Bach's St. John Passion
J.S. Bach's St. John Passion ( Johannes-Passion ) Passion in 2 Parts - BWV 245 Bach composed this work in Leipzig during 1727 for the Good Friday (the Friday before Easter) vesper services. It was written in 1723 during Bach's first year as director of church music in Leipzig and was first performed on April 7, 1724, at Good Friday Vespers at the St. Nicholas Church . It was the first Passion music he had written as cantor in Leipzig. According to Wikipedia: The St John Passion is written for a four-part choir with soloists, as well as an instrumental ensemble of strings and basso continuo with pairs of flauti traversi and oboes , the latter both doubling on oboe da caccia . For special colors Bach also used lute , viola d'amore and viola da gamba , instruments that were already old-fashioned at the time. [ citation needed ] In present-day performances the part of Jesus is often given to one bass soloist, Pilate and the bass arias to another. Some tenors sing