The Christmas story (Distler)

The Christmas story is an a cappella choral work by the German composer and church musician Hugo Distler (1908–1942). Distler completed the opus number 10 work for four-part chamber choir, some of which was divided into double choirs, and six soloists (evangelist, angel, Maria, Elisabeth, Simeon, Herod) in 1933.

The Gospel story (based on Luke and Matthew ) is performed by the tenor, alternating with the other soloists and the choir. Seven elaborate chorale variations of the song Es ist ein Ros sprung run through the composition like a “red thread” . The frame is formed by a motet-like opening and closing chorus (about the texts “The people, who walk in the dark, see a light” and “So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son”). Both can also be performed independently of the entire Christmas story.

In contrast to the Choral Passion op. 7 composed in 1932 the year before, the Christmas story appears predominantly pastoral and cheerful. Distler himself described it as an "oratorio with a chamber music character".

The formal structure points back to a cappella works by Heinrich Schütz . Distler's expressive tonal language, however, unmistakably uses the means of the 20th century. Characteristic are calls to fourths , pentatonic melodies and a linear, often polymetric movement.

The performance lasts about 40 minutes.

literature

• Hans Joachim Moser: Protestant church music in Germany . Carl Merseburger, Berlin and Darmstadt 1954
• Werner Oehlmann: Reclam's choir leader. 2nd Edition. Philipp Reclam jun., Stuttgart 1976, ISBN 3-15-010017-8 .
• Hugo Distler: The Christmas story op.10 . Urtext. Published by Klaus-Martin Bresgott , Carus Verlag, Stuttgart 2015, ISMN M-007-16589-5
• Hugo Distler: The Christmas story op.10 . Athesinus Consort Berlin , Thomas Volle (Evangelist), Klaus-Martin Bresgott, Carus Verlag in cooperation with Deutschlandradio Kultur, 2015.