Most recordings of the St. John Passion, following an influential edition, present a mixed version using the revised readings of the first portion (the part Bach copied in his new score) filled in with readings from Version IV—but without that version’s revised texts—and some reworkings of arias from Versions II and III. From the strictest point of view, of course, this is no version at all, but rather a modern pastiche.

More recently, recordings have begun to present specific versions of the St. John Passion. Version II (1725) is available on one of the recordings conducted by Philippe Herreweghe (HMC 901748.49). One conducted by Masaaki Suzuki (BIS CD-921/922) offers Version IV (1749, including the use of harpsichord continuo), and adds the three arias from Version II as an appendix. The recording conducted by Kenneth Slowik (Smithsonian ND 0381, with particularly good liner notes) presents a mixed version but also includes the alternative movements from Version II in such a way that a CD player can be programmed to present that version’s pieces (less the original readings of Nos. 1-10) in order. Listeners have a wealth of St. John Passions from which to choose, in every sense.

Bach’s vocal and instrumental forces

Few issues in eighteenth-century music have attracted as much attention as the size and composition of Bach’s vocal forces. Today we typically hear forces that are not only larger than Bach’s, but that are also organized and deployed very differently. Our performing tradition has inherited the use of large choirs (and orchestras to match) and also a sharp distinction between the roles of vocal soloists and choir members.

We typically divide singers into two categories: chorus members and soloists. In Bach’s time there were also two kinds of singers, but they were distinguished differently. The principal kind of eighteenth-century singer, called a “concertist,” was essential to the performance of a vocal work. There was one concertist in each range in a typical performance. For example, one soprano concertist was responsible for the entire soprano line, singing all the recitatives and arias in that range. Similarly, alto, tenor and bass concertists were responsible for the music in their ranges. But each of these singers was also responsible for his line in ensemble pieces that called for soprano, alto, tenor and bass singing at the same time. This kind of piece, which typically involved most or all of the instruments as well, was most often found at the beginning and end of a church cantata or similar work, and the eighteenth-century name for a movement like this was a “chorus.” In this sense a chorus is a kind of movement calling for all the voices together, usually with all the instruments as well. Such a movement is a chorus even if sung just by these four singers—it does not require a big ensemble of the kind we often associate with the word. A piece like a passion could be (and, it seems, sometimes was) sung just by these four principal singers singing solo numbers on their own and functioning as a group in choruses.