned for another Bach-Year in 2000 by the

Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart is a foundation in Stuttgart, founded by Helmuth Rilling in 1981 to foster international concerts and workshops, namely Musikfest Stuttgart, dedicated especially to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach in relati ...

Osvaldo Golijov Osvaldo Noé Golijov (; born December 5, 1960) is an Argentine composer of classical music and music professor, known for his vocal and orchestral work. Biography Osvaldo Golijov was born in and grew up in La Plata, Argentina, in a Jewish family ...

's ''Pasión Según San Marcos'',

Sofia Gubaidulina Sofia Asgatovna Gubaidulina (russian: Софи́я Асгáтовна Губaйду́лина, link=no , tt-Cyrl, София Әсгать кызы Гобәйдуллина; born 24 October 1931) is a Soviet-Russian composer and an established ...

's ''St. John Passion'',

Wolfgang Rihm Wolfgang Rihm (born 13 March 1952) is a German composer and academic teacher. He is musical director of the Institute of New Music and Media at the University of Music Karlsruhe and has been composer in residence at the Lucerne Festival and the Sa ...

's ''Deus Passus'', and

Tan Dun Tan Dun (, ; born 18 August 1957) is a Chinese-born American composer and conductor. A leading figure of contemporary classical music, he draws from a variety of Western and Chinese influences, a dichotomy which has shaped much of his life and ...

's ''Water Passion After St. Matthew''. He called Kagel's work "the most intelligent attempt hitherto at a new Passion – and, indeed, the most moving", because Kagel "changed the game by making Bach himself the suffering protagonist."

Literature

* Reich, Wieland
Mauricio Kagel, Sankt-Bach-Passion: Kompositionstechnik und didaktische Perspektiven
Pfau Verlag, 1995, 978-3-93-073521-1

References

{{italic title Compositions by Mauricio Kagel 1985 compositions Kagel Johann Sebastian Bach