List of masses, passions and oratorios by Johann Sebastian Bach


Masses, Passions, Oratorios is the subject of the second series of the Neue Bach-Ausgabe, a publication of Johann Sebastian Bach's music from 1954 to 2007. In the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis masses, passions and oratorios refers to two chapters:
  • Chapter 3: Messen, Messensätze, Magnificat, original range: BWV 232–243
  • Chapter 4: Passionen, Oratorien, original range: BWV 244–249
In the BWV, as in Series II of the NBA, the group thus also includes Bach's Magnificat and separate mass movements.
Further the second series of the NBA and/or the 1998 updated edition of the BWV group some new additions to the BWV catalogue with the masses, passions and oratorios, and regroup some compositions that were formerly associated with other genres in the masses, passions and oratorios group.
Also various items in the BWV Anhang, or even unmentioned in the BWV are associated with this group, for instance the motet Der Gerechte kömmt um, BC
C 8, arranged, probably by Bach, from the Tristis est anima mea motet attributed to Johann Kuhnau. Such compositions or movements usually have a Bach Digital Work page at the website.

Masses, mass movements and Magnificat

Mass with all usual sections

Kyrie–Gloria masses

Cantata based on BWV 232I

Separate mass movements

Latin Magnificat

German Magnificat cantatas

Other

Passions and oratorios

Passions composed by Bach

  • BWV 244 – St Matthew Passion
  • * BWV 244b – St Matthew Passion, early version
  • BWV 245 – St John Passion, various versions, including:
  • * St. John Passion, 2nd version, with opening chorus "O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß", BDW, containing:
  • ** BWV 245a – Aria "Himmel reiße, Welt erbebe"
  • ** BWV 245b – Aria "Zerschmettert mich, ihr Felsen und ihr Hügel"
  • ** BWV 245c – Aria "Ach, windet euch nicht so, geplagte Seelen"
  • * St. John Passion, Bach's last revision, BDW
  • BWV 247 – St Mark Passion
  • BWV deest – Weimarer Passion, BDW

Passions by other composers with movements by Bach

  • BWV 246 – St Luke Passion by an unknown composer and librettist, includes one movement by Bach:
  • * BWV 246/40a – Chorale "Aus der Tiefen rufe ich", BDW
  • BWV deest – St Mark Passion (attributed to Keiser), surviving in various versions, with three movements associated with Bach:
  • * BWV 500a – Chorale "So gehst du nun, mein Jesu, hin", BDW
  • * BWV 1084 – Chorale "O hilf Christe, Gottes Sohn", BDW, and earlier version BDW
  • * BWV deest – Chorale "O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid", BDW, and earlier version BDW
  • BWV deest – Passion oratorio Wer ist der, so von Edom kömmt, with three movements associated with Bach:
  • * BWV 127/1 – Chorus "Herr Jesu Christ, wahr' Mensch und Gott", BDW
  • * BWV 1088 – Arioso "So heb ich denn mein Auge sehnlich auf", BDW
  • * BWV deest – Chorus "Der Gerechte kömmt um", also as separate motet, BDW

Other vocal compositions associated with Passion music

Spurious

  • BWV Anh. 169 – Passion text Erbauliche Gedanken auf den Grünen Donnerstag und Charfreitag über den Leidenden Jesum by Picander, not set by Bach

Oratorios and associated cantatas

Compositions in the third and fourth chapters of the ''Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis'' (1998)


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