A plea for the St John Passion

Everyone knows Johann Sebastian Bach’s St Matthew Passion, the monumental work performed annually in countless churches and concert halls. But what about the St John Passion? This piece, also by Bach, was first performed on Good Friday in 1724 in Leipzig, yet it is often overshadowed by its younger sibling. This is unjust, for the St John Passion is just as impressive and deserves equal appreciation.

Bach composed the St John Passion as his first passion and continued to revise and refine it throughout his life. This reflects his relentless pursuit of perfection and his deep connection to the work. But its significance goes beyond composition; the way Bach shapes the Passion story of Christ makes it truly unique.

Bach based the St John Passion on the Gospel of John, offering a different perspective from that of Matthew. While the St Matthew Passion focuses on Christ’s human suffering and solitude, the St John Passion conveys a different kind of power. Bach portrays the Passion story not only as a tragedy but also as a triumph. The music is more direct, more dynamic, and imbued with a sense of inevitability—but also with hope.

Symbolism and Dynamism

The choir plays a crucial role in this. The crowd sounds fierce and tumultuous, with choral passages that make the anger and turmoil surrounding Jesus’ condemnation almost tangible. The music builds tension, giving the story an intensity reminiscent of a courtroom drama. Yet the St John Passion also contains moments of resignation. In the arias and deeply moving chorales, we hear not only suffering but also the promise of new life, life after death. In this way, Bach conveys the divine nature of Christ more profoundly than in the St Matthew Passion: Christ’s suffering is not merely tragic; it carries the promise of redemption.

Bach’s masterful use of musical symbolism reinforces this contrast. In the alto aria Von den Stricken meiner Sünden, for example, the oboes intertwine their melodies in a way that musically depicts the entanglement of sin. The chorales serve as moments of reflection, elevating the Passion story to a broader, spiritual dimension. Thus, the St John Passion is not only a dramatic narrative but also a meditation on Christ’s divine mission.

It is time to stop seeing this Passion as merely the lesser-known counterpart to the St Matthew Passion and recognize it as a work that shines in its own right. With its rich symbolism, striking contrasts, and hopeful message, the St John Passion deserves to be heard, admired, and, above all, loved just as much as its younger Passion sibling.