Abstract
Bach's St. Matthew Passionhas long been interpreted and analyzed as a double-chorus work, largely under the influence of typical modern performances. But Bach's original performing materials and analytical features of the work show that very little is actually scored for equal choruses and that the two ensembles do not have the same status. Chorus 2 is subordinate to Chorus 1 and is better viewed as a ripieno ensemble that most often supports the work's concertists (Chorus 1), only occasionally gaining a measure of independence. This flexible and expanded role for a group of ripieno singers had its origins in a movement from Bach's St. John Passion and was particularly suited to the dialogue texts at the core of the St. Matthew Passion's libretto. It is also consistent with the particular performance forces Bach had at his disposal. Understanding the work in this way clarifies its close continuity with eighteenth-century church music practice and with Bach's earlier music.
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