page_title: St John Passion structure
section_title: The chorales in detail
hierarchical_section_title: St John Passion structure / Overview / The chorales in detail
context_page_description: The structure of the St John Passion, BWV 245, a sacred oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach, is "carefully designed with a great deal of musico-theological intent". Some main aspects of the structure are shown in tables below.
  The original Latin title Passio secundum Joannem translates to "Passion according to John".
  Bach's large choral composition in two parts on German text, written to be performed in a Lutheran service on Good Friday, is based on the Passion, as told in two chapters from the Gospel of John in the translation by Martin Luther, with two short interpolations from the Gospel of Matthew. During the vespers service, the two parts of the work were performed before and after the sermon. Part I covers the events until Peter's denial of Jesus, Part II concludes with the burial of Jesus. The Bible text is reflected in contemporary poetry and in chorales that often end a "scene" of the narration, similar to the way a chorale ends most Bach cantatas. An anonymous poet supplied a few texts himself, quoted from other Passion texts and inserted various stanzas of chorales by nine hymn writers. Bach led the first performance on 7 April 1724 in Leipzig's Nikolaikirche.
context_section_description: The first chorale, movement 3, is inserted after Jesus tells the crowd to arrest him, but let his disciples go. "O große Lieb, o Lieb ohn alle Maße" (O mighty love, O love beyond all measure) is stanza 7 of Johann Heermann's 1630 hymn "Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen". In personal reflection, the speaker sees the contrast of his pleasure in the world and the suffering of Jesus, ending in a short "Und du mußt leiden" (And you must suffer).
  The second chorale, movement 5, ends the first scene, after Jesus remarks that he has to be obedient. "Dein Will gescheh, Herr Gott, zugleich" (Your will be done, Lord God, alike) is stanza 4 of Luther's 1539 hymn "Vater unser im Himmelreich, a paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer.
  The third chorale, movement 11, is inserted after Jesus asks those who are beating him for justification. Two stanzas from Paul Gerhardt's 1647 hymn "O Welt, sieh hier dein Leben" comment the scene, stanza 3, "Wer hat dich so geschlagen" (Who has you now so stricken), and stanza 4, "Ich, ich und meine Sünden" (I, I and my transgressions), highlighting the personal responsibility of the speaking sinner for the suffering of Jesus.
  The fourth chorale, movement 14, ends the second scene and Part I. After Peter's denial, "Petrus, der nicht denkt zurück" (Peter, when he fails to think) summarizes the scene with stanza 10 of Paul Stockmann's 1633 hymn "Jesu Leiden, Pein und Tod".
  The fifth chorale, movement 15, opens Part II and the third scene. "Christus, der uns selig macht" (Christ, who has made us blessed), stanza 1 of Michael Weiße's 1531 hymn, summarizes what Jesus has to endure, even though he is innocent ("made captive, ... falsely indicted, and mocked and scorned and bespat").
  The sixth chorale, movement 17, comments in two more stanzas from "Herzliebster Jesu" (3), after Jesus addresses the different people of his kingdom. Stanza 8, "Ach großer König, groß zu allen Zeiten" (Ah King so mighty, mighty in all ages) reflects  the need for thanksgiving and stanza 9 the inability to grasp it, "Ich kanns mit meinen Sinnen nicht erreichen" (I cannot with my reason ever fathom).
  The seventh chorale, movement 22, is the central movement of the whole Passion, which interrupts the conversation of Pilate and the crowd by a general statement of the importance of the passion for salvation: "Durch dein Gefängnis, Gottes Sohn, ist uns die Freiheit kommen" (Through your prison, Son of God, must come to us our freedom) is not part of a known hymn, but the text of an aria from a St John Passion by Postel from around 1700.
  The seventh chorale, movement 26, ends the scene of the court hearing, after Pilate refuses to change the inscription. "In meines Herzens Grunde" (Within my heart's foundation) is stanza 3 of Valerius Herberger's 1613 hymn "Valet will ich dir geben".
  The eighth chorale, movement 28, is related to Jesus telling his mother and John to take care of each other. "Er nahm alles wohl in acht" (He of all did well take heed) is stanza 20 of Stockmann's hymn (14).
  The ninth chorale, movement 32, is part of the bass aria which follows immediately after the report of the death of Jesus. "Jesu, der du warest tot, lebest nun ohn' Ende" (Jesus, you who suffered death, now live forever) is the final stanza of Stockmann's hymn (14).
  The tenth chorale, movement 37, ends the scene of the crucifixion. "O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn" (O help, Christ, Son of God) is stanza 8 of Weiße's hymn (15).
  The eleventh chorale, movement 40, ends the Passion. "Ach Herr, laß dein lieb Engelein" (Ah Lord, let your own angels dear) is stanza 3 of Martin Schalling's 1569 hymn "Herzlich lieb hab ich dich, o Herr".
caption: Martin Luther, 1528
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