Recently appointed as Kantor of St Thomas's Church in Leipzig, Bach directed the first performance of this St. John Passion on Good Friday in 1724. But it was to be revived in Leipzig on three further occasions, notably in 1725, in a partially revised version, since its opening chorus was replaced by a different one, later to become the final chorus of Part I of the St. Matthew Passion. An aria was added, and three more replaced by new and highly dramatic alternatives. It is this version that is now presented by Philippe Herreweghe, fourteen years after their recording of the original version of the work.