Johann Sebastian Bach's St John passion (BWV 245) : : a theological commentary with a new study translation by Katherine Firth and a foreword by N. T. Wright / / by Andreas Loewe.

• Superior document: Studies in the History of Christian Traditions, Volume 168
• VerfasserIn: Loewe, Andreas,
• TeilnehmendeR: Firth, Katherine, 1979-; Wright, N. T.
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden, Netherlands : : Koninklijke Brill,, 2014.; ©2014
• Year of Publication: 2014
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Series: Studies in the history of Christian traditions ; Volume 168.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (351 p.)
• Notes: Description based upon print version of record.

This Theological Commentary is the first full-length work in English to consider Johann Sebastian Bach’s St John Passion in its entirety, both the words and the music. Bach’s oratorio is a globally popular musical work, and a significant expression of Lutheran theology. The commentary explains the Biblical and poetic text, and its musical setting, line by line. Bach’s Passion is shown to be the work of a master craftsman and trained theologian, in the collaborative and cultural milieu of eighteenth-century, Lutheran Leipzig. For the first time, this work makes much German scholarship available in English, including archival sources, and includes a new scholarly translation of the libretto. The musical and theological terms are explained, to enable an interdisciplinary understanding of the Passion’s meaning and continued significance.

Table of Contents

Front Matter -- Introduction -- Learning the Craft of a Church Musician -- ‘It Pleased God That I Should be Called’—Bach’s Office and Craft -- Proclaiming Scripture through Music—The Development of Bach’s Cantatas -- Bach’s St John Passion -- Introduction to the Commentary -- Study Translation / Katherine Firth -- Commentaries and Sermon Collections Consulted in Preparation -- Commentary -- Bibliography -- Indexes.