Christmas Oratorio (Bach)

The Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 is a six-part oratorio for solos ( SATB ), mixed choir and orchestra by Johann Sebastian Bach . The single was written for the St. Thomas Boys Choir in Leipzig in the six church services between Christmas Day 1734 and the Epiphany 1735 in the St. Nicholas Church and the St. Thomas Church listed. Solemn opening and closing choirs, the setting of the New Testament Christmas story in the recitatives , interspersed Christmas chorals and arias by the vocal soloists characterize the oratorio. The six parts are connected by the joy of the birth of Christ. In terms of the musical genre, the Christmas oratorio is close to Bach's oratorio passions . It is the most popular of all of Bach's sacred vocal works and is one of his most famous sacred compositions. The oratorio is now often performed in whole or in part during Advent and Christmas.

Nikolaikirche in Leipzig

Thomaskirche in Leipzig

Musical forms

Nativity , anonymous painting, Italy, 18th century

Bach uses the same musical and dramatic forms in the Christmas oratorio as in his oratorio passions ( St. Matthew and St. John Passions ) and oratorios ( Ascension oratorio and Easter oratorio ), but places the emphasis on the lyrical and contemplative . The three underlying text genres each correspond to different forms of composition:

Bible texts are the secco recitative (in no. 13 "And the angel" as Accompagnato ), the Arioso and Turba -Chor basis. Church lyrics puts Bach in the chorales for the choir (in no. 7 "He is on earth" and 38/40 "Jesus, my dearest life" combined solo and with a recitative). Free poems can be heard in the Accompagnato recitative, in the arias and in the opening choirs.

The ongoing biblical text is interrupted by free poems and chorales that want to bring what happened closer to the listener. In detail, the following musical forms can be found in the Christmas oratorio:

• Secco recitative: The backbone of the Christmas oratorio is formed by the recitatives in which the evangelist - sung by a tenor according to ancient church tradition - tells the biblical text. Bach sets the reporting Bible texts to music with the help of secco recitatives, which are only carried by the continuo group without any further instrumental accompaniment. Verbatim speeches in the Bible text are assigned to certain soloists , the soliloquents , who appear as Dramatis personae . Herod is represented by a bass (No. 55 “Go”), the angel by a soprano (No. 13 “Do not be afraid”). Bach uses turba choirs for speaking groups. All biblical recitatives are new compositions by Bach. In addition, there are two other, short secco recitatives that have no biblical text as their content, but rather introduce a following chorale. In No. 22 (“So right, you angels”) the bass calls on the angels to praise, and in No. 63 (“What does the horror of hell now”) all four soloists unite before the final chorus , like in an opera finale .
• Accompagnato recitative: The instrumentally accompanied Accompagnato recitative is used to introduce the content and affect of a subsequent aria. Compared to the Bach cantatas , it takes the place of the secco recitative, as this is already required for setting the gospel to music. The 14 Accompagnato recitatives are not based on biblical texts, but on free poetry. The pitch and musical form are not fixed. Bach combines the recitative in No. 7 ("He is on earth") with a chorale in a soprano-bass duet, in No. 38 ("Immanuel, oh sweet word") and 40 ("Well, your name" ) the bass recitative with a soprano arioso and in No. 45 (“Where is the newborn king”) the alto recitative with two turba choirs. Apart from Part VI, all Accompagnato-Recitatives are new compositions by Bach.
• Turba (“people”, “noise”): groups of people are represented by the turba choir. In Bach's passions and oratorios, the turbae interrupt the recitative when several people appear speaking in the biblical narrative. Thus, in motet style, the biblical chorus sounds with the singing of the angels (No. 21 “Glory to God”), the shepherds' appeal (No. 26 “Let us now go”) and the question of the wise men (No. 45 “Where is the newborn king ”). In the case of the high priests (No. 50 “And let them be gathered”), on the other hand, Bach lets the evangelists sing the Bible verse they cite.
• Aria : Musically and theologically, the arias in the six parts of the Christmas oratorio form the centerpiece. Here, too, free seals are set to music. The ongoing action is interrupted in favor of the static moment of internalization. In each of the six parts there are two arias, which are usually structured in three parts. A total of five arias (Nos. 4, 8, 19, 29, 41) are pure da capo arias , three are composed according to the A – B – A pattern (Nos. 31, 51, 62). No. 39 (“Flößt, mein Heiland”) is in three parts (A – B – B) and also the instrumentally dominated aria No. 57 (“Just a wink”) (A – BCA – ABC). No. 15 (“Merry Shepherds”) is made up of two parts , while No. 47 (“ Enlighten also my sinister senses ”) is divided into two equally long parts due to the shortening of the Da-Capo form. No. 29 (“Lord, your pity”) is a duet , No. 51 (“Oh, if will”) is a trio . Of the arias only No. 31 (“Schließe, mein Herz”) and possibly No. 51 are newly composed. The arias and chorales in particular serve for contemplation and make the relevance of the Christmas salvation event clear for the listener. Individual solo voices play a certain role: while the soprano expresses the moods of the soul, the alto stands for the voice of faith and the church, as embodied in parts II and III by Mary .
• 

  Arioso within recitative no.50
  Arioso : The arioso occupies a middle position between recitative and aria. Similar to the Accompagnato recitative, it is accompanied by an instrument. In the Christmas oratorio there are two ariosi for the bass, which are combined with a soprano chorale (“Jesus, you my dearest life”) to form a duet (nos. 38 and 40). In the recitative of the high priests (No. 50 “And let them assemble”) the quote from the prophet from Mi 5,1  LUT is performed as an arioso ( andante ) without instrumental accompaniment. It achieves its solemn effect through the continuous eighth note movement and octave leaps of the continuo as well as through the cantable melody in the evangelist.
• Entrance choir: The Christmas oratorio has become popular primarily because of its solemn entrance choirs, which, in addition to the arias, represent musical highlights in the work. With a rich instrumental line-up and a four-part choir, they express the joy of the birth of Christ. They are designed as representative festival music and are all in major keys and in lively three-note time. In contrast to the Bach cantatas, there are no biblical texts or chorales as text templates for the opening choirs, but free poems. Part II, on the other hand, is introduced by pastoral music in the form of an instrumental pastoral (No. 10). Of the opening pieces, only this “ Sinfonia ” and the opening chorus “Glory be to you, God, sung” (No. 43) have been newly composed.
• Choral : The chorales build a bridge to the congregation, even if they were probably not sung by the congregation back then. They stand outside the dramatic course of action and serve the whole community as a representation of the objective salvation statements, while the arias are more oriented towards the subjective experience of the individual listener. With the exception of No. 64 (“Well you are well smelled”), all the chorales of the Christmas oratorio have been newly composed. They are characterized by an elegant and polyphonic voice guidance and expressive immediacy. The number of chorales varies between two (parts I, V, VI) and three chorales per part (parts II, III, IV). Bach treats the chorales in a variety of ways. In the middle of the parts, the chorales are composed as simple cantional movements and colla parte are orchestrated, but provided with passage and alternating notes in typical Bach style . In contrast, most of the final chorales have the same festive cast as the opening choirs and form an inclusion with the opening piece. The final choirs are musically richer than the other chorales and are mostly provided with instrumental preludes, interludes and replays, No. 42 ("Jesus judge my beginnings") and No. 64 with orchestral rituals . Only part V ends with a simple chorale movement without the otherwise obligatory instruments (No. 53 “It is indeed such a heart room”), since this part was played instead of the usual Sunday cantata.

History of the musical genre

Autograph of the first page of the Christmas Oratorio

The forerunners of the Christmas oratorios were the Christmas histories , which were written in the 17th century. These histories were sacred concerts in which the Gospel was set to music in a particularly festive way on high church holidays. Examples of this are the Christmas stories from the 17th century by Rogier Michael , Thomas Selle and Heinrich Schütz . As with the Passion histories, the Christmas histories focus on setting the Bible text to music. It is usually framed by an opening and a closing concert ( Exordium and Conclusio ).

At Schütz, the Christmas story is consistently composed in F major , the typical Christmas key, and dramatically cast. While the evangelist reproduces the narrative Bible text in recitative or arioso (but always secco ), in eight concerts the individuals with different voices (angels in soprano and Herod in bass) and groups of persons (angels, shepherds , wise men and priests) with several singing voices occupied and accompanied by several instrumental parts. With Selle, too, these vocal "intermedia" encounter. In Johann Schelle's “Actus musicus auf Weyh-Nachten” (around 1683), settings of hymn verses are added as insertions. It was only through the addition of free poems that history became an oratorio .

With its number of madrigal poems in the form of arias and hymns, Bach's Christmas oratorio has grown significantly beyond the Christmas histories, finds more points of contact in the oratorical passions and is referred to by himself and in the printed libretto as "oratorio". Bach's contemporaries such as Johann Heinrich Rolle , Carl Heinrich Graun and Georg Philipp Telemann also wrote Christmas oratorios. The practice of spreading such a large-scale work over several festive days does not go back to Bach, but ties in with existing traditions. A division of the work and performance over several Christmas days is possible in Schütz's Christmas history, secured in Schelle's work and also likely in Johann Philipp Krieger's Christmas histories. Bach had got to know this procedure in 1705 during his visit to Lübeck , where larger oratorios were performed in sections over several days as part of Dieterich Buxtehude's evening music . In the Passion and Easter histories of the 18th century, such distributions to various services are also proven.

Bach's work came into being at the end of a few happy years under Rector Johann Matthias Gesner (September 1730 to October 1734), who was well-disposed towards Bach and who had initiated the long overdue renovation of the Thomas School . The world premiere took place at the six services between Christmas Day (December 25, 1734) and Epiphany (January 6, 1735). Parts I, II, IV and VI were performed twice in one day, alternately morning and afternoon in the main churches of St. Thomas and St. Nikolai, parts III and V only in St. Nikolai. Later performances during Bach's lifetime are not documented, but not unlikely.

Camille Saint-Saëns wrote an oratorio de Noël in 1858 and Franz Liszt set the Christmas story to music in the first part of his oratorio Christ (1862–1866). In the 20th century, the tradition of the Christmas oratorio is taken up, for example, in the Christmas story by Hugo Distler (1933), in the Christmas oratorio by Kurt Thomas (1930/31) and by Karl Michael Komma (1970). No other Christmas Oratorio, however, achieved such popularity as Bach's work.

Unit of the entire system

Architecture of the Christmas Oratory

Compared to the Christmas histories of the 17th century, in which the text setting of the biblical Christmas story is the focus, the Christmas Oratorio with its inserted free madrigal poems (especially in the arias) and chorales of the oratorio passion and the church cantata is related. Due to the continuous plot based on a longer Bible text with different dramatis personae , the Christmas oratorio should be viewed as a closed oratorio , not as a collection of six independent cantatas. As in the oratorical Passion, Bach uses the evangelist , soloists for biblical figures and turba choirs for groups of people (shepherds, wise men, angels). Parts I – IV are connected by the narration of Lk 2  LUT , parts V and VI by the textual basis from Mt 2  LUT . In terms of content, all parts share the joy of the birth of Christ.

The Gospel text is divided into 17 sections, which, according to the old church tradition, represents the number of fullness (ten stands for the Old Testament law, the Decalogue , seven for the New Testament message of salvation, the Gospel ). The first four parts of the oratorio with their ten Gospel sections only deal with people from the old people of God , the last two parts with seven Gospel texts mainly deal with the wise men as representatives of the new people of God. In addition to the secco recitative for the simple accompaniment of the biblical text, the accompaniment recitative appears in the oratorio as a preparation for an aria . In addition, the oratorio receives the opening choir (“Exordium”) and the final chorus (“Conclusio”). Bach ties the six parts closely together by using the basic key of D major in parts I, III and VI, all three of which have the same festive instrumentation with trumpets, timpani, woodwinds and strings. At the end of the third part, the opening chorus “Rulers of Heaven, hear the babbling” is repeated, which gives the first symmetrically structured block great unity.

The fourth part retains a certain independence thanks to the key of F major and the singular instrumentation with horns. Disregarding Part IV, the cadence D – G – D – A – D results from the basic keys. In Part II, the subdominant in G major expresses the deep humiliation of the Incarnation. Choral No. 17 is architecturally central : “Look, there is in the dark stable”. Bach, on the other hand, uses the dominant A major in Part V to express that Christ is exalted as "King of the Jews" (No. 45) and as shining light for the Gentiles (represented by the oriental sages) and for the whole World. Part II also corresponds to Part V due to the instrumentation, since both parts do not use brass. As an inclusion around the whole work, the same melody is used in the first and last chorale (No. 5 “How should I receive you” and No. 64 “Well you have smelled well”). All these references point to the unity of the whole work. The printed text booklet for the first performance of the Christmas oratorio then also bears the heading: “ORATORIUM, which The holy Weynacht was musiciret about In both main churches in Leipzig. ANNO 1734 ".

Parody proceedings

Opening choir from Part I, in which Bach wrote the text of the parody template “Tönet, ihr Pauken! Sound up trumpets! ”Is added to the score, crossed out and corrected to“ Jauchzet, rejoice, up, praise the days ”.

Bach composed the music only partially new. He took many choirs and arias from secular works (including two Drammi per musica for the Saxon ruling house, BWV 213 and 214 ). For example, the opening chorus “Jauchzet, rejoice” comes directly from the same passage in the dramatic congratulatory cantata BWV 214 “Tönet, you timpani! Sound up, trumpets! ”(Hence the corresponding sequence of kettles and then trumpets). The bass aria no. 8 "Großer Herr und starker König" is the almost completely adopted bass aria no. 7 "Kron 'und Preis" from the same cantata (the vocal part was only changed in one measure). Aria No. 5 and Choir No. 9 from BWV 214 were also used. Bach probably already had the future use in mind when composing the templates, since the lavish but unique occasional works could not be performed again.

Example of an arrangement: Above the original, below the parody (Aria No. 4)

Reusing existing pieces in the parody process was not uncommon in Bach's time. Behind this was the conviction of the unity of sacred and secular music and the reference to a given canon of affects , as well as a technical school-like understanding of music. A judgmental distinction between the original and the arrangement was alien to the Baroque composers . In the Sturm und Drang era and the romanticism that followed it, the image of the original artistic genius was dominant, creating something uniquely great in sudden inspiration . Even after the middle of the 20th century, leading musicians found the non-original way in which the Christmas oratorio came to be embarrassing. However, this view could not prevent that of all of Bach's major works, the Christmas oratorio is the most popular and most frequently performed today. There are also a number of parodies in other late vocal works by Bach, such as the Mass in B minor .

The parody process is not a "one-to-one" takeover of the earlier composition with the new text underlay. Bach transposes the pieces into other keys, then also demands other vocal and instrumental settings and musically reinterprets the new text in various places. In the Christmas oratorio in particular, the orchestral part is extremely colorful and can be regarded as almost pictorial: trumpets and kettledrums symbolize the divine, strings and flutes the heavenly-English and the oboes the shepherds (and thus probably all people).

In the overview section , the respective templates and sources for the parodied pieces are given in the tables.

text

Title page and first page of the libretto, Leipzig 1734

The biblical texts come from the evangelists Luke ( Lk 2,1  LUT + 2,3-21 LUT ) and Matthew ( Mt 2,1-12  EU ). They include the birth history, circumcision and naming, and the story of the wise men from the Orient . Only half of the biblical texts set to music correspond to the reading order of the time . Bach evidently takes up the tradition of the older Christmas histories by Heinrich Schütz and others, which are also based on such a length of text.

Of the 15 chorale texts, five are based on Paul Gerhardt (no.5, 17, 23, 33, 59), three on Martin Luther (no.7, 9, 28), three on Johann Rist (no.12, 38/40, 42) and four more to different lyricists (nos. 35, 46, 53, 64). The text of the free pieces is usually attributed to Bach's Leipzig lyricist Picander , but this is not documented. The Leipzig libretto , which was printed for the community in 1734, names neither composers nor lyricists, as was customary at the time. Picander also wrote the text of the dramma per musica " Herkules auf dem Scheideweg " (BWV 213), the opening chorus and the aria Schlafe, mein Liebste, und pflege der Ruh slightly changed in the Christmas oratorio, but not the text of it as well Dramma per musica BWV 214, which served as a template . It is unlikely that Picander revised his own work, as these poems did not appear later in his printed anthologies. As a rule, it is assumed that Bach reworked the texts together with or independently of Picander, so that the latter would not later publish them in this form under his name.

As in Bach's other oratorios and cantatas, the text in the Christmas oratorio has the function of narration (narratio) , interpretation (explicatio) and appropriation (applicatio) . Often, keyword combinations link the narrative Bible text with the explanatory Accompagnato and the aria aimed at personal internalization. In addition, the fourth element is the concluding chorale as a summarizing confirmation. Bach proves to be an interpreter of the Bible, the composition of which reflects a reflective theological interpretation and is designed as a “sounding sermon” (praedicatio sonora) . The sometimes difficult to understand, imagery language of the newly composed arias is possibly due to influences of Pietism . The place of Bach in the history of piety is, however, controversial.

Recitative 55: Herod feigns worship

The way in which Bach relates music and text happens in the sense of musical rhetoric. Based on the baroque doctrine of affect , the basic character of a piece is shaped by the musical form, tempo, dynamics , key characteristics, rhythmic design and instrumentation, while the meaning of individual words is musically implemented by individual rhetorical stylistic figures. For example, the nativity scene , which is not suitable for the birth of the Son of God, is represented with a passage duriusculus in the form of a diminished seventh (No. 16 “And that is the sign”), through the Aposiopesis (half-bar pause and fermata at the end of the recitative No. 30) The meditation of Mary illustrates and breaks the katabasis at the hypocritical words of Herod "that I also come and adore it" and leaves the top note d 'unaccompanied without a foundation (No. 55 "Herod called").

Performance practice and reception

After Bach's death, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach inherited the autograph score and the original parts. Both came to the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin through Carl Friedrich Zelter , until it acquired the Royal Library of Berlin in 1854 , today's Berlin State Library . Johann Theodor Mosewius rehearsed individual parts in the 1840s. The Christmas Oratorio owes its rediscovery to the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin, which performed the entire work again on December 17, 1857 under Eduard Grell for the first time since Bach's death in their concert hall behind the Neue Wache in Berlin-Mitte , and also the first Performance in a non- liturgical setting. In the next 100 years, however, it did not achieve the same level of awareness as Bach's great passions. It was only gradually performed more often and finally achieved a wide impact from the middle of the 20th century in the course of the church music renewal movements at home and abroad.

Bach uses different instrumentation for the six parts, especially when using the trumpets and woodwinds . In addition to the four soloists SATB (only part 4 without alto) and the four-part (boys) choir, the strings (violin I, II, viola) and basso continuo (cello, violone, organ and bassoon) are used in all parts . In addition, three baroque trumpets , timpani , two transverse flutes , two baroque oboes (also called oboes d'amore ) and, in the second part, even two oboe da caccia in the four-part oboe choir . In the three parts in D major (1, 3 and 6) the festive trumpets and timpani dominate, in part 4 the horns, in part 2 the pastoral flutes and oboes and in part 5 the concertante strings. The organs in Leipzig were all tuned in the high choir during Bach's time . This was there at approx. 465 Hz.

According to the findings of the musicologists Joshua Rifkin and Andrew Parrott , the Christmas oratorio and the cantatas in Bach's time were not performed with a choir in the modern sense, but only with a solo quartet . However, other proponents of historical performance practice, such as Ton Koopman, have contradicted this theory and still use a small choir. Larger choirs with amateur singers are usually used in contemporary performances. Solo performances are mostly performed by professional ensembles.

A singing participation of the audience in the chorales was not common in Bach's time and is not today either. A special type of performance is the singalong , in which the choirs and solo arias of the oratorio are sung by the entire audience.

Albert Schweitzer warned against performing the entire oratorio in one evening, since otherwise "the tired listener can no longer grasp the beauties of the second part" . In the case of performances in one evening, it is instead “more advantageous to cut abundantly” , especially the arias, since they add little to the Christmas plot.

Today, parts 1 to 3, parts 4 to 6 or 1 to 3 and 6 (popular because of the uniform instrumentation) are often performed in a concert in concert, mostly in the Advent season, i.e. in the weeks before Christmas. This is due to the changed church music framework, which has moved this music from the liturgical to the concertante framework; Bach's plan to make music for the individual parts on various Sundays and public holidays on and after Christmas is rarely realized today. The 275th anniversary of the premiere in 2009 was an occasion to perform in Leipzig the parts as in Bach's time on the individual festivals in the two churches. The idea of ​​the traveling oratorio , in which the six parts are performed by different ensembles on six days between Christmas and Epiphany , was realized in Berlin-Spandau in 2008/2009. Similar projects with six cantatas in six churches, but with the same orchestra and identical soloist ensemble, were carried out from December 25, 2010 to January 6, 2011 and again in 2012/2013 in the church district of Berlin-Neukölln and in Rostock.

Jazz musician Bill Dobbins created a jazz arrangement of the Christmas Oratorio. A live recording of a performance has been released on the signum classics label , the performers are the King's Singers and the WDR Big Band under the direction of Bill Dobbins.

Göran Tunström wrote a novel in 1983 with the title “Juloratoriet” (“Christmas Oratorio”), which was also the basis for the Swedish film of the same name (1996).

Overview

Part I: "Shout, rejoice, open up, praise the days"

Piero della Francesca , Nativity, 1460–1475

Instrumentation: solos, choir, 3 trumpets , timpani , 2 transverse flutes , 2 oboes (also as oboes d'amore ), strings, basso continuo

Scheduled performance time: Christmas Day (December 25th)

Content: The first part shows the birth of Jesus. Bach opens this part and with it the oratorio like most of his cantatas with a large opening choir, here with timpani and trumpets. “Shout, rejoice”, the congregation is immediately addressed and involved in current events: “praise what the Most High has done today”. The Christmas story begins with the fact that Mary and Joseph were forced by a command from the Emperor Augustus to leave their homeland Galilee and to be counted in Joseph's birthplace Bethlehem (No. 2). Triggered by this external movement, the alto aria “Prepare yourself, Zion” reflects the inner yearning for Advent and gives a first inkling of the greatness of what is ahead. According to early Christian tradition and bride mysticism, “Zion” becomes an image for the Christian community, which as a bride waits for her bridegroom (= Christ). That in the chorale How shall I receive you from Paul Gerhardt, not the usual chorale melody by Johann Crüger (1653), but that of O head full of blood and wounds (originally Mein G'müt is confused for me , Hans Leo Haßler , 1601) sounds, was previously interpreted theologically to the effect that suffering begins with the Incarnation and that the cross is already remembered at the crib. However, more recent Bach research has shown that this was the usual melody in the Leipzig and Dresden hymn books.

The recitative “And she gave birth to her first son” (No. 6) tells of the birth of Jesus. When Bach dodges the key of D minor for the word “manger” and does not use the expected D major, the deep humiliation in Christ's Incarnation is expressed. In contrast, the aria “Great Lord, O strong King” (No. 8) hymns the majesty of God. This is indicated by the key of D major, the broken triads in the trumpet and the numerous octave leaps in the continuo, which illustrate the totality of God. With the words “must sleep in hard cribs” the trumpet falls silent and the syncope symbolizes how inappropriate this humiliation is for the eternal Son of God. Part I closes with the request, as a constant reminder, to let your own heart become a manger. At the end of all parts, as in most of Bach's cantatas, there is a chorale, which is only followed by the repetition of the opening chorus in Part III. In the oratorio, the final chorale on most of the festive days (I, II, IV and VI) is enriched by the concerted instruments, here the trumpets.

No.	shape	key	Tact	Start of text	Instrumentation	source
1	Choir	D major	3/8	Rejoice, rejoice, to, praise the day	3 trumpets, timpani, 2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes, strings (violin I, II, viola) and continuo (cello, violone, organ and bassoon)	BWV 214/1: Choir, sound, you timpani! Sound out trumpets!
2	Secco recitative (evangelist, tenor)			But it came to pass at that time	Continuo	Text: Lk 2,1 + 3–6  LUT
3	Accompagnato recitative (alto)			Now becomes my dearest bridegroom	2 oboes d'amore, continuo
4th	Aria (alto)	A minor / C major	3/8	Prepare yourself, Zion, with tenderness	Oboe d'amore, violin, continuo	BWV 213/9 : Aria, I don't want to hear you , I don't want / like to know you
5	Chorale	E-Phrygian	C (4/4)	How should I receive you	2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes, strings, continuo	Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1653
6th	Secco recitative (evangelist, tenor)			And she gave birth to her first son	Continuo	Text: Lk 2,7  LUT
7th	Choral (soprano) Accompagnato-recitative (bass)	G major	3/4 C	He is poor on earth who wants to raise love right	2 oboes d'amore, continuo	Text (chorale): Martin Luther, 1524
8th	Aria (bass)	D major	2/4	Great Lord, O mighty King	Trumpet, transverse flute, strings, continuo	BWV 214/7: Aria, Kron and Prize of crowned ladies
9	Chorale	D major	C (4/4)	Oh my dear little Jesus	3 trumpets, timpani, 2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes, strings and continuo (cello, violone, organ and bassoon)	Text: Martin Luther, 1535

Part II: "And there were shepherds in the same area"

Govaert Flinck , Announcement to the Shepherds, 1639

Instrumentation: solos, choir, 2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes d'amore, 2 oboes da caccia , strings, basso continuo

Scheduled performance time: Boxing Day (December 26th)

Content: The second part is about the news of the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. In contrast to all other parts in which a choral movement is at the beginning, pure instrumental music is played in this nocturnal scene, entitled Sinfonia, in the manner of a pastoral in dotted Siciliano rhythm. Flutes and strings symbolize heavenly angel music and the oboes folk pastoral music; the areas appear juxtaposed. With their simple third melodies, the oboes imitate the sound of the shawm , a typical shepherd's instrument, and the long sustained low notes of the drone bass . At night, to the horror of the shepherds, an angel appears (No. 11). Its splendor is represented by the chorale "Brich an, o beautiful morning light", which is not supposed to frighten, but to illuminate.

In recitative No. 13, the angel announces the birth of Christ as a soprano soloist in the highest notes (up to the a ′ ′). In the subsequent bass recitative, the Old Testament promise to Abraham from ( Gen 12.2  LUT ) is recalled, which has now found its fulfillment and is being announced to the shepherds. The two-part tenor aria No. 15 can be understood as an appropriate response, with the shepherds exhorting one another to hurry to see the child. The running sixteenth-note figures, which increase to thirty-second runs, depict their rapid movement. The highly virtuoso melisms have the joy of the basic affect. Strangely, the evangelist in the Secco continues the quotation from angels, the discovery of the child in the manger (No. 16). Bach puts the chorale “Look, there lies in the dark stable” deep in the subdominant , which expresses the humiliation of the Son of God. The chorale is in the center of part II and thus in the center of the Christmas half of parts I to III.

The bass voice prompts you (No. 18) to go to the stable and sing a song to the child at the cradle. After Maria sang the lullaby "Sleep, my love," the hosts of the angels rejoice in a large motet Tutti -Chor with long melisma "Glory to God in the highest" (no. 21). This contrasts with the “peace on earth” brought by the child in the piano middle section. Bach paints the peace through descending figures of the katabasis , while the continuo comes to rest like an organ point with long notes. The final chorale “We sing you in your army” takes up the dancing rhythm of the symphonia, but makes it clear through the instrumentation of the flutes and oboes that are played at octave intervals that heavenly and earthly music are no longer facing each other, but are united in a common glory .

This part shows that Bach was interested in developing new instruments. He promoted z. B. the construction of the oboe d'amore , which has a muted, particularly sweet sound due to the lower A-tuning and the ball-like bell. He also sponsored the construction of the oboe da caccia by the Leipzig instrument maker Johann Eichentopf . A semicircular shape with a brass bell creates a dark tone with a fine, metallic sheen.

No.	shape	key	Tact	Start of text	Instrumentation	source
10	Sinfonia	G major	12/8	-	2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes d'amore, 2 oboes da caccia, strings and continuo
11	Secco recitative (evangelist, tenor)			And there were shepherds in the same area	Continuo	Text: Lk 2,8-9  LUT
12	Chorale	G major	C (4/4)	Come on, oh beautiful morning light	2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes d'amore, 2 oboes da caccia, strings, continuo	Text: Johann Rist, 1641
13	Accompagnato recitative (evangelist, tenor; angel, soprano)			And the angel said to them do not be afraid	Strings, continuo	Text: Lk 2 : 10-11  LUT
14th	Accompagnato recitative (bass)			What God promised Abraham	2 oboes d'amore, 2 oboes da caccia, strings, continuo
15th	Aria (tenor)	E minor	3/8	Merry shepherds, hurry, ah hurry	Transverse flute, continuo	BWV 214/5 : Aria, Pious Muses! my limbs!
16	Secco recitative (evangelist, tenor)			And that's your sign	Continuo	Text: Lk 2,12  LUT
17th	Chorale	C major	C (4/4)	Look, there lies in the dark stable	2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes d'amore, 2 oboes da caccia, strings, continuo	Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1667
18th	Accompagnato recitative (bass)	C major / G major		So go, you shepherds, go	2 oboes d'amore, 2 oboes da caccia, continuo
19th	Aria (alto)	G major / E minor	2/4	Sleep, my love, enjoy the peace	Transverse flute ( colla parte , octaved), 2 oboes d'amore, 2 oboes da caccia, strings, continuo	BWV 213/3 : Aria, sleep, my dear (st) er, and cultivate peace
20th	Secco recitative (evangelist, tenor)			And immediately there was with the angel	Continuo	Text: Lk 2,13  LUT
21st	Choir	G major	Alla breve (2/2)	Glory to God in the highest	2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes d'amore, 2 oboes da caccia, strings, continuo	Text: Lk 2.14  LUT ; BWV 247 / 33b Crucify him possibly parody, but unclear
22nd	Secco recitative (bass)			So right, you angels, shout and sing	Continuo
23	Chorale	G major	12/8	We sing to you in your army	2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes d'amore, 2 oboes da caccia, strings and continuo	Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1656

Part III: "Lords of Heaven, hear the babble"

Matthias Stomer , Adoration of the Shepherds, mid-17th century

Instrumentation: solos, choir, 3 trumpets, timpani, 2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes (also as oboes d'amore), strings, basso continuo

Scheduled performance date: December 27th

Content: The third part concludes the actual story of Christmas Eve with the adoration by the shepherds in the stable in Bethlehem . The festive opening choir with a full instrumental line-up praises the “ruler of heaven”, with only indirect reference to the Christmas events. After the angels have disappeared (No. 25), the shepherds set out for Bethlehem, asking one another: “Let's go now”. The almost uninterrupted eighth-notes in the continuo and the sixteenth-note chains of the accompanying instrumental parts vividly illustrate the movement of the shepherds, which is initially in opposite directions, but then finds a common direction. In the Accompagnato recitative (No. 27 “He consoled his people”) the redemption of God's people is shown as the salvation-historical purpose of the birth of Christ, which is underlined by the use of the flutes, which stand for the heavenly realm. In the following chorale the answer to the gift of God's love is put in the mouth of the listener: “He has done all this for us”.

In the duet “Herr, dein Mitleid” (No. 29), which Bach has revised in a radical way compared to the original, the shepherds, accompanied by the oboe, praise God's merciful devotion to people. In the middle section of this aria (bars 120–126) God's condescension at Christmas is illustrated by the characteristic tone repetitions in the continuo descending over two octaves. After the angel's prediction is confirmed, the shepherds spread the good news (no.30). In a second lullaby (cf. No. 19), Mary tries to internalize everything she has heard meditatively (No. 31 “Close, my heart, this blessed miracle firmly in your faith”), and then confess: “Yes, yes, let my heart keep it ”(No. 32). The powerful chorale “I want to keep you diligently” takes up this thought and aims at existential appropriation of what has been heard. The evangelist tells of the joyful return of the shepherds (n.34). This is followed by the increasing, upward-striving chorale “Be glad meanwhile” as a call to all Christians. The “first half” of the Christmas Oratorio closes with the repetition of the opening chorus “Ruler of Heaven”. The framing of the key of D major in the first and third parts also gives parts I – III a special cohesion.

No.	shape	key	Tact	Start of text	Instrumentation	source
24	Choir	D major	3/8	Lord of Heaven, hear the babble	3 trumpets, timpani, 2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes, strings and continuo	BWV 214/9 : Choir, bloom, you linden trees in Saxony, like cedars
25th	Secco recitative (evangelist, tenor)			And when the angels went from them to heaven	Continuo	Text: Lk 2,15  LUT
26th	Choir	A major	3/4	Now let's go to Bethlehem	2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes d'amore, strings, continuo	BWV 247 / 2b + 25b ?, Yes, not for the festival and we heard him say: I want the temple possible parody, but unclear
27	Accompagnato recitative (bass)	A major		He has comforted his people '	2 transverse flutes, continuo
28	Chorale	D major	C (4/4)	He has done all of this to us	2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes, strings, continuo	Text: Martin Luther, 1524
29	Duet (soprano, bass)	A major	3/8	Lord, your compassion, your mercy	2 oboes d'amore, continuo	BWV 213/11 : Aria, I am yours, you are mine ; the original may already be a parody
30th	Secco recitative (evangelist, tenor)			And they came in a hurry	Continuo	Text: Lk 2,16-19  LUT
31	Aria (alto)	D major / B minor	2/4	Close, my heart, this blessed miracle	Violin solo, continuo	newly composed (initially a parody of BWV 215/7 , Through weapons inflamed by zeal , was planned, but was then used for No. 47)
32	Accompagnato recitative (alto)			Yes, yes, let my heart keep it	2 transverse flutes, continuo
33	Chorale	G major	C (4/4)	I want to keep you with diligence	2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes, strings, continuo	Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1653
34	Secco recitative (evangelist, tenor)			And the shepherds turned back	Continuo	Text: Lk 2.20  LUT
35	Chorale	F sharp minor	C (4/4)	Be happy in the meantime	2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes, strings, continuo	Text: Christoph Runge, 1653
24 da capo	Choir	D major	3/8	Lord of Heaven, hear the babble	3 trumpets, timpani, 2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes, strings and continuo	BWV 214: Choir, bloom, you linden trees in Saxony, like cedars

Part IV: "Fall with thanks, fall with praise"

Rembrandt van Rijn , Circumcision of Christ, 1661

Instrumentation: solos, choir, 2 horns (corno da caccia), 2 oboes, strings, basso continuo

Scheduled performance time: New Year (January 1st; Feast of the Circumcision of Christ )

Content: Due to the different instrumentation with the horn sound and the resulting key of F major, the fourth part of the Christmas oratorio has its own character. That is why it is often not given a concert with the other parts today. There is only one single Bible verse, so the dramatic element is less prominent than in the other parts. Associated with circumcision is the naming, which is celebrated in Part IV in a solemn and meditative way. The opening choir encourages to thank God because his son wants to become “Savior and Redeemer”. The evangelist tells of circumcision, during which the newborn is given the name Jesus. In nos. 38 and 40, a bass recitative is combined with an arioso chorale (soprano) and the intimate connection between the believer and Jesus is expressed in a sensitive way that never ends even in death. In this way, Part IV builds a bridge to the Passion story. There is probably an allusion to the Christmas story of the dying old Simeon , who saw in Mary's child the fulfillment of the Old Testament and his personal hope.

The symmetrical structure of the echo soprano aria is central. It affirms that the name of the Savior cannot inspire the slightest horror, as the various questions of the believer are answered in echoes by the encouragement of the Christ child. After the contemplative middle section (nos. 38–40), tempo and affect alternate: the fast sixteenth-note chains of the tenor aria illustrate the newly won confidence and the confession of wanting to live for the Savior. There is also a desire to be able to do this in an appropriate and dignified manner. A concertante chorale closes Part IV with the request for Jesus' help; Here, too, the name of Jesus is central again.

No.	shape	key	Tact	Start of text	Instrumentation	source
36	Choir	F major	3/8	Fall with thanks, fall with praise	2 horns, 2 oboes, strings and continuo	BWV 213/1 : Chorus, let us take care, let us watch
37	Secco recitative (evangelist, tenor)			And since eight days were up	Continuo	Text: Lk 2,21  LUT
38	Accompagnato recitative (bass) Arioso chorale (soprano)			Immanuel, o sweet word of Jesus, you my dearest life	Strings, continuo	Text: Johann Rist, 1642
39	Aria (soprano & echo soprano)	C major	6/8	Float, my Savior, flood your name	Oboe solo, continuo	BWV 213/5: Aria, Faithful Echo of these places ; Possibly comes from a lost congratulatory cantata BWV Anh. 11, Long live the king, the father in the country
40	Accompagnato recitative (bass) Arioso chorale (soprano)			Well then, your name should be Jesus, my joy and delight	Strings, continuo	Text: Johann Rist, 1642
41	Aria (tenor)	D minor	C (4/4)	I just wanna live in your honor	2 violins, continuo	BWV 213/7: Aria, You shall float on my wings
42	Chorale	F major	3/4	Jesus judge my beginning	2 horns, 2 oboes, strings and continuo	Text: Johann Rist, 1642

Part V: "Glory to you, God, sung"

The three magicians before Herod, France, early 15th century

Instrumentation: solos, choir, 2 oboes d'amore, strings, basso continuo

Scheduled performance time: First Sunday after New Years

Content: Part V and VI focus on the visit of the wise men from the Orient. Part V is the only one intended for an ordinary Sunday service and perhaps for this reason ends with a simple chorale. The instrumentation is simple compared to the other parts (oboes and strings). While part II in the subdominant G major expressed the deep humiliation of the Incarnation of Christ, the dominant A major in the fifth part stands for the radiant light of the newborn king. This is already impressive in the lively opening choir, which has the universal praise of God as its subject. The evangelist tells of the arrival of the wise men (no. 44) in a Turba ask -Chor King Herod after the "new-born King of the Jews", have pointed to the star (no. 45). After a chorale tells of Jesus' splendor, who "consumes all darkness", the appearance of the star is interpreted as a parable in a bass aria (No. 47), asking for the enlightenment of the "dark senses" in one's own life. The horror that attacks Herod can be heard in the recitative with the words "he was terrified" in the top note a ′ (No. 48).

In the following Accompagnato recitative (No. 49) the drama reaches its climax when the strings in the tremolo represent the trembling of Herod, who should actually be happy about the birth of Jesus. When Herod asked the high priests and scribes to explain the prophecy from Mi 5,1  LUT that the Lord should come from Bethlehem over the people of Israel (No. 50), Bach did not start the chorus, but instructed (as already in No. 16) direct speech to the evangelist. The arioso in the quote from the prophet is distinguished by a solemn dignity.

In a moving trio, the human longing for the appearance of God is expressed in the form of a dialogue: While the soprano and tenor ceaselessly and melancholy pray for Jesus' coming - the sigh sounds "ah!" Over 50 times - the alto replies as a voice the belief that it has long been present. In the closing chorale, the idea of ​​light is taken up again like a parable: Although the “heart room” of a person is a “dark pit”, it can be brightly illuminated by Jesus' “ray of grace”.

No.	shape	key	Tact	Start of text	Instrumentation	source
43	Choir	A major / F sharp minor	3/4	Glory to you, God, sung	2 oboes d'amore, strings and continuo	newly composed (initially a parody of BWV 213/13 , Lust der Völker, Lust der Deine , based on BWV 184/6 , Good Shepherd, Consolation of Yourselves, was planned, but was then replaced by a new composition)
44	Secco recitative (evangelist, tenor)			Because Jesus was born in Bethlehem	Continuo	Text: Mt 2,1  LUT
45	Choir Accompagnato-Recitative (Alto) Choir	D major	C (4/4)	Where is the newborn king of the Jews Looking for him in my breast We have seen his star	2 oboes d'amore, strings, continuo	Text: Mt 2.2  LUT ; possibly BWV 247 / 39b, choir, ugh, how finely you break the temple
46	Chorale	A major	C (4/4)	Your splendor consumes all darkness	2 oboes d'amore, strings, continuo	Text: Georg Weissel , 1642
47	Aria (bass)	F sharp minor	2/4	Illuminate my dark senses too	Oboe d'amore solo, organ without continuo	BWV 215/7 : Aria, Through weapons inflamed by zeal (cf. to No. 31)
48	Secco recitative (evangelist, tenor)			When King Herod heard this	Continuo	Text: Mt 2,3  LUT
49	Accompagnato recitative (alto)			Why do you want to be frightened	Strings, continuo
50	Secco recitative (evangelist, tenor)			And gathered all the high priests together	Continuo	Text: Mt 2,4-6  LUT
51	Trio (soprano, alto, tenor)	B minor	2/4	Oh, when will the time appear?	Violin solo, continuo	Possibly a parody, unknown original
52	Accompagnato recitative (alto)			My love already rules	Continuo
53	Chorale	A major	C (4/4)	It is true that this is the heart room	2 oboes d'amore, strings and continuo	Text: Johann Franck , 1655

Part VI: "Lord, when the proud enemies snort"

Rogier van der Weyden , Adoration of the Three Magi, mid-15th century.

Instrumentation: solos, choir, 3 trumpets, timpani, 2 oboes (also as oboes d'amore), strings, basso continuo

Scheduled performance date: Epiphany (January 6th)

Contents: Part VI with its large instrumental line-up and the key of D major ties in with Parts I and III, thus forming a bracket around the Christmas oratorio and solemnly closing the whole work. In the framing choir pieces (Nos. 54 and 64) the virtuoso part of the trumpets is striking, initiating the fight against the enemies of faith with fanfare sounds. In terms of content, the last part continues the story of the visit of the wise men from Part V, but typologizes Herod as the enemy of Christianity. The opening choir is borne by the certainty that one can "escape the sharp claws of the enemy unharmed" by believing in God. In the first recitative, Herod, who appears as soliloquent, asks the wise men from the Orient to look for the child so that he too can worship him (No. 55); the word “adore” comes out of his mouth in a distorted manner. A soprano recitative (No. 56) denounces Herod's cunning and falsehood.

In the following soprano aria (no. 57) God's overpowering sovereignty is portrayed, through whose hint “powerless human power” can be overthrown immediately. The aria is characterized by a high proportion of instruments, in which the staccato figures illustrate the gesture of being thrown away. The wise men from the Orient find the child in his manger and give him gold, frankincense and myrrh (No. 58), which is expressed in the rich harmony. The chorale “ I'm standing at your crib here ” applies this to the believer, who is supposed to offer himself as a gift to God. Traditionally, this chorale was sung in Bach's time to the melody of “It is certainly about time”. In a dream God commands the wise men not to go to Herod but to return to their country (No. 60). In the tenor aria, the enemy threat is contrasted with the presence of the Savior. The solemn final chorus reminds us that Jesus has overcome “death, devil, sin and hell” and concludes the sixth part and the entire oratorio. The same melody is used as in the first chorale (No. 5), which gives the entire work a cohesion.

No.	shape	key	Tact	Start of text	Instrumentation	source
54	Choir	D major	3/8	Lord, when the proud enemies snort	3 trumpets, timpani, 2 oboes, strings and continuo	BWV Anh. 10/1 / BWV 248a, So fight only your cheerful tones , presumably a parody like other pieces from Part VI
55	Secco recitative (evangelist, tenor; Herod, bass)			Herod then secretly called the wise men to go and investigate diligently	Continuo	Text: Mt 2,7-8  LUT
56	Accompagnato recitative (soprano)			You wrong one, just seek to fell the Lord	Strings, continuo	BWV 248a, presumably a parody
57	Aria (soprano)	A major / F sharp minor / A major	3/4	Just a wink from his hands	Oboe d'amore, strings, continuo	BWV 248a, presumably a parody
58	Accompagnato recitative (evangelist, tenor)			When they had heard the king	Continuo	Text: Mt 2,9-11  LUT
59	Chorale	G major	C (4/4)	I'm standing here at your crib	2 oboes, strings, continuo	Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1656
60	Secco recitative (evangelist, tenor)			And God commanded them in a dream	Continuo	Text: Mt 2,12  LUT
61	Accompagnato recitative (tenor)			So goes! Enough, my darling is not going from here	2 oboes d'amore, continuo	BWV 248a, presumably a parody
62	Aria (tenor)	B minor	2/4	Now you may frighten proud enemies	2 oboes d'amore, continuo	BWV 248a, presumably a parody
63	Secco recitative (soprano, alto, tenor, bass)			What does the horror of hell want now?	Continuo	BWV 248a, presumably a parody
64	Chorale	D major	C (4/4)	Now you have smelled well	3 trumpets, timpani, 2 oboes, strings, continuo	Text: Georg Werner, 1648; BWV 248a, presumably a parody

literature

• Walter Blankenburg : The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach . 5th edition. Bärenreiter, Kassel 2003, ISBN 3-7618-4406-9 .
• Johan Bouman : Music for the Glory of God. Music as a gift from God and proclamation of the Gospel with Johann Sebastian Bach . 2nd Edition. Brunnen, Giessen 2000, ISBN 3-7655-1201-X .
• Werner Breig :  Bach, Johann Sebastian. In: Ludwig Finscher (Hrsg.): The music in past and present . Second edition, personal section, volume 1 (Aagard - Baez). Bärenreiter / Metzler, Kassel et al. 1999, ISBN 3-7618-1111-X , Sp. 1397–1535 ( online edition , subscription required for full access)
• Alfred Dürr : Johann Sebastian Bach: Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 . Wilhelm Fink, Munich 1967.
• Alfred Dürr: Johann Sebastian Bach: The Cantatas . Bärenreiter, Kassel 1999, ISBN 3-7618-1476-3 .
• Michael Heinemann (Ed.): The Bach Lexicon (=  Bach Handbook; 6 ). 2nd Edition. Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2000, ISBN 3-89007-456-1 .
• Günter Jena : Come on, oh beautiful morning light. The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach . Verlagsgemeinschaft topos plus, Kevelaer 2009, ISBN 978-3-8367-0708-4 .
• Ton Koopman : Aspects of Performance Practice . In: Christoph Wolff (Ed.): The world of Bach cantatas. Volume 2. Johann Sebastian Bach's secular cantatas . JB Metzler, Stuttgart / Weimar 1997, ISBN 3-7618-1276-0 (special edition 2006, ISBN 3-476-02127-0 ).
• Konrad Küster (Ed.): Bach Handbook . Bärenreiter / Metzler, Kassel / Stuttgart 1999, ISBN 3-7618-2000-3 .
• Robin A. Leaver: Bach's Theological Library . Hänssler, Neuhausen-Stuttgart 1983, ISBN 3-7751-0841-6 .
• Helmut Loos: Christmas in Music . Gudrun Schröder Verlag, Bonn 1992, ISBN 3-926196-15-7 .
• Daniel R. Melamed: Choral and choral movements . In: Christoph Wolff (Ed.): The world of Bach cantatas. Vol. 1. Johann Sebastian Bach's church cantatas: from Arnstadt to the Köthen time . tape 1 . JB Metzler, Stuttgart / Weimar 1996, ISBN 3-7618-1278-7 , p. 169–184 (2006 special edition, ISBN 3-476-02127-0 ).
• Werner Neumann : Handbook of the cantatas Johann Sebastian Bach . 1947, 5th edition. Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden 1984, ISBN 3-7651-0054-4 .
• Andrew Parrott : Bach's choir: to the new understanding . Metzler / Bärenreiter, Stuttgart / Kassel 2003, ISBN 3-7618-2023-2 , p. 66-107 .
• Martin Petzold: Between Orthodoxy, Pietism and Enlightenment - Considerations on the theological-historical context of Johann Sebastian Bach . In: Reinhard Szeskus (ed.): Bach and the Enlightenment . Breitkopf & Härtel, Leipzig 1982, p. 66-107 .
• Arnold Schmitz: The oratorical art of JS Bach . In: Walter Blankenburg (Ed.): Johann Sebastian Bach (=  ways of research; 170 ). Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 1970, p. 61-84 .
• Hans-Joachim Schulze : The Bach Cantatas: Introductions to all of Johann Sebastian Bach's cantatas (=  Edition Bach Archive Leipzig ). Evangelische Verlags-Anstalt / Carus-Verlag, Leipzig / Stuttgart 2006, ISBN 3-374-02390-8 (or ISBN 3-89948-073-2 (Carus)).
• Albert Schweitzer : Johann Sebastian Bach . 11th edition. Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden 1990, ISBN 3-7651-0034-X .
• Friedrich Smend : Johann Sebastian Bach. Church Cantatas . 3. Edition. Issue 5. Christian magazine publisher, Berlin 1966.
• Philipp Spitta : Johann Sebastian Bach . 8th edition. tape 2 . Breitkopf & Härtel, Leipzig 1979 (reprint of the 4th edition Leipzig 1930).
• Meinrad Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach: Christmas Oratorio . 3. Edition. Bärenreiter, Kassel 2016, ISBN 3-7618-1515-8 .
• Arnold Werner-Jensen: Reclam's music guide Johann Sebastian Bach. Vol. 2: Vocal Music . Reclam, Stuttgart 1993, ISBN 3-15-010386-X .
• Christoph Wolff : Johann Sebastian Bach . Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2005, ISBN 3-596-16739-6 .

Recordings / sound carriers (selection)

The table offers a selection of recordings on phonograms, particularly taking into account those currently commercially available. The columns are sortable.

Web links

Commons : Christmas Oratorio (Bach)  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Sheet music and audio files

• Score autograph in the digitized collections of the Berlin State Library
• Source description of the original score , source database RISM
• Autograph in the Bach digital portal
• Christmas Oratorio : Sheet Music and Audio Files in the International Music Score Library Project
• Christmas Oratorio: MIDI / MP3 format, with practice files for choristers

Further information

• Text and structure of Bach's Christmas Oratorio: Part I , Part II , Part III , Part IV , Part V , Part VI .
• Bach Cantatas website : description, recordings, further links

Individual evidence

1. ^ Küster (Ed.): Bach Handbook. 1999, p. 475; Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 29; Dürr: Johann Sebastian Bach. 1967, p. 4.
2. ↑ ^{a b} Heinemann: The Bach Lexicon. 2000, p. 558.
3. ↑ ^{a b c} Breig: Bach, Johann Sebastian. 1999, col. 1490.
4. ^ Dürr: Johann Sebastian Bach. 1967, p. 16.
5. ↑ ^{a b c} Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 37, who gives an example from Part III: “and moved her in her heart ” (No. 30 recitative of the Evangelist) - “Close my heart ” (No. 31 alto aria) - “Yes, yes , my heart shall preserve it ”(No. 32 alto Accompagnato) -“ I want to preserve you with diligence ”(No. 33 chorale).
6. ↑ ^{a b} Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 29.
7. ^ Dürr: Johann Sebastian Bach. 1967, pp. 18-22.
8. ↑ Jena: “Come on, oh beautiful morning light”. 2009, p. 187 f.
9. ↑ ^{a b} Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, pp. 14-18.
10. ↑ ^{a b} Bouman: Music for the glory of God. 2000, p. 52.
11. ↑ Jena: “Come on, oh beautiful morning light”. 2009, p. 190 f.
12. ↑ ^{a b} Melamed: Choir and chorale movements. 2006, p. 178.
13. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 59.
14. ^ Wolff: Johann Sebastian Bach. 2000, p. 387.
15. ^ Küster (Ed.): Bach Handbook. 1999, p. 483.
16. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 28.
17. ↑ ^{a b c d e} Heinemann: The Bach Lexicon. 2000, p. 556.
18. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, pp. 35-36.
19. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 36.
20. ^ Wolff: Johann Sebastian Bach. 2000, pp. 247, 342, 346-349.
21. ^ Wolff: Johann Sebastian Bach. 2000, p. 254.
22. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 33.
23. ↑ Smend: Johann Sebastian Bach. Church Cantatas. 1966, p. 36.
24. ↑ ^{a b} Bouman: Music for the glory of God. 2000, p. 64 f.
25. ↑ According to the research consensus , see e.g. B. Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 61; Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, pp. 38, 53, 64.
26. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, pp. 53, 55, 109.
27. ↑ Catalog of the Bachhaus Eisenach (accessed on February 17, 2009; PDF; 180 kB).
28. ↑ ^{a b} Werner-Jensen: Reclam's music guide Johann Sebastian Bach. 1993, p. 220.
29. ↑ Overview of the templates (numbering according to NBA ):

    BWV 213 Let us worry, let us watch (Hercules at the crossroads) , Dramma per musica (1733)

    BWV 214 Tone, you timpani! Sound out trumpets! , Dramma per musica (1733)

    BWV 215 Praise your luck, blessed Saxony , congratulatory cantata (1734)

    BWV 247 Mark Passion (1731), music lost

    BWV 248a wedding cantata, lost

    BWV Anh. 10 Just fight, you lively tones , church cantatas (1731), lost, only a few instrumental parts received

30. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. 2016, pp. 24, 27 f.
31. ^ Wolff: Johann Sebastian Bach. 2000, p. 384.
32. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 26.
33. ↑ On Bach's numerous revisions see Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, pp. 12-25; Wolff: Johann Sebastian Bach. 2000, pp. 383-387.
34. ↑ The Old Testament background in the Christmas story of Luke and Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio I – III.
35. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, pp. 34-35.
36. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 15 f.
37. ^ Dürr: Johann Sebastian Bach. 1967, pp. 4-7; Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, pp. 21, 24.
38. ^ Dürr: Johann Sebastian Bach. 1967, p. 43, sees in this grouping of four a correspondence to the divine service elements reading - contemplation - prayer - answer of the congregation and gives some examples: Nos. 2 - 3 - 4 - 5; No. 6-7-8-9; No. 37 - 38/40 - 41 - 42.
39. ↑ Bouman: Music for the Glory of God. 2000, p. 29; Dürr: Johann Sebastian Bach. 1967, 43.
40. ↑ Bach's library comprises 81 volumes which, in addition to Bibles and the works of Luther, contain extensive collections of songs and theological edification literature of Lutheran orthodoxy and Pietism; see. Leaver: Bach's Theological Library. 1983; Petzold: Between Orthodoxy, Pietism and Enlightenment. 1982, pp. 66-107.
41. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. 2016, p. 13; Johan Bouman: Music for the Glory of God. 2000, p. 44 ff.
42. ^ Schmitz: The oratorical art of JS Bach. 1970, pp. 61-84.
43. ↑ Johan Bouman: Music for the Glory of God. 2000, p. 46.
44. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, pp. 10-11.
45. ^ Wolff: Johann Sebastian Bach. 2000, pp. 398, 543.
46. ↑ Text booklet for the CD: The new Bach organ of the Thomaskirche in Leipzig. Querstand 2001, p. 9 (explanations by Ullrich Böhme on the organ).
47. ↑ Parrott: Bach's choir: for a new understanding. 2003.
48. ^ Koopman: Aspects of Performance Practice. 1997, pp. 220-222.
49. ↑ www.motettenchor-frankfurt.de , accessed on November 29, 2015.
50. ↑ http://www.konzerthaus.de/ ( Memento from December 8, 2015 in the Internet Archive )
51. ^ Schweitzer: Johann Sebastian Bach. 1990, p. 638.
52. ↑ 275 years of the Christmas Oratorio. Retrieved November 16, 2019 . 
53. ↑ Spandau hiking oratorio. Retrieved November 16, 2019 . 
54. ↑ Music in Churches: 6 cantata services in Neukölln , accessed on November 27, 2015.
55. ↑ Bach's Christmas Oratorio on six public holidays and six locations , accessed on November 27, 2015.
56. ↑ Jazz arrangement by Bill Dobbins
57. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, p. 22.
58. ↑ ^{a b} Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 55.
59. ↑ For example the Bach biographer Philipp Spitta : Johann Sebastian Bach. 1979, pp. 410, 413, 415.
60. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 46 f; Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 58 f.
61. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 61.
62. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, p. 56.
63. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, p. 57.
64. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 50.
65. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, pp. 54, 56.
66. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. 2016, p. 93.
67. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 54; Schweitzer: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 1990, p. 637 f.
68. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. 2016, p. 81.
69. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, p. 89.
70. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 61.
71. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, p. 92 f; Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 84.
72. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, p. 94, sees this as an indication of the humiliation of God "without the splendor of the accompanying strings, without the brilliant high pitch of the soprano voice". Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 85, assumes the intention "that the music now plays again on the level of the gospel". Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 64, is based on traditional reasons. Today, the recitative is sung by a soprano in many performances.
73. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. 2016, p. 85; Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 64. In another context, Blankenburg refers to Johann Heinrich Buttstedt , who associates the major triad with the divine and the minor triad with the human person of the Trinity (Walter Blankenburg: Introduction to Bach's B minor -Messe BWV 232. 6th edition. Bärenreiter, Kassel 2001, ISBN 3-7618-0446-6 , p. 56 . )
74. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, pp. 38 f., 55, 64.
75. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, p. 87.
76. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, p. 106.
77. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 69.
78. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 92; Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 75.
79. ^ Wolff: Johann Sebastian Bach. 2000, p. 414.
80. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 76.
81. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 78.
82. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, p. 118.
83. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 109.
84. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. 2016, p. 109 f.
85. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 84.
86. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 88 f.
87. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, p. 137.
88. ↑ ^{a b} Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 93.
89. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, p. 166 f.
90. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. 2016, p. 127.
91. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 98 f.
92. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 94 f.
93. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, p. 160 f.
94. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 137.
95. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 138 f.
96. ↑ Part V is scheduled for the first Sunday of the new year before Epiphany on January 6th. However, in some years there is no such day, for example 2007/2008. During Bach's lifetime there was a series of holidays with a Sunday after New Year without a Sunday after Christmas in 1739/40, 1744/45 and 1745/46; see. Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 34.
97. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, pp. 109, 125.
98. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, p. 174.
99. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 151.
100. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, pp. 109, 116.
101. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, pp. 109, 117.
102. ↑ ^{a b} Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 158.
103. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, p. 190 f.
104. ^ Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, pp. 109, 119, 122, 124.
105. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 162.
106. ^ Küster (Ed.): Bach Handbook. 1999, p. 482, considers this choir to be an original new composition: "But it is more likely to be established that by chance two equally unchangeable Gospel texts can be subordinated to this music".
107. ↑ ^{a b} Blankenburg: The Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 2003, p. 126.
108. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, pp. 201-207; Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 172 f.
109. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, p. 208.
110. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, p. 212.
111. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, p. 175.
112. ↑ Jena: Come on, oh beautiful morning light. 2009, p. 219.
113. ^ Walter: Johann Sebastian Bach. Christmas Oratorio. 2016, pp. 33, 180.

This article was added to the list of excellent articles on September 23, 2010 in this version .