J.S. BACH
Markus Passion

AVSA9931 – J.S Bach Markus Passion

The existence of a third Passion by Bach based on the Gospel of St. Mark had long been known. Numerous studies carried out from the second half of the 20th century by specialist musicologists and musicians confirmed that on Good Friday, 1731, Bach presented this Passion set to a text by Picander, which the latter published one year later at the same time as his third volume of poetry. In 2009, the existence of this Passion was fully confirmed by the discovery at St. Petersburg of a later version of the libretto used for a new performance of the work, which took place in 1744. Compared with the 1732 libretto, it contains a number of modifications to the texts, as well as a different ordering of some chorales and arias and the addition of two new arias. Thanks to the new version, we have a very clear idea of the form and content of this third Passion by Bach.

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
(1685-1750)

St. Mark Passion (BWV 247)
Picander’s 1732 libretto. Final version of the 1744 libretto

Complete revision by Jordi Savall on the basis of research, reconstructions and adaptations for the choruses and recitatives proposed by Alexander Grychtolik

The existence of a third Passion by Bach based on the Gospel of St. Mark had long been known. Numerous studies carried out from the second half of the 20th century by specialist musicologists and musicians confirmed that on Good Friday, 1731, Bach presented this Passion set to a text by Picander, which the latter published one year later at the same time as his third volume of poetry. In 2009, the existence of this Passion was fully confirmed by the discovery at St. Petersburg of a later version of the libretto used for a new performance of the work, which took place in 1744. Compared with the 1732 libretto, it contains a number of modifications to the texts, as well as a different ordering of some chorales and arias and the addition of two new arias. Thanks to the new version, we have a very clear idea of the form and content of this third Passion by Bach.

Unfortunately, so far no trace has been found of the original music. No manuscript score, copy or part-books provide evidence that it actually existed. It is disturbing that so much music should have disappeared, especially in the case of a great composer like Bach. However, it is now possible to account for this troubling mystery: after many years of research, most historians and musicologists specialising in the composer’s work agree that Bach probably conceived and performed the work using the pasticcio or parody technique. This was a system used by Bach on numerous occasions, which allowed him to achieve a different result by adapting new texts to other previously existing works of a similarly spiritual nature.

+ information in the CD booklet

JORDI SAVALL
Perth, 16th February, 2018

Translated by Jacqueline Minett