MINI BACH EXPERIENCE: ST. MATTHEW PASSION, PART 5 OF 6

Create in me a clean heart

Bach exhorts us clear the world from our hearts to make room for Jesus
Movements 61–65

In this segment from our study of the St. Matthew Passion, Artistic Director Scott Allen Jarrett looks at movements 61–65, in which Jesus dies on the cross. This section highlights a central tenet of Bach's Lutheran theology. In the consolatory aria, Mache diche, mein Herze rein (Make Thee clean, my heart), Bach implores us to clear the world from our hearts to make room for Jesus to take up residence there. Listen in as Scott explains the musical devices Bach employs to depict Christ's final moments on the cross, and then implores Christ to make our hearts pure, so that he may live in us. Afterwards, enjoy the music and visuals from Bach Akademie Charlotte's performance at the 2019 Charlotte Bach Festival.

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Performed at the Charlotte Bach Festival

Saturday, June 15, 2019
Myers Park Presbyterian Church
Charlotte, NC

BA|Charlotte Cantata Choir
North Carolina Baroque Orchestra
Charlotte Latin Choristers, directed by Emily Shusdock
Scott Allen Jarrett conducting


Notes

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On the Video

0.07 - Mini "Bach Experience"
St. Matthew Passion, Part 5

Scott Allen Jarrett

Movements 61–65

18.50 - #61a. Jesus calls out at the sixth hour

20.14 - #61b: Der rufet dem Elias!

20.18 - #61c: Jesus is given a sponge with vinegar to drink

20.34 - #61d: Halt! Laß sehen, ob Elias komme und ihm helfe

20.42 - #61e: Jesus gives up the ghost

21.12 - #62: Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden

22.34 - #63a: The veil of the temple is rent

23.46 - #63b: Wahrlich, dieser ist Gottes Sohn gewesen

24.06 - #63c: Joseph of Arimathea asks for Jesus' body

25.25 - ​​​​​​​#64: Am Abend, da es kühle war

27.17 - #65: Mache dich, mein Herze, rein

 


Text & Translation

61a. Evangelist
Und von der sechsten Stunde an war eine Finsternis über das ganze Land bis zu der neunten Stunde. Und um die neunte Stunde schriee Jesus laut und sprach:

Jesus
Eli, Eli, lama asabthani?

Evangelist
Das ist: "Mein Gott, mein Gott, warum hast du mich verlassen?" Etliche aber, die da stunden, da sie das höreten, sprachen sie:

61a. Evangelist
And from the sixth hour there was a darkness over the entire land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out loudly and said:

Jesus
Eli, Eli, lama sabachtani?

Evangelist
That is: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Some of those, however, who were standing by, when they heard this, said:

61b. Chor I
Der rufet dem Elias!

61b. Chorale
He is calling Elijah!

61c. Evangelist
Und bald lief einer unter ihnen, nahm einen Schwamm und füllete ihn mit Essig, und steckete ihn auf ein Rohr und tränkete ihn. Die andern aber sprachen:

61c. Evangelist
And some of them quickly ran, took a sponge and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed for him to drink. But the others said:

62. Choral
Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden,
So scheide nicht von mir,
Wenn ich den Tod soll leiden,
So tritt du denn herfür!
Wenn mir am allerbängsten
Wird um das Herze sein,
So reiß mich aus den Ängsten
Kraft deiner Angst und Pein.

62. Chorale
When I must depart one day,
do not part from me then,
when I must suffer death,
come to me then!
When the greatest anxiety
will constrict my heart,
then wrest me out of the horror
by the power of your anguish and pain.

63a. Evangelist
Und siehe da, der Vorhang im Tempel zerriß in zwei Stück von obenan bis untenaus. Und die Erde erbebete, und die Felsen zerrissen, und die Gräber täten sich auf, und stunden auf viel Leiber der Heiligen, die da schliefen, und gingen aus den Gräbern nach seiner Auferstehung und kamen in die heilige Stadt und erschienen vielen. Aber der Hauptmann und die bei ihm waren und bewahreten Jesum, da sie sahen das Erdbeben und was da geschah, erschraken sie sehr und sprachen:

63a. Evangelist
And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two pieces from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the cliffs were rent, and the graves opened up, and many bodies of saints arose, who were sleeping, and came out of their graves after his resurrection and came into the Holy City and appeared to many people. The Captain, however, and those with him who were guarding Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and what happened then, they were terrified and said:

63b. Chor I & II
Wahrlich, dieser ist Gottes Sohn gewesen.

63b. Chorus I & II
Truly, this was the Son of God.

63c. Evangelist
Und es waren viel Weiber da, die von ferne zusahen, die da waren nachgefolget aus Galiläa, und hatten ihm gedienet, unter welchen war Maria Magdalena, und Maria die Mutter Jacobi und Joses, und die Mutter der Kinder Zebedäi. Am Abend aber kam ein reicher Mann von Arimathia, der heiß Joseph, welcher auch ein Jünger Jesu war, der ging zu Pilato und bat ihn um den Leichnam Jesu. Da befahl Pilatus, man sollte ihm ihn geben.

63c. Evangelist
And there were many women there, watching from a distance, who had followed him from Galilee and had served him, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. In the evening however, came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus; he went to Pilate and asked him for Jesus' body. Then Pilate ordered that it be given to him.

64. Rezitativ B (Chor I)
Am Abend, da es kühle war,
Ward Adams Fallen offenbar;
Am Abend drücket ihn der Heiland nieder.
Am Abend kam die Taube wieder,
Und trug ein Ölblatt in dem Munde.
O schöne Zeit! O Abendstunde!
Der Friedensschluß ist nun mit Gott gemacht,
Denn Jesus hat sein Kreuz vollbracht.
Sein Leichnam kömmt zur Ruh,
Ach! liebe Seele, bitte du,
Geh, lasse dir den toten Jesum schenken,
O heilsames, o köstlichs Angedenken!

64. Recitative B (Chorus I)
In the evening, when it was cool,
Adam's fall was made apparent;
in the evening the Savior bowed himself down.
In the evening the dove came back,
bearing an olive leaf in its mouth.
O lovely time! O evening hour!
The pact of peace with God has now been made,
since Jesus has completed His Cross.
His body comes to rest,
Ah! dear soul, ask,
go, have them give you the dead Jesus,
O salutary, o precious remembrance!
 
65. Arie B (Chor I)
Mache dich, mein Herze, rein,
Ich will Jesum selbst begraben.
Denn er soll nunmehr in mir
Für und für
Seine süße Ruhe haben.
Welt, geh aus, laß Jesum ein!
65. Aria B (Chorus I)
Make yourself pure, my heart,
I want to bury Jesus myself.
For from now on he shall have in me,
forever and ever,
his sweet rest.
World, get out, let Jesus in!