The agitated tone of this narration, which sees the end of Judas, is characterised by short declamatory phrases and wide-ranging intervals. The word übel (evil) is accompanied by a diminished chord. The music for the chorus, a mere five bars, builds quickly and brilliantly in texture and harmonic intensity.
|
41a |
Evangelist
|
Des morgens aber hielten alle Hohepriester und die Ältesten des Volks einen Rat über Jesum, daß sie ihn töteten. Und bunden ihn, führeten ihn hin und überantworteten ihn dem Landpfleger Pontio Pilato. Da das sahe Judas, der ihn verraten hatte, daß er verdammt war zum Tode, gereuete es ihn, und brachte herwieder die dreißig Silberlinge den Hohenpriestern und Ältesten und sprach: |
When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. And when they had bound him, they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders saying: |
Judas |
“Ich habe übel getan, daß ich unschuldig Blut verraten habe.” |
“I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.” |
|
Evangelist |
Sie sprachen: |
And they said: |
|
|
41b |
Chorus |
“Was gehet uns das an? |
“What is that to us? |
|
41c |
Evangelist |
Und er warf die Silberlinge in den Tempel, hub sich davon, ging hin und erhängete sich selbst. Aber die Hohenpriester nahmen die Silberlinge und sprachen: |
And he cast down the thirty pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests tookthe silver pieces and said: |
Chief Priest |
“Es taugt nicht, daß wir sie in den Gotteskasten legen, den es ist Blutgeld.” |
“It is not lawful for us to put them in the treasury because it is the price of blood.” |
In this aria the bass is the personification of Judas, who by now is dead. There is a similarity of purpose here with no 39. Both arias deal with acts of betrayal towards Christ by two of his own disciples who are subsequently personified by singers. In order to reinforce this duality Bach chooses exactly the same orchestration for both arias: namely solo violin; strings and continuo. The fast violin scales and running passages which characterise the accompaniment sections have been likened to the rolling away of coins.
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42 |
Bass |
Gebt mir meinen Jesum wieder! Seht, das Geld, den Mörderlohn, wirft euch der verlorne Sohn zu den Füßen nieder! |
Give my Jesus back to me! Look, the lost son throws the money, the payment for murder, down at your feet. |
Jesus speaks here for the last time before the words spoken from the cross. The delicate interlacing strings which had previously accompanied his words are gone. Instead his words are framed by three short, rather terse, austere and perfunctory string chords. We gain the impression that Christ is being stripped of all privilege. The starkness of the accompaniment also highlights Jesus’ silence throughout the immediate forthcoming events.
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43 |
Evangelist
|
Sie hielten aber einen Rat und kauften einen Töpfersakker darum zum Begräbnis der Pilger. Daher ist derselbige Akker genennet der Blutakker bis auf den heutigen Tag. Da ist erfüllet, das gesagt ist durch den Propheten Jeremias, da er spricht: “Sie haben genommen dreißig Silberlinge, damit bezahlet ward der Verkaufte, welchen sie kauftern von den Kindern Israel, und haben sie gegeben um einen Töpfersakker, als mir der Herr befohlen hat.” Jesus aber stund vor dem Landpfleger; und der Landpfleger fragte ihn und sprach: |
And they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, the field of blood unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: “And theytook the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value, and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.” And Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, saying: |
Pontius Pilate Evangelist Jesus |
“Bist du der Jüden König?” Jesus aber sprach zu ihm: “Du sagests.” |
“Art thou the King of the Jews?” And Jesus said unto him: “Thou sayest.” |
|
Evangelist |
Und da er verklagt war von den Hohenpriestern und Ältesten, antwortete er nichts. Da sprach Pilatus zu ihn: |
And when he was accused of the chief priests and the elders, he answered nothing. Then Pilate said unto him: |
|
Pontius Pilate |
“Hörest du nicht, wie hart sie dich verklagen?” |
“Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?” |
|
Evangelist |
Und er antwortete ihm nicht auf ein Wort, also, daß sich auch der Landpfleger sehr verwunderte. |
And he answered him to never a word, insomuch that the Governor marvelled greatly. |
Commentary by Peter Parfitt © Aberdeen Bach Choir 2012
