La Petite Bande & Sigiswald Kuijken - J.S. Bach: Johannes-Passion (St John Passion) (2012) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

"During Bach’s lifetime there were four different performances, each time with new modifications, some in response to the circumstances at the time, others influenced by which musicians and instruments he then had at his disposal. However Bach experimented to the greatest degree with the second version, dating from 1725: for instance, he used a different opening chorus (which was later to become the closing chorus of the first part of the St Matthew Passion, a work yet to be composed at this stage) and a couple of other arias near the end of the work. For the later performances he reverted to his first version from 1724, albeit with some differences in instrumentation. For instance, in the final version he includes a bassono grosso, but no one knows for certain which instrument he had in mind; possibly a 16-foot bassoon, i.e. a contrabassoon, a veritable chimney pot two metres in length. However, he scored this instrument in combination with the delicate sound of the lute and two violas d’amore, of all things! I cannot believe that Bach would opt for such an instrument in this passage; an 8-foot bassoon is more likely and the term bassono grosso probably indicates this more modern type of instrument rather than the earlier dulcian, although the latter had not totally fallen out of fashion at the time. However, I would not venture a definite opinion as to what bassono grosso means in this context. So we did not use this instrument: this was yet another reason to stick with the first version, since it raises fewer uncertain issues. Nevertheless, there are still various grey areas involved. Even prior to the first performance, before making the individual orchestral parts, Bach began to write out the score in fine calligraphy, a task he did not complete; and this score deviates in some aspects from the orchestral material used in the actual performance. The process of determining the most probable historical truth continues to have elements reminiscent of a detective novel; anyway, it will never be possible to clarify certain details." - Sigiswald Kuijken

Tracklist:

DISC 1
1. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 1: No. 1, Chorus: Herr, unser Herrscher 09:31
2. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 1: No. 2, Recitative: Jesus ging mit seinen Jüngern - Chorus: Jesum von Nazareth - Recitative: Jesus spricht zu ihnen 02:07
3. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 1: No. 3, Chorale: O große Lieb 41
4. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 1: No. 4, Recitative: Auf dass das Wort erfüllet würde 01:02
5. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 1: No. 5, Chorale: Dein Will gescheh 46
6. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 1: No. 6, Recitative: Die Schar aber und der Oberhauptmann 41
7. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 1: No. 7, Aria: Von den Stricken meiner Sünden 05:05
8. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 1: No. 8, Recitative: Simon Petrus aber folgete Jesu 12
9. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 1: No. 9, Aria: Ich folge dir gleichfalls 03:23
10. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 1: No. 10, Recitative: Derselbige Jünger 02:45
11. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 1: No. 11, Chorale: Wer hat dich so geschlagen 01:27
12. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 1: No. 12, Recitative: Und Hannas sandte ihn - Chorus: Bist du nicht seiner Jünger einer? - Recitative: Er leugnete aber und sprach 02:03
13. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 1: No. 13, Aria: Ach, mein Sinn 02:34
14. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 1: No. 14, Chorale: Petrus, der nicht denkt zurück 01:01

DISC 2
1. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 1, Chorale: Christus, der uns selig macht 01:01
2. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 2, Recitative: Da führeten sie Jesum von Kaipha vor das Richthaus - Chorus: Wäre dieser nicht ein Übeltäter 03:46
3. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 3, Chorale: Ach, großer König 01:20
4. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 4, Recitative: Da sprach Pilatus zu ihm - Chorus: Nicht diesen, sondern Barrabam! - Recitative: Barrabas aber war ein Mörder! 01:46
5. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 5, Arioso: Betrachte, meine Seel 02:20
6. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 6, Aria: Erwäge, wie sein blutgefärbter Rücken 07:30
7. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 7, Recitative: Und die Kriegsknechte flochten - Chorus: Sei gegrüßet, lieber Judenkönig - Recitative: Und gaben ihm 05:21
8. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 8, Chorale: Durch dein Gefängnis 45
9. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 9, Recitative: Die Jüden aber schrieen und sprachen - Chorus: Lässest du diesen los - Recitative: Da Pilatus das Wort hörete 03:55
10. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 10, Chorus & Aria: Eilt, ihr angefochtnen Seelen 03:56
11. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 11, Recitative: Allda kreuzigten sie ihn - Chorus: Schreibe nicht: der Jüden König - Recitative: Pilatus antwortet 01:53
12. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 12, Chorale: In meines Herzens Grunde 55
13. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 13, Recitative: Die Kriegsknechte aber - Chorus: Lasset uns den nicht zerteilen - Recitative: Auf dass erfüllet würde 03:22
14. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 14, Chorale: Er nahm alles wohl in acht 01:00
15. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 15, Recitative: Und von Stund an 01:12
16. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 16, Aria: Es ist vollbracht 05:09
17. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 17, Recitative: Und neigte das Haupt 22
18. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 18, Chorus & Aria: Mein teurer Heiland 04:17
19. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 19, Recitative: Und siehe da 28
20. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 20, Aria: Mein Herz, in dem die ganze Welt 45
21. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 21, Aria: Zerfließe, mein Herze 06:46
22. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 22, Recitative: Die Jüden aber 01:57
23. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 23, Chorale: O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn 01:00
24. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 24, Recitative: Darnach bat Pilatum 01:48
25. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 25, Chorus: Ruht wohl, ihr heiligen Gebeine 07:19
26. Johannes-Passion, BWV 245, Pt. 2: No. 26, Chorale: Ach Herr, laß dein lieb Engelein 01:43