Unlike Bach's other oratorio compositions, there is no definitive version of the St. John Passion. The commonly used first version from 1724 represents a mixture of various readings and was not performed in this form during Bach's time. In contrast, the second version from 1725 was performed under Bach's own direction and can therefore be considered authentic. Besides some rearrangements of movements, it differs from the earlier version by the inclusion of the opening chorus "O Mensch, bewein." The present performance material is based on the recently published Urtext edition of the second version in the context of the New Bach Edition - Revised Edition. - Complete critical edition based on the Urtext of the New Bach Edition - Revised Edition - Bilingual preface (German/English) - Easily playable piano reduction.