Again, with music set in a key with sharps, the Evangelist begins the story of Peter’s denial on a high A – thereby signalling that the coming events will be filled with tension.The same note is used for the following emotive words in this story, leugnete (denied), schwören (swear) and krähete (crew). For the final phrase, Und ging heraus (and he went out), the melodic line goes up even higher, to a B – the extreme outermost edge of the tenor’s vocal range and the note furthest from its centre. This is the only time that Bach uses this pitch for the Evangelist and it stands here as a metaphor for Peter’s isolation and loneliness. The final melisma, tortuous and twisting, and ending on the symbolic chord of C# major, is the longest melisma written for the Evangelist, by some way, and gives us an insight into Peter’s horror at what he has done and the utter desolation he feels.
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38a |
Evangelist Damsel Evangelist Peter Evangelist Maid Evangelist Peter Evangelist |
Petrus aber saß draußen im Palast; und es trat zu ihm eine Magd und sprach: “Und du warest auch mit dem Jesus aus Galiläa.” Er leugnete aber vor ihnen allen und sprach: “Ich weiß nicht, was du sagest.” Als er aber zur Tü hinausging, sahe ihn eine andere und sprach zu denen, die da waren: “Dieser war auch mit dem Jesu von Nazareth.” Und er leugnete abermal und schwur dazu: “Ich kenne des Menschen nicht.” Und über eine kleine Weile traten hinzu, die da stunden, und sprachen zu Petro: |
Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, “Thou also was with Jesus of Galilee.” But he denied before them all, saying; “I know not what thou sayest.” And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there: “This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied with an oath: “I do not know the man.” And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter: |
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38b |
Chorus |
“Wahrlich, du bist auch einer von denen; denn deine Sprache verrät dich.” |
“Surely thou art also one of them, for thy speech betrayeth thee.” |
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38c |
Evangelist |
Da hub er an, sich zu verfluchen und zu schwören: “Ich kenne des Menschen nicht.” Und alsbald krähete der Hahn. Da dachte Petrus an die Worte Jesu, da er zu ihm sagte: Ehe der Hahn krähen wird, wirst du mich dreimal verleugnen. Und ging heraus und weinete bitterlich. |
Then began he to curse and to swear, saying: “I know not the man!” And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out and wept bitterly. |
The lamentation Erbarme dich, for countertenor and obbligato violin, is the most expressive of all the arias in the passion. It is the only one which is not preceded by an arioso recitative, and the only one to be followed by a chorale rather than narrative.
As such it stands alone as a highly emotionally charged expression of Peter’s grief, full of longing, regret and disappointment, the countertenor acting as the personification of Peter. Musical features include the incessant pizzicato bass and the continuous ornamentation in the violin part. The chorale which follows, written in 1642 by Johann Rist, is the sixth stanza of the hymn Werde munter mein Gemüte. It is designed to bring a sense of finality and completion to this episode devoted to Peter.
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39 |
Countertenor |
Erbarme dich, mein Gott, um meiner Zähren willen! Schaue hier, Herz und Auge weint vor dir bitterlich. |
My God, have mercy for my tears. Look here! Heart and eye weep bitterly for you. |
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40 |
Chorus |
Bin ich gleich von dir gewichen, |
If I have strayed from you |
Commentary by Peter Parfitt © Aberdeen Bach Choir 2012
