The structure of Bach's St Matthew Passion is shown in the table below. Bach's large choral composition, composed to be performed in a service on Good Friday, is based on the Passion, as told in two chapters from the Gospel of Matthew in the translation by Martin Luther, Matthew 26 and Matthew 27. During the vespers service, the two parts of the work were performed before and after the sermon. Part I covers the events until the arrest of Jesus, Part II concludes with his burial and the sealing of his grave. The Bible text is commented on in contemporary poetry by Picander, who collaborated with Bach, and in chorales that typically end a "scene" of the narration, similar to the way a chorale ends most Bach cantatas.^[1][2][3]

Structure

Text

The gospel account by Matthew narrates the story in "stations" at different locations, which can be divided into 16 "scenes".^[3] The corresponding movement numbers are given from the Neue Bach-Ausgabe.

Part I

1. "The chief priests seek to destroy Jesus" (1 – 4b)

2. "Jesus is anointed with precious ointment" (4b – 6)

3. "Judas plans the betrayal of Christ" (7 – 8)

4. "The disciples prepare the Passover meal" (9a – 11)

5. "The Last Supper (12 – 13)

6. "The Agony in the Garden" (14 – 25)

7. "The arrest of Jesus" (26 – 29)

Part II

8. "The hearing before high priest Caiaphas" (30 – 37)

9. "Peter's denial of Christ, and his remorse" (38 – 40)

10. "Judas' repentance and death" (41 – 44)

11. "The trial before Pontius Pilate" (45 – 52)

12. "Soldiers crown Jesus with thorns, mocking him" (53 – 54)

13. "Crucifixion" (55 – 60)

14. "Death of Jesus, followed by an earthquake" (61 – 63b)

15. "Descent from the Cross; Christ's burial" (63c – 66a)

16. "Chief priests demand the tomb be sealed" (66b – 67)

Chorales

Bach used chorales especially as elements to conclude scenes. The oldest one dates from 1525, three chorales are written by Paul Gerhardt, Bach included five stanzas from his O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden. Bach used them in different ways, most are four-part setting, two as the cantus firmus of the two chorale fantasias framing Part I, one as a commenting element in a tenor recitative.

• O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß, Sebald Heyden (1525), stanza 1 for #29 cantus firmus
• In dich hab ich gehoffet, Herr, Adam Reusner (1533), stanza 5 for #32
• O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig, Nikolaus Decius (1541), stanza 1 for #1 cantus firmus
• Was mein Gott will, das g'scheh allzeit, Albert, Duke of Prussia (1547), stanza 1 for #25
• Herzliebster Jesu, Johann Heermann (1630), stanza 1 for #3, 3 for #19 coro II in tenor recitative, 4 for #46
• Werde munter, mein Gemüte, Johann von Rist (1642), stanza 6 for #40
• O Welt, sieh hier dein Leben, Paul Gerhardt (1647), stanza 5 for #10, 3 for #37
• O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden, Paul Gerhardt (1656), stanza 5 for #15, 6 for #17, 1 & 2 for #54, 9 for #62
• Befiehl du deine Wege, Paul Gerhardt (1656), stanza 1 for #44

Music

Column 1 of the table is the movement number in the Neue Bach-Ausgabe; column 2 is this number in the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis. The last column shows the incipit, the first words sung with the music.

The work is composed for double choir, double orchestra, and vocal soloists. The soloists and the organist usually perform for both groups. The choirs are abbreviated Ch I and Ch II, individual voice parts as S (soprano), A (alto), T (tenor) and B (bass). Both choirs are four-part, SATB.

The orchestra is composed of woodwinds, strings and basso continuo (Bc). Woodwinds are recorder, flauto traverso (transverse flute) (Ft), oboe (Ob), oboe d'amore (Oa) and oboe da caccia (Oc). Strings are violin (Vn), solo violin (Vs), viola (Va), lute (Lt), viola da gamba (Vg). Continuo are violoncello, double bass, bassoon and organ.

The complex structure of many musical forms is shown by different colours. The text is composed on three levels, the biblical text, contemporary poetry by Picander and chorales. The Bible story is told in narration by the Evangelist (Ev) in secco recitative, the speech of Jesus in accompagnato recitative, the speech of other persons, called soliloquents, and the speech of groups such as the disciples and the crowd, called turba. Soliloquents are (Judas (B), Peter (B), two witnesses (A T), two high priests (B), two maids (S), Pilate (B), his wife (S). Reflecting thoughts in contemporary poetry appear as a sequence of recitative (rec) and aria, sometimes just an aria, and in choral movements. Most chorales are four-part settings. Several movements are a combination of forms, such as an aria with chorale, a chorale fantasy, a chorus with a chorale as a cantus firmus. In such cases a second colour appears in the same line. Chorales are performed by both groups in unison, so is the statement "Wahrlich, dieser ist Gottes Sohn gewesen" (Truly, this man was God's own Son most truly), in the Gospel spoken by the Roman centurion and a few with him, but in Bach's interpretation the creed of every believer. Part I ends with a chorale fantasia that is based on the opening chorus of the St John Passion in its second version, also performed by both choirs in unison, whereas the opening chorus is for double choir with an additional cantus firmus of the chorale "O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig", which was originally played, later sung. The closing chorus is in da capo form for two choirs.

Part I
NBA	BWV	Gospel	Ch I	Ch II	Key	Time	Beginning of text	Instrumentation	Source	Incipit
1	1	Chorale S	Ch I	Ch II	E minor	12/8	Kommt, ihr Töchter, helft mir klagen + chorale O Lamm Gottes unschuldig like a motto	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Nicolaus Decius, 1531
2	2	Ev, Jesus			G major → B minor		Da Jesus diese Rede vollendet hatte	Bc	Mt 26:1–2
3	3		Chorale		B minor	4/4	Herzliebster Jesu	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Johann Heermann, 1630
4a	4	Ev			A major→C major		Da versammleten sich die Hohenpriester	Bc	Mt 26:3–4
4b	5	Ch I		Ch II	C major	4/4	Ja nicht auf das Fest	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:5
4c	6	Ev			C major→E major		Da nun Jesus war zu Bethanien	Bc	Mt 26:6–8a
4d	7	Ch I			A minor → D minor	4/4	Wozu dienet dieser Unrat	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:8b–9
4e	8	Ev, Jesus			B major → E minor		Da das Jesus merkete	2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:10–13
5	9		Rec A		B minor → F-sharp minor	4/4	Du lieber Heiland du	2Ft Bc
6	10		Aria A		F-sharp minor	3/8	Buß und Reu	2Ft Bc
7	11	Ev, Judas			E major → D major		Da ging hin der Zwölfen einer	Bc	Mt 26:14–16
8	12		Aria S		B minor	4/4	Blute nur, du liebes Herz!	2Ft 2Vn Va Bc
9a	13	Ev			G major → D major		Aber am ersten Tage der süßen Brot	Bc	Mt 26:17a
9b	14	Ch I			G major	3/4	Wo willst du, daß wir dir bereiten	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:17b
9c	15	Ev, Jesus			G major → C major		Er sprach: Gehet hin in die Stadt	2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:18–21
9d		Ev			B-flat minor → F minor		Und sie wurden sehr betrübt	Bc	Mt 26:22a
9e		Ch I			F minor→C minor	4/4	Herr, bin ich’s?	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:22b
10	16		Chorale		A-flat major	4/4	Ich bin’s, ich sollte büßen	2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Paul Gerhardt, 1647
11	17	Ev, Jesus, Judas			F minor → G major	4/4–6/4	Er antwortete und sprach	2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:23–29
12	18		Rec S		E minor → C major	4/4	Wiewohl mein Herz in Tränen schwimmt	2Oa Bc
13	19		Aria S		G major	6/8	Ich will dir mein Herze schenken	2Oa Bc
14	20	Ev, Jesus			B minor → E major		Und da sie den Lobgesang gesprochen hatten	2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:30–32
15	21		Chorale		E major	4/4	Erkenne mich, mein Hüter	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Paul Gerhardt, 1656
16	22	Ev, Jesus, Peter			A major → G minor		Petrus aber antwortete	2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:33–35
17	23		Chorale		E-flat major	4/4	Ich will hier bei dir stehen	2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Paul Gerhardt, 1656
18	24	Ev, Jesus			F major → A-flat major		Da kam Jesus mit ihnen zu einem Hofe	2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:36–38
19	25		Rec T	Ch II Chorale	F minor→G major	4/4	Hier zittert das gequälte Herz	2Fl 2Oc 2Vn Va Bc	Johann Heermann, 1630
20	26		Aria T	Ch II	C minor	4/4	Ich will bei meinem Jesu wachen	2Ft Ob 2Vn Va Bc
21	27	Ev, Jesus			B major → G minor		Und ging hin ein wenig	2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:39
22	28		Rec B		D minor→B-flat major	4/4	Der Heiland fällt vor seinem Vater nieder	2Vn Va Bc
23	29		Aria B		G minor	3/8	Gerne will ich mich bequemen	2Vn Bc
24	30	Ev, Jesus			F major → B minor		Und er kam zu seinen Jüngern	2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:40–42
25	31		Chorale		B minor	4/4	Was mein Gott will, das g’scheh allzeit	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Albert, Duke of Prussia, ca. 1554
26	32	Ev, Jesus			D major → G major		Und er kam und fand sie aber schlafend	2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:43–50
27a	33		Aria S A	Ch II	E minor	4/4	So ist mein Jesus nun gefangen	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc
27b			Ch I	Ch II	E minor	3/8	Sind Blitze, sind Donner in Wolken verschwunden?	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc
28	34	Ev, Jesus			F-sharp major → C-sharp minor		Und er kam zu seinen Jüngern	2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:51–56
29	35		Chorale fantasia		E major	4/4	O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß	2Ft 2Oa 2Vn Va Bc	Sebald Heyden, um 1530
Part II
BWV	NBA	Form			Key	Time	Text	Instrumentation	Source	Incipit
30	36		Aria A	Ch II	B minor	3/8	Ach! nun ist mein Jesus hin!	Ft Oa 2Vn Va Bc
31	37	Ev			B major → D minor		Die aber Jesum gegriffen hatten	Bc	Mt 26:57–60a
32	38		Chorale		B-flat major	4/4	Mir hat die Welt trüglich gericht’	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Adam Reusner, 1533
33	39	Ev, 2 witnesses, high priest			G minor		Und wiewohl viel falsche Zeugen herzutraten	Bc	Mt 26:60b–63a
34	40		Rec T		A major → A minor	4/4	Mein Jesus schweigt	2Ob Vg Bc
35	41		Aria T		A minor	4/4	Geduld! Wenn mich falsche Zungen stechen	Vg Bc
36a	42	Ev, Jesus, high priest			E minor		Und der Hohepriester antwortete	2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:63b–66a
36b		Ch I		Ch II	G major		Er ist des Todes schuldig!	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:63b
36c	43	Ev			C major → D minor		Da speieten sie aus	Bc	Mt 26:67
36d		Ch I		Ch II	D minor → F major		Weissage uns, Christe	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:68
37	44		Chorale		F major	4/4	Wer hat dich so geschlagen	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Paul Gerhardt, 1647
38a	45	Ev, Peter, 2 maids			A major → D major		Petrus aber saß draußen	Bc	Mt 26:69–73a
38b		Ch II			D major → A major		Wahrlich, du bist auch einer	2Ft Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 26:73b
38c	46	Ev, Peter			C-sharp major → F-sharp minor		Da hub er an, sich zu verfluchen	Bc	Mt 26:74–75
39	47		Aria A		B minor	12/8	Erbarme dich	Vs 2Vn Va Bc
40	48		Chorale		F-sharp minor → A major	4/4	Bin ich gleich von dir gewichen	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Johann Rist, 1642
41a	49	Ev, Judas			F-sharp minor → B major		Des Morgens aber hielten alle Hohepriester	Bc	Mt 27:1–4a
	41b	Ch I		Ch II	B major → E minor		Was gehet uns das an?	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 27:4b
41c	50	Ev, 2 high priests			A minor → B minor		Und er warf die Silberlinge in den Tempel	Bc	Mt 27:5–6
42	51		Aria B		G major	4/4	Gebt mir meinen Jesum wieder!	Vs 2Vn Va Bc
43	52	Ev, Jesus, Pilate			E minor → D major		Sie hielten aber einen Rat	2Vn Va Bc	Mt 27:7–14
44	53		Chorale		D major	4/4	Befiehl du deine Wege	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Paul Gerhardt, 1653
45a	54	Ev, Pilate, his wife	Ch I	Ch II	E major → A minor		Auf das Fest aber hatte der Landpfleger Gewohnheit	Bc	Mt 27:15–22a
45b		Ch I & II			A minor → B major		Laß ihn kreuzigen!	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 27:22b
46	55		Chorale		B minor	4/4	Wie wunderbarlich ist doch diese Strafe!	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Johann Heermann, 1630
47	56	Ev, Pilate			B minor		Der Landpfleger sagte	Bc	Mt 27:23a
48	57		Rec S		E minor → C major	4/4	Er hat uns allen wohlgetan	2Oc Bc
49	58		Aria S		A minor	3/4	Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben	Ft 2Oc
50a	59	Ev			E minor		Sie schrieen aber noch mehr	Bc	Mt 27:23b
50b		Ch I & II			B minor → C-sharp major		Laß ihn kreuzigen!	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 27:23c
50c		Ev, Pilate			C-sharp major → B minor		Da aber Pilatus sahe	Bc	Mt 27:24–25a
50d		Ch I & II			B minor → D major		Sein Blut komme über uns	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 27:25b
50e		Ev			D major → E minor		Da gab er ihnen Barrabam los	Bc	Mt 27:26
51	60		Rec A		F major → G minor	4/4	Erbarm es Gott!	2Vn Va Bc
52	61		Aria A		G minor	3/4	Können Tränen meiner Wangen	2Vn Bc
53a	62	Ev			F major → D minor		Da nahmen die Kriegsknechte	Bc	Mt 27:27–29a
53b		Ch I		Ch II	D minor → A major		Gegrüßet seist du, Jüdenkönig!	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 27:29b
53c		Ev			D minor		Und speieten ihn an	Bc	Mt 27:30
54	63		Chorale		D minor→F major	4/4	O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Paul Gerhardt, 1656
55	64	Ev			A minor		Und da sie ihn verspottet hatten	Bc	Mt 27:31–32
56	65		Rec B		F major → D minor	4/4	Ja freilich will in uns	2Ft Vg Bc
57	66		Aria B		D minor	4/4	Komm, süßes Kreuz	Vg Bc
58a	67	Ev			C major → F-sharp major		Und da sie an die Stätte kamen	Bc	Mt 27:33–39
58b		Ch I		Ch II	F-sharp major → B minor		Der du den Tempel Gottes zerbrichst	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 27:40
58c		Ev			F-sharp major → E minor		Desgleichen auch die Hohenpriester	Bc	Mt 27:41
58d		Ch I		Ch II	E minor		Andern hat er geholfen	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 27:42–44
58e	68	Ev			G major → C minor		Desgleichen schmäheten ihn	Bc	Mt 27:44
59	69		Rec A		A-flat major	4/4	Ach Golgatha	2Oc Bc
60	70		Aria A	Ch II	E-flat major	4/4	Sehet, Jesus hat die Hand	2Ob 2Oc 2Vn Va Bc
61	71a	Ev, Jesus			E-flat major → C minor		Und von der sechsten Stunde an	Bc	Mt 27:45–47a
61b		Ch I			C minor → F major		Der rufet dem Elias!	2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 27:47b
61c		Ev			F major → G minor		Und bald lief einer unter ihnen	Bc	Mt 27:48–49a
61d		Ch II			G minor → D minor		Halt! laß sehen	2Ft Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 27:49b
61e		Ev, Jesus			D minor → A minor		Aber Jesus schriee abermal laut	Bc	Mt 27:50
62	72		Chorale		A minor	4/4	Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Paul Gerhardt, 1656
63a	73	Ev			C major → A-flat major		Und siehe da, der Vorhang im Tempel zerriß	Bc	Mt 27:51–54a
63b		Ch I & II			A-flat major		Wahrlich, dieser ist Gottes Sohn gewesen	2Ft Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 27:54b
63c		Ev			E-flat major → B-flat major		Und es waren viel Weiber da	Bc	Mt 27:55–59
64	74		Rec B		G minor	4/4	Am Abend, da es kühle war	2Vn Va Bc
65	75		Aria B		B-flat major	12/8	Mache dich, mein Herze, rein	2Oc 2Vn Va Bc
66a	76	Ev			G minor → E-flat major		Und Joseph nahm den Leib	Bc	Mt 27:59–62
66b		Ch I		Ch II	E-flat major → D major		Herr, wir haben gedacht	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc	Mt 27:63–64
66c		Ev, Pilate			G minor → E-flat major		Pilatus sprach zu ihnen	Bc	Mt 27:65–66
67	77		Rec S A T B	Ch II	E-flat major → C minor	4/4	Nun ist der Herr zur Ruh gebracht	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc
68	78		Ch I	Ch II	C minor	3/4	Wir setzen uns mit Tränen nieder	2Ft 2Ob 2Vn Va Bc

References

Sources

• Free scores by Matthäuspassion at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
• Free scores by Matthäuspassion, early edition (BWV 244b) at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
• Matthäus-Passion BWV 244 history, scoring, sources for text and music, translations to various languages, discography, discussion, bach-cantatas website
• Matthäuspassion history, scoring, Bach website Template:De icon
• BWV 244 Matthäus-Passion Sources, English translation, University of Vermont
• BWV 244 Matthäuspassion text, scoring, University of Alberta

External links

• Uri Golomb: Academia.Edu Liturgical drama in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion Goldberg Early Music Magazine 39 (April 2006), pp. 48–59
• Rex Levang: The St. Matthew Passion Minnesota Public Radio, text and translation, commentary, 2001