This book is intended to provide the inquisitive listener with a guide to exploring the many layers of meaning found in Bach's Christmas Oratorio. The first section offers a general sketch of the specific context in which this composition was created at the end of 1734, shedding light on the work's liturgical function and taking a closer look at the biblical and broader religious themes. This first section will also focus on the contemporary textual and musical components of the oratorio genre, of which Bach's composition is a prime example. The second section is a detailed discussion of the 64 movements making up the work, with a focus on three aspects: the text, the music and the relation between the two. The nature of the musical setting and its structure depends on the nature of the text, be it prose (the Bible story) or poetry (the chorales and the inserted commentary), narrative or dramatic (indirect or direct speech). Moreover, the music was governed by the particular musical canons of the day, which largely determined and regulated the structure of each section and the coherence between successive sections or those at a greater remove from one another. In order to get to the essence of Bach's oeuvre, the reader-listener must be prepared to become immersed in the literary and musical idiom, the specific terminology and "grammar" of the day.
Content includes Johann Sebastian Bach's:Christmas Oratorio(Weihnachts-Oratorium)Part One1 Yeah, happy(Jauchzet, frohlocket)2,3 But it came to pass at that time(Es begab sich aber zu der zeit)4 Prepare yourself, zion(bereite dich, zion)5vHow shall I receive you?(Wie soll ich dich empfangen)6 And she bore her first son(Und sie gebar ihren ersten sohn)7 He is poor on earth (er ist auf erden kommen arm)8 Great master and strong king(grosser herr und starker konig)9 Oh, my heart love jeruselum(ach, mein herzliebes jesulein)Part two10 Sinfonia11 And they were shepherds(Und es waren Hirten)12 Break, beautiful morning light(Brich an, o schones Morgenlicht) 13 And the angel spoke to them(Und der Engel sprach zu ihnen)14 What God promised to Abraham(Was Gott dem Abraham verheissen) 15 Merry shepherds, hastens(Frohe Hirten, eilt) 16 And this is about signs(Und das habt um Zeichen) 17 Look, there is the dark stall(Schaut hin, dort liegt im finstern Stall) 18 So go there(So geht denn hin)19 Sleep, my darling(Schlafe, mein Liebster) 20 And then there was the angel(Und alsobald war da bei dem Engel) 21 Glory to God(Ehre sei gott)22 So right, their angels shout and sing(So recht, ihr Engel jauchzt und singet)23 We sing to you in your army(Wir singen dir in deinem Heer) Part Three24 Ruler of heaven, dear(Herrscher des Himmels, erhore) 25 And as the angels went from them to heaven(Und da die Engel von ihnen Himmel fuhren)26 Let us go now to Bethlehem (Lasset uns nun gehen gen Bethlehem)27 He has troubled his people(Er hat sein Volk getrost't)28 This has done us all(Dies hat eralles uns gethan)29 Lord, your compassion(Herr, dein Mitleid)30 And they came hurrying(Und sie kamen eilend)31 Close, my heart(Schliesse, mein Herze)32 Yes, Yes! My heart shall keep it (Ja, ja! mein Herz soll es bewahren)33 I want to keep you busy(Ich will dich mit fleiss bewahren)34 And the shepherds returned (Und die Hirten kehrten wieder um)35 Be glad, meanwhile(Seid froh, dieweil)Part 436 Falls with thanks(Fallt mit Danken)37 And since eight days materialize(Und da acht tage umwaren)38 Immanuel, o sweet word!(Immanuel, o susses wort!)39 Rise, my Savior(Flosst, mein Heiland)40 Jesus, my Friend(Jesu, meine Freud')41 I will only live to honor you(Iche Will nur dir zu Ehren leben)42 Jesus judge mine(Jesus richte mein beginnen)Part 543 Glory to you, GodEhre sei dir, Gott44 When Jesus was born at BethlehemDa jesus geboren war zu Bethlehem45 Where is the new-born king?Wo ist der neugeborne Konig46 Your luster consumed all darknessDein Glanz all' Finsterniss verzehrt47 Enlighten my dark sensesErleucht' auch meine finstre Sinnen48, 49, 50 Since that of the kingDa das der Konig51 Ah, when will the time beAch, wann wird die Zeit erscheinen52 My darling is alreadyMein Liebster herrschet schon53Such is the heartZwar ist solche HerzensstubePart 654 Lord, if the enemies are proudHerr, wenn die stolzen Feinde55, 56 Herod called the wiseDa berief Herodes die Weisen57 Just a winkNur ein Wink58 When she now belonged to the kingAls sie nun den Konig gehoret59 I stand by your cribs hereIch steh' an deiner Krippen hier60, 61 And God commanded themUnd Gott befahl ihnen62 Now you are proud enemiesNun mogt ihr stolzen Feinde63 What is the horror of hell?Was will der Holle Schrecken64 Now you probably smelled somethingNun seid ihr wohl gerochen
In the last decades of the 17th century, the feast of Christmas in Lutheran Germany underwent a major transformation when theologians and local governments waged an early modern "war on Christmas," discouraging riotous pageants and carnivalesque rituals in favor of more personal and internalized expressions of piety. Christmas rituals, such as the "Heilig Christ" plays and the rocking of the child (Kindelwiegen) were abolished, and Christian devotion focused increasingly on the metaphor of a birth of Christ in the human heart. John Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio, composed in 1734, both reflects this new piety and conveys the composer's experience living through this tumult during his own childhood and early career. Markus Rathey's book is the first thorough study of this popular masterpiece in English. While giving a comprehensive overview of the Christmas Oratorio as a whole, the book focuses on two themes in particular: the cultural and theological understanding of Christmas in Bach's time and the compositional process that led Bach from the earliest concepts to the completed piece. The cultural and religious context of the oratorio provides the backdrop for Rathey's detailed analysis of the composition, in which he explores Bach's compositional practices, for example, his reuse and parodies of movements that had originally been composed for secular cantatas. The book analyzes Bach's original score and sheds new light on the way Bach wrote the piece, how he shaped musical themes, and how he revised his initial ideas into the final composition.
Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio is one of the most popular works by this extraordinary composer. It has fascinated people year by year during the Christmas season. This unique book tells the biblical Christmas story in pictures and music in an impressive collection of Baroque and Renaissance paintings and motifs, as well as excerpts from the original, handwritten score. Music CDs: An exquisite recording of the Christmas Oratorio, sung by Arleen Aug?r, Peter Schreier, Theo Adamm and the Dresdner Kreuzchor conducted by Martin Fl?mig, as well as Christmas Cantatas by J. S. Bach.
The Christmas Oratorio (German: Weihnachts-Oratorium), BWV 248, is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach intended for performance in church during the Christmas season. It was written for the Christmas season of 1734 and incorporates music from earlier compositions, including three secular cantatas written during 1733 and 1734 and a largely lost church cantata, BWV 248a. The date is confirmed in Bach's autograph manuscript. The next performance was not until 17 December 1857 by the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin under Eduard Grell. The Christmas Oratorio is a particularly sophisticated example of parody music. The author of the text is unknown, although a likely collaborator was Christian Friedrich Henrici (Picander). The work belongs to a group of three oratorios written in 1734 and 1735 for major feasts, the other two works being the Ascension Oratorio (BWV 11) and the Easter Oratorio (BWV 249). All three of these oratorios to some degree parody earlier compositions. The Christmas Oratorio is by far the longest and most complex work of the three. The Christmas Oratorio is in six parts, each part being intended for performance on one of the major feast days of the Christmas period. The piece is often presented as a whole or split into two equal parts. The total running time for the entire work is nearly three hours. The first part (for Christmas Day) describes the Birth of Jesus, the second (for December 26) the annunciation to the shepherds, the third (for December 27) the adoration of the shepherds, the fourth (for New Year's Day) the circumcision and naming of Jesus, the fifth (for the first Sunday after New Year) the journey of the Magi, and the sixth (for Epiphany) the adoration of the Magi.
This classic Christmas oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach has been delighting audiences for centuries. Featuring beautiful vocal solos and intricate choral arrangements, this piece is perfect for anyone looking to celebrate the holiday season in a truly memorable way. With clear notation and helpful performance notes, this edition will be a valuable addition to any musician's library. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Title: Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248 Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach Original Publisher: Breitkopf & Härtel The complete German vocal score to Bach's Weihnachts-Oratorium, Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, with piano reduction by Solomon Jadassohn, as originally published by Breitkopf & Härtel in 1876. Performer's Reprints are produced in conjunction with the International Music Score Library Project. These are out of print or historical editions, which we clean, straighten, touch up, and digitally reprint. Due to the age of original documents, you may find occasional blemishes, damage, or skewing of print. While we do extensive cleaning and editing to improve the image quality, some items are not able to be repaired. A portion of each book sold is donated to small performing arts organizations to create jobs for performers and to encourage audience growth.
Now available in paperback, this landmark biography was first published in 2000 to mark the 250th anniversary of J. S. Bach's death. Written by a leading Bach scholar, this book presents a new picture of the composer. Christoph Wolff demonstrates the intimate connection between Bach's life and his music, showing how the composer's superb inventiveness pervaded his career as a musician, composer, performer, scholar, and teacher.
