Login
Login

Christmas Oratorio#Part III

{{Short description|1734 oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach}}

{{italic title}}

{{other uses}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}

{{Infobox musical composition

| title = Christmas Oratorio

| composer = {{nowrap|J. S. Bach}}

| type = Cycle of six Christmas cantatas

| image = BWV 248 Autograph.jpg

| alt = First page of the manuscript of Bach's score

| image_upright = 1.2

| caption = First page of the manuscript of the score

| catalogue = BWV 248

| related = earlier secular cantatas

| performed = {{Start date|1734|12|25|df=y}} to {{nowrap|6 January 1735}}, Leipzig

| movements = 64 in six parts

| text = {{ubl| Biblical text from the Gospels of Luke and Matthew

| Lutheran hymns

| Poetry attributed to Picander }}

| vocal = SATB choir and soloists

| instrumental = {{hlist | 3 trumpets | 2 horns | timpani | 2 traversos | 2 oboes | 2 oboes d'amore | 2 violins | viola | cello | violone | continuo }}

}}

The Christmas Oratorio (German: Weihnachtsoratorium), {{nowrap|BWV 248}}, is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach intended for performance in church during the Christmas season. It is in six parts, each part a cantata intended for performance in a church service on a feast day of the Christmas period. 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 complete public performance was not until 17 December 1857 by the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin under Eduard Grell.{{sfn|Rathey|2016|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=X3XADAAAQBAJ&pg=PT456 456]}} The Christmas Oratorio is a particularly sophisticated example of parody music.{{sfn|Rathey2016b|pp=vii, viii, passim}} 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.{{sfn|Rathey2016b|pp=vii, viii, passim}} The Christmas Oratorio is by far the longest and most complex work of the three.{{sfn|Rathey|2016b|p=143}}

The first part (for Christmas Day) describes the birth of Jesus; the second (for 26 December) the annunciation to the shepherds; the third (for 27 December) 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.

The running time for the entire oratorio is around three hours. In concert performance, it is often presented split into two parts.

History

File:BWV 248 Libretto.JPG Source [https://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalSource_source_00025367?lang=en D-LEm I. B. 2a]]]

File:Leipzig Nikolaikirche.jpg]]

File:Leipzig - Thomaskirche.jpg]]

{{see also|Church cantata (Bach)#Christmas}}

In the liturgical calendar of the German reformation era in Saxony, the Christmas season started on 25 December (Christmas Day) and ended on 6 January (Epiphany). It was preceded by Advent, and followed by the period of the Sundays after Epiphany. It included at least three feast days that called for festive music during religious services: apart from Christmas (Nativity of Christ) and Epiphany (Visit of the Magi) the period also included New Year's Day (1 January), in Bach's time still often referred to as the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ. Also 26 and 27 December (second and third day of Christmas) were commonly considered feast days, with festive music in church. If a Sunday fell between 27 December and 1 January, also on this first Sunday after Christmas a church service with music was held, and similar for a Sunday between 1 and 6 January (second Sunday after Christmas, or: first Sunday after New Year).

=1714–1729=

Before Bach composed his Christmas Oratorio for the 1734–35 Christmas season in Leipzig, he had already composed Christmas cantatas and other church music for all seven occasions of the Christmas season:

Four of these third cycle cantatas for the Christmas season, BWV 110, 57, 151 and 16, were on a text from Georg Christian Lehms's Gottgefälliges Kirchen-Opffer cantata libretto cycle, which had been published in 1711.{{sfn|Dürr|Jones|2006|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=m9JuwslMcq4C&pg=PA36 pp. 36–43]}}Georg Christian Lehms. Gottgefälliges Kirchen-Opffer in einem gantzen Jahr-Gange Andächtiger Betrachtungen/ über die gewöhnlichen Sonn- und Festtags-Texte GOtt zu Ehren und der Darmstättischen Schloß-Capelle zu seiner Früh- und Mittags-Erbauung. Darmstadt: 1711. In the second half of the 1720s Bach often collaborated with Picander as a librettist for his cantatas. The Shepherd Cantata, BWV 249a, first performed on 23 February 1725, one of Bach's secular cantatas, is an early example of such cantata.Bach Digital Work {{BDW|0318}} Bach reused the music of this cantata in the 1725 first version of his Easter Oratorio.Bach Digital Work {{BDW|0317}} Ihr Häuser des Himmels, ihr scheinenden Lichter, BWV 193a, composed in 1727, is another secular cantata on a text by Picander which was, shortly after its first performance, reworked into a sacred cantata (Ihr Tore zu Zion, BWV 193).Bach Digital Works {{BDW|0235}} and {{BDW|0234}} In 1728–29 Picander published a cantata libretto cycle, leading to at least two further Christmas season cantatas by Bach:

A Christmas oratorio presented as a cycle of six cantatas, to be performed on several days during the Christmas period, was not uncommon in Bach's day: Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel, whose church music was not unknown to Bach and Leipzig churchgoers,{{sfn|Glöckner|2009}} had composed such Christmas oratorios in 1719 and 1728.{{in lang|de}} Irmgard Scheitler. [https://books.google.com/books?id=NxxgXwt8UE4C Deutschsprachige Oratorienlibretti: von den Anfängen bis 1730.] Schöningh, 2005. {{ISBN|3-506-72955-1}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=NxxgXwt8UE4C&pg=PA338 pp. 338–345]Samantha Owens, Barbara M. Reul, Janice B. Stockigt [https://books.google.com/books?id=NeTwCgAAQBAJ Music at German Courts, 1715–1760: Changing Artistic Priorities.] Boydell & Brewer, 2011 (reprint 2015). {{ISBN|978-1-78327-058-3}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=NeTwCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA204 p. 204][http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/mielorth/stoelzel/werk/oratorium.htm Texte zu einem Weihnachts-Oratorium 1728] – {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917083447/http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/mielorth/stoelzel/werk/oratorium.htm |date=17 September 2016 |title=Texte zu einem Weihnachts-Oratorium 1728 }} at {{URL|www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/mielorth/stoelzel}}

=1730s=

{{see also|Late church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach#Christmas to Epiphany}}

==Models from earlier compositions==

In the early 1730s, Bach composed a number of secular cantatas, including:

Movements from the BWV 213, 214 and 215 cantatas form the basis of several movements of the Christmas Oratorio. In addition to these sources, the sixth cantata is based on a largely lost church cantata, BWV 248a, of which at least the opening chorus is based on the lost secular cantata BWV 1160.Bach Digital Work {{BDW|0315}} The trio aria in Part V "Ach, wenn wird die Zeit erscheinen?" is believed to be from a similarly lost source, and the chorus from the same section "Wo ist der neugeborne König" is from the 1731 St Mark Passion, BWV 247.Werner Breig, sleeve notes to John Eliot Gardiner's recording of the Christmas Oratorio (Deutsche Grammophon Archiv, 4232322, 1987)

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Cantata movements reused in Christmas Oratorio{{sfn|Hofmann|2005}}{{sfn|Wessel|2015|p=47}}

scope="col" | Cantata

! scope="col" | Movement

! scope="col" | Type

! scope="col" | BWV 248

! scope="col" | Movement

data-sort-value="BWV 213/01" | BWV 213/1

| Lasst uns sorgen, lasst uns wachen

| Chorus (SATB)

| 36 (IV/1)

| Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben

data-sort-value="BWV 213/03" | BWV 213/3

| Schlafe, mein Liebster, und pflege der Ruh

| Aria (s→a)

| 19 (II/10)

| Schlafe, mein Liebster, genieße der Ruh

data-sort-value="BWV 213/05" | BWV 213/5

| Treues Echo dieser Orten

| Aria (a→s)

| 39 (IV/4)

| Flößt, mein Heiland, flößt dein Namen

data-sort-value="BWV 213/07" | BWV 213/7

| Auf meinen Flügeln sollst du schweben

| Aria (t)

| 41 (IV/6)

| Ich will nur dir zu Ehren leben

data-sort-value="BWV 213/09" | BWV 213/9

| Ich will dich nicht hören

| Aria (a)

| {{0}}4 (I/4)

| Bereite, dich, Zion

BWV 213/11

| Ich bin deine, du bist meine

| Duet (at→sb)

| 29 (III/6)

| Herr, dein Mitleid, dein Erbarmen

BWV 214/1

| Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten

| Chorus (SATB)

| {{0}}1 (I/1)

| Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage

BWV 214/5

| Fromme Musen! meine Glieder

| Aria (a→t)

| 15 (II/6)

| Frohe Hirten, eilt, ach eilet

BWV 214/7

| Kron und Preis gekrönter Damen

| Aria (b)

| {{0}}8 (I/8)

| Großer Herr, o starker König

BWV 214/9

| Blühet, ihr Linden in Sachsen, wie Zedern

| Chorus (SATB)

| 24 (III/1&13)

| Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen

BWV 215/7

| Durch die von Eifer entflammten Waffen

| Aria (s→b)

| 47 (V/5)

| Erleucht auch meine finstre Sinnen

BWV 247/43

| Pfui dich, wie fein zerbrichst du den Tempel

| Chorus (SATB)

| 45 (V/3)

| Wo ist der neugeborne König der Juden

BWV 248a/1

| —

| Chorus (SATB)

| 54 (VI/1)

| Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben

BWV 248a/2

| —

| Recitative (→s)

| 56 (VI/3)

| Du Falscher, suche nur den Herrn zu fällen

BWV 248a/3

| —

| Aria (→s)

| 57 (VI/4)

| Nur ein Wink von seinen Händen

BWV 248a/4

| —

| Recitative (→t)

| 61 (VI/8)

| So geht! Genug, mein Schatz geht nicht von hier

BWV 248a/5

| —

| Aria (→t)

| 62 (VI/9)

| Nun mögt ihr stolzen Feinde schrecken

BWV 248a/6

| —

| Recitative (→satb)

| 63 (VI/10)

| Was will der Höllen Schrecken nun

BWV 248a/7

| —

| Chorus (SATB)

| 64 (VI/11)

| Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen

data-sort-value="BWV deest" | ?

| —

| Trio (→sat)

| 51 (V/9)

| Ach! wann wird die Zeit erscheinen?

==Chorales==

{{see also|List of chorale harmonisations by Johann Sebastian Bach#BWV 248}}

Like for most of his German-language church music, Bach used Lutheran hymns, and their Lutheran chorale tunes, in his Christmas Oratorio.[http://www.bach-chorales.com/BachChoraleTable.htm Sortable Index of the Chorales by J.S. Bach] at {{URL|www.bach-chorales.com}}Bach Digital Work {{BD0|11270}}{{sfn|Terry|1915}} The first chorale tune appears in the 5th movement of Part I: it is the tune known as Herzlich tut mich verlangen, that is, the same hymn tune which Bach used in his St Matthew Passion for setting several stanzas of Paul Gerhardt's "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden" ("O Sacred Head, Now Wounded"). The same melody reappears in the last movement of the oratorio (No. 64, closing chorale of Part VI). In the oratorio there is, however, no association with the pain and suffering evoked in the Passion.{{sfn|Dürr|Jones|2006|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=m9JuwslMcq4C&pg=PA105 105]}}

Martin Luther's 1539 "Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her" melody appears in three chorales: twice on a text by Paul Gerhardt in Part II of the oratorio, and the first time, in the closing chorale of Part I, with the 13th stanza of Luther's hymn as text. A well-known English version of that stanza is "Oh, my dear heart, young Jesus sweet", the first stanza of "Balulalow", as, for instance, sung in 2009 by English musician Sting:Robert Chambers. [https://archive.org/stream/popularrhymesofs00chamrich#page/12/mode/2up Popular rhymes of Scotland, pp. 12–13] (1870)Sting (2009). If on a Winter's Night..., track 11.

{{Verse translation

| lang = de|lang2=en|italicsoff=yes

|Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein,

Mach dir ein rein sanft Bettelein,

Zu ruhn in meines Herzens Schrein,

Dass ich nimmer vergesse dein!

|Oh, my deir hert, young Jesus sweit,

Prepare thy creddil in my spreit,

And I sall rock thee in my hert,

And never mair from thee depart.| attr1 = [https://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalWork_work_00011385?XSL.Style=detail&lang=en lyrics of Christmas Oratorio, Part I]| attr2 = [https://archive.org/stream/popularrhymesofs00chamrich#page/13/mode/2up Popular rhymes of Scotland, p. 13]

}}

The Christmas Oratorio is exceptional in that it contains a few hymn settings, or versions of hymn tunes, for which there is no known earlier source than Bach's composition:{{sfn|Zahn IV|p=[https://archive.org/details/1508286757bsb11304502/page/n83 78]}}{{sfn|Zahn VI|p=[https://archive.org/details/1508288358bsb11304504/page/n575 566–567]}}

  • The chorale melody used in No. 33 of the oratorio appears to be based on Georg Ebeling's 1666 "Warum sollt ich mich denn grämen" hymn tune.[http://www.bach-chorales.com/BWV0248_33.htm BWV 248(3).33(10)] at {{URL|www.bach-chorales.com}}. The Zahn number of Ebeling's original is 6456a.{{sfn|Zahn IV|p=[https://archive.org/details/1508286757bsb11304502/page/n80 75]}} Bach's Christmas Oratorio version of the tune is Zahn 6462, first printed in 1769 as No. 143 in the second volume of Bach's four-part chorales published by Birnstiel.Bach Digital Work {{BD0|11264}}{{sfn|Zahn IV|p=[https://archive.org/details/1508286757bsb11304502/page/n83 78]}}
  • No. 38 and 40 set the first stanza of Johann Rist's "Jesu, du mein liebstes Leben" hymn text: the setting is Bach's – it is not based on any known pre-existing hymn tune.{{sfn|Rathey|2016|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Qp-kDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA127 127]}}
  • The tune used for Johann Rist's "Hilf, Herr Jesu, lass gelingen" hymn text in No. 42 of the oratorio appears to be an original composition by Bach.Bach Digital Work {{BD0|11266}} It is mentioned as such in the last volume of Johannes Zahn's {{ill|Die Melodien der deutschen evangelischen Kirchenlieder|scores|Die Melodien der deutschen evangelischen Kirchenlieder (Zahn, Johannes)|lt=Die Melodien der deutschen evangelischen Kirchenlieder}}, as first of four late additions to his catalogue of German Evangelical hymn tunes.{{sfn|Zahn VI|p=[https://archive.org/details/1508288358bsb11304504/page/n575 566–567]}}

There are very few known hymn tunes by Bach (he used Lutheran hymn tunes in the large majority of his sacred compositions, but rarely one of his own invention): apart from what can be found in the Christmas Oratorio, there appears to be one, partly inspired by a pre-existing melody, in the motet Komm, Jesu, komm, BWV 229 (composed before 1731–32),{{sfn|Melamed|1995|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?hl=nl&id=JDlBMqI628UC&pg=PA38 38]–[https://books.google.com/books?hl=nl&id=JDlBMqI628UC&pg=PA39 39] and [https://books.google.com/books?hl=nl&id=JDlBMqI628UC&pg=PA102 102]}} and at least one entirely by Bach, "Vergiss mein nicht, vergiss mein nicht", BWV 505, in {{lang|de|Schemellis Gesangbuch}} (published in 1736).{{sfn|Dürr|Kobayashi|1998|p=304}}

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Chorales in Christmas Oratorio{{sfn|Rathey|2016|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Qp-kDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA127 127]}}

scope="col" | Author

! scope="col" | Date

! scope="col" colspan="2" | Hymn; Stanza

! scope="col" | Stanza incipit

! scope="col" | Melody

! scope="col" | Composer

! scope="col" | Date

! scope="col" | Zahn

! scope="col" | BWV 248

Gerhardt

| 1653

| Wie soll ich dich empfangen

| {{0}}1

| Wie soll ich dich empfangen

| Herzlich tut mich verlangen

| Hassler

| 1601

| 5385aBach Digital Work {{BD0|11279}}

| {{0}}5 (I/5)

Luther

| 1524

| Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ

| {{0}}6

| Er ist auf Erden kommen arm

| Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ

| Luther

| 1524

| 1947

| {{0}}7 (I/7)

Luther

| 1535

| Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her

| 13

| Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein

| Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her

| Luther

| 1539

| {{0}}346Bach Digital Work {{BD0|11280}}

| {{0}}9 (I/9)

Rist

| 1641

| Ermuntre dich, mein schwacher Geist

| {{0}}9

| Brich an, o schönes Morgenlicht

| Ermuntre dich, mein schwacher Geist

| Schop/Crüger

| 1648

| 5741bBach Digital Work {{BD0|11260}}

| 12 (II/3)

Gerhardt

| 1667

| Schaut, schaut, was ist für Wunder dar

| {{0}}8

| Schaut hin! dort liegt im finstern Stall

| Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her

| Luther

| 1539

| {{0}}346Bach Digital Work {{BD0|11261}}

| 17 (II/8)

Gerhardt

| 1656

| Wir singen dir, Immanuel

| {{0}}2

| Wir singen dir in deinem Heer

| Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her

| Luther

| 1539

| {{0}}346Bach Digital Work {{BD0|11281}}

| 23 (II/14)

Luther

| 1524

| Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ

| {{0}}7

| Dies hat er alles uns getan

| Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ

| Luther

| 1524

| 1947Bach Digital Work {{BD0|11262}}

| 28 (III/5)

Gerhardt

| 1653

| Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen

| 15

| Ich will dich mit Fleiß bewahren

| Warum sollt ich mich denn grämen

| Ebeling/Bach

| 1734

| 6462

| 33 (III/10)

{{ill|Christoph Runge|s:de|ADB:Runge, Christoph (1619 bis 1681)|lt=Runge}}

| 1653

| Laßt Furcht und Pein

| {{0}}4

| Seid froh, dieweil

| Wir Christenleut habn jetzund Freud

| Füger

| 1593

| 2072Bach Digital Work {{BD0|11263}}

| 35 (III/12)

Rist

| 1642

| Jesu, du mein liebstes Leben

| {{0}}1a

| Jesu, du mein liebstes Leben

| —

| Bach

| 1734

| —

| 38 (IV/3)

Rist

| 1642

| Jesu, du mein liebstes Leben

| {{0}}1b

| Jesu, meine Freud und Wonne

| —

| Bach

| 1734

| —

| 40 (IV/5)

Rist

| 1642

| Hilf, Herr Jesu, laß gelingen

| 15

| Jesus richte mein Beginnen

| Hilf, Herr Jesu, laß gelingen

| Bach

| 1734

| Vol. VI p. 566

| 42 (IV/7)

Weissel

| 1642

| Nun, liebe Seel, nun ist es Zeit

| {{0}}5

| Dein Glanz all' Finsternis verzehrt

| In dich hab ich gehoffet, Herr

| (Nürnberg)

| 1581

| 2461cBach Digital Work {{BD0|11265}}

| 46 (V/4)

Franck

| 1655

| Ihr Gestirn, ihr hohlen Lüfte

| {{0}}9

| Zwar ist solche Herzensstube

| Gott des Himmels und der Erden

| Albert/(Darmstadt)

| 1687

| 3614bBach Digital Work {{BD0|11267}}

| 53 (V/11)

Gerhardt

| 1656

| Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier

| {{0}}1

| Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier

| Nun freut euch, lieben Christen gmein

| (Wittenberg)

| 1529

| 4429aBach Digital Work {{BD0|11268}}

| 59 (VI/6)

Werner

| 1648

| Ihr Christen auserkoren

| {{0}}4

| Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen

| Herzlich tut mich verlangen

| Hassler

| 1601

| 5385aBach Digital Work {{BD0|11269}}

| 64 (VI/11)

==Gospel narrative==

Like for his other oratorios, and his Passion settings, Bach employed a narrative based on the Gospel in his Christmas Oratorio. The Gospel narrative of this oratorio followed, to a certain extent, the respective Gospel readings of the church services where the six cantatas of the Christmas Oratorio were to be performed for the first time. The six services of the Christmas season 1734–35 where the oratorio's cantatas were to be performed had these Gospel readings:

  1. Christmas Day: {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=1|range=–14}} (theme: Nativity, Annunciation to the shepherds and the angels' song).
  2. Second Day of Christmas: {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=15|range=–20}} (theme: Adoration of the Shepherds).
  3. Third Day of Christmas: {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=John|chapter=1|verse=1|range=–14}} – prologue of the Gospel of John, also known as Hymn to the Word.
  4. New Year's Day: {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=21}} (theme: Circumcision of Jesus)
  5. Sunday after New Year: {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=13|range=–23}} (theme: the Flight into Egypt)
  6. Epiphany: {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=1|range=–12}} (theme: Wise Men From the East)

As usual in most of his oratorios, and all of his Passions, the Evangelist character enunciated the Gospel text in sung recitatives, except the passages in direct speech, which were sung by soloists or choral groups representing the characters who spoke these texts according to the Gospel narrative. The Gospel text included by Bach in his six Christmas Oratorio cantatas consists of:

  1. {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=1|range=, 3–7}}, i.e. part of the Christmas Day reading.
  2. {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=8|range=–14}}, i.e. second half of the Christmas Day reading.
  3. {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=15|range=–20}}, i.e. text of the Second Day of Christmas Gospel reading.
  4. {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=21}}, i.e. the New Year's Day Gospel reading
  5. {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=1|range=–6}}, i.e. part of the Gospel reading for the Epiphany feast
  6. {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=7|range=–12}}, i.e. second half of the Gospel reading for Epiphany

The Gospel readings for the Third Day of Christmas (Prologue of the Gospel of John), and for the Sunday after New Year (the Flight to Egypt) are not directly used in the Christmas Oratorio. In detail:

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Gospel readings in Christmas Oratorio

scope="col" | Day

! scope="col" | Reading

! scope="col" | BWV 248

! scope="col" | Occasion

! scope="col" | Movement

rowspan="9" | Christmas 1

| {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=1}}

| {{0}}2 (I/2a)

| Christmas 1

| Es begab sich aber zu der Zeit

{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=2}}

| colspan="3" | —

{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=3|range=–6}}

| {{0}}2 (I/2b)

| rowspan="2" | Christmas 1

| Und jedermann ging

{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=7}}

| {{0}}6 (I/6)

| Und sie gebar ihren ersten Sohn

{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=8|range=–9}}

| 11 (II/2)

| rowspan="5" | Christmas 2

| Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend

{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=10|range=–11}}

| 13 (II/4)

| Und der Engel sprach zu ihnen

{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=12}}

| 16 (II/7)

| Und das habt zum Zeichen

{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=13}}

| 20 (II/11)

| Und alsobald war da bei dem Engel

{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=14}}

| 21 (II/12)

| Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe

rowspan="4" | Christmas 2

| {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=15|range=a}}

| 25 (III/2)

| rowspan="4" | Christmas 3

| Und da die Engel von ihnen gen Himmel fuhren

{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=15|range=b}}

| 26 (III/3)

| Lasset uns nun gehen gen Bethlehem

{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=16|range=–19}}

| 30 (III/7)

| Und sie kamen eilend

{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=20}}

| 34 (III/11)

| Und die Hirten kehrten wieder um

Christmas 3

| {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=John|chapter=1|verse=1|range=–14}}

| colspan="3" | —

New Year

| {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=21}}

| 37 (IV/2)

| New Year

| Und da acht Tage um waren

New Year I

| {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=13|range=–23}}

| colspan="3" | —

rowspan="7" | Epiphany

| {{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=1}}

| 44 (V/2)

| rowspan="4" | New Year I

| Da Jesus geboren war zu Bethlehem

{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=2}}

| 45 (V/3)

| Wo ist der neugeborne König der Juden

{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=3}}

| 48 (V/6)

| Da das der König Herodes hörte

{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=4|range=–6}}

| 50 (V/8)

| Und ließ versammeln alle Hohenpriester

{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=7|range=–8}}

| 55 (VI/2)

| rowspan="3" | Epiphany

| Da berief Herodes die Weisen heimlich

{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=9|range=–11}}

| 58 (VI/5)

| Als sie nun den König gehöret hatten

{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=12}}

| 60 (VI/7)

| Und Gott befahl ihnen im Traum

==First performance==

The oratorio was written for performance on six feast days of Christmas during the winter of 1734 and 1735. The original score also contains details of when each part was performed. It was incorporated within services of the two most important churches in Leipzig, St. Thomas and St. Nicholas. As can be seen below, the work was only performed in its entirety at the St. Nicholas Church.

First performances:

  • 25 December 1734: Part I – 'early in the morning' at St. Nicholas; 'in the afternoon' at St. Thomas
  • 26 December 1734: Part II – morning at St. Thomas; afternoon at St. Nicholas
  • 27 December 1734: Part III – morning at St. Nicholas
  • 1 January 1735: Part IV – morning at St. Thomas; afternoon at St. Nicholas
  • 2 January 1735: Part V – morning at St Nicholas
  • 6 January 1735: Part VI – morning at St. Thomas; afternoon at St. Nicholas

Text

File:Soest-Geburt-Christi.jpg: Birth of Christ (1404)]]

File:Georges de La Tour 001.jpg: Adoration of the Shepherds (1644)]]

File:Giotto - Scrovegni - -17- - Nativity, Birth of Jesus.jpg: Angels at the Nativity (c. 1300)]]

File:Rembrandt The Circumcision in the Stable.jpg: Circumcision of Christ (1661)]]

File:Magi Herod MNMA Cl23532.jpg before Herod; France, early 15th century]]

File:Rogier van der Weyden 009.jpg: Adoration of the Magi (c. 1430–60)]]

File:Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn 052.jpg (1627)]]

The ease with which the new text fits the existing music is one of the indications of how successful a parody the Christmas Oratorio is of its sources. Musicologist Alfred DürrAlfred Dürr, sleeve notes to Nikolaus Harnoncourt's first recording of the Christmas Oratorio (Warner Das Alte Werk, 2564698540, 1972, p. 10) and repeated in the notes to Harnoncourt's 2nd recording of the work (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, 88697112252, 2007, p. 22) and others, such as Christoph WolffChristoph Wolff, sleeve notes to Ton Koopman's recording of the Christmas Oratorio (Warner Erato, 0630-14635-2, 1997) have suggested that Bach's sometime collaborator Picander (the pen name of Christian Friedrich Henrici) wrote the new text, working closely with Bach to ensure a perfect fit with the re-used music. It may have even been the case that the Christmas Oratorio was already planned when Bach wrote the secular cantatas BWV 213, 214 and 215, given that the original works were written fairly close to the oratorio and the seamless way with which the new words fit the existing music.

Nevertheless, on two occasions Bach abandoned the original plan and was compelled to write new music for the Christmas Oratorio. The alto aria in Part III, "Schließe, mein Herze" was originally to have been set to the music for the aria "Durch die von Eifer entflammten Waffen" from BWV 215. On this occasion, however, the parody technique proved to be unsuccessful and Bach composed the aria afresh. Instead, he used the model from BWV 215 for the bass aria "Erleucht' auch meine finstre Sinnen" in Part V. Similarly, the opening chorus to Part V, "Ehre sei dir Gott!" was almost certainly intended to be set to the music of the chorus "Lust der Völker, Lust der Deinen" from BWV 213, given the close correspondence between the texts of the two pieces. The third major new piece of writing (with the notable exception of the recitatives), the sublime pastoral Sinfonia which opens Part II, was composed from scratch for the new work.

In addition to the new compositions listed above, special mention must go to the recitatives, which knit together the oratorio into a coherent whole. In particular, Bach made particularly effective use of recitative when combining it with chorales in no. 7 of part I ("Er ist auf Erden kommen arm") and even more ingeniously in the recitatives nos. 38 and 40 which frame the "Echo Aria" ("Flößt, mein Heiland"), no. 39 in part IV.

Until 1999 the only complete English version of the Christmas Oratorio was that prepared in 1874 by John Troutbeck for the music publisher Novello.[http://www.neiljenkins.info/documents/christmasoratorio.pdf Background note by Neil Jenkins on his translation of Bach's Christmas Oratorio, 1999] A new edition has been worked up by Neil Jenkins.

=Narrative structure=

The structure of the story is defined to a large extent by the particular requirements of the church calendar for Christmas 1734/35. Bach abandoned his usual practice when writing church cantatas of basing the content upon the Gospel reading for that day in order to achieve a coherent narrative structure. Were he to have followed the calendar, the story would have unfolded as follows:

  1. Birth and Annunciation to the Shepherds
  2. The Adoration of the Shepherds
  3. Prologue to the Gospel of John
  4. Circumcision and Naming of Jesus
  5. The Flight into Egypt
  6. The Coming and Adoration of the Magi

This would have resulted in the Holy Family fleeing before the Magi had arrived, which was unsuitable for an oratorio evidently planned as a coherent whole. Bach removed the content for the Third Day of Christmas (27 December), John's Gospel, and split the story of the two groups of visitors—Shepherds and Magi—into two. This resulted in a more understandable exposition of the Christmas story:

  1. The Birth
  2. The Annunciation to the Shepherds
  3. The Adoration of the Shepherds
  4. The Circumcision and Naming of Jesus
  5. The Journey of the Magi
  6. The Adoration of the Magi

The Flight into Egypt takes place after the end of the sixth part.

That Bach saw the six parts as comprising a greater, unified whole is evident both from the surviving printed text and from the structure of the music itself. The edition has not only a title—Weihnachts-Oratorium—connecting together the six sections, but these sections are also numbered consecutively. As John Butt has mentioned,Sleeve notes to Philip Pickett's recording of the Christmas Oratorio (Decca, 458 838, 1997) this points, as in the Mass in B minor, to a unity beyond the performance constraints of the church year.

Music

Bach expresses the unity of the whole work within the music itself, in part through his use of key signatures. Parts I and III are written in the keys of D major, part II in its subdominant key G major. Parts I and III are similarly scored for exuberant trumpets, while the Pastoral Part II (referring to the Shepherds) is, by contrast, scored for woodwind instruments and does not include an opening chorus. Part IV is written in F major (the relative key to D minor) and marks the furthest musical point away from the oratorio's opening key, scored for horns. Bach then embarks upon a journey back to the opening key, via the dominant A major of Part V to the jubilant re-assertion of D major in the final part, lending an overall arc to the piece. To reinforce this connection, between the beginning and the end of the work, Bach re-uses the chorale melody of Part I's "Wie soll ich dich empfangen" in the final chorus of Part VI, "Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen"; this choral melody is the same as of "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden", which Bach used five times in his St Matthew Passion.

The music represents a particularly sophisticated expression of the parody technique, by which existing music is adapted to a new purpose. Bach took the majority of the choruses and arias from works which had been written some time earlier. Most of this music was 'secular', that is written in praise of royalty or notable local figures, outside the tradition of performance within the church.{{sfn|Rathey|2016b|pp=70 and passim}}

=Instrumentation=

The scoring below refers to parts, rather than necessarily to individual players. Adherents of theories specifying small numbers of performers (even to 'One Voice Per Part') may however choose to use numbers approaching one instrument per named part.

;Part I: 3 trumpets, timpani, 2 transverse flutes, 2 oboes (both of which double on oboe d'amore) 2 violins, viola, continuo group{{efn|1=The continuo part is open to interpretation in matters of scoring. Examples: for his 1973 recording, Nikolaus Harnoncourt employed bassoon, violoncello, violone (double bass) and organ;Das Alte Werk (Warner), 2564698540 (1973, re-released 2008) Peter Schreier (1987) used violoncello, double bass, bassoon, organ and harpsichord;Decca (Philips), 4759155 (1987, re-released 2007) René Jacobs in 1997 chose violoncello, double bass, lute, bassoon, organ and harpsichord;Harmonia Mundi, HMX 2901630.31 (1997, re-released 2004) and Jos van Veldhoven in 2003 opted for violoncello, double bass, bassoon, organ, harpsichord and theorbo.Channel Classics Records, CCS SA 20103 (2003)}}{{efn|1=The different types of oboes referred to above are mostly called for at different points in each section. However, numbers 10, 12, 14, 17, 18, 19 and 21 in Part II call for 2 oboe d'amore and 2 oboe da caccia. This scoring was intended to symbolise the shepherds who are the subject of the second part. It is a reference to the pastoral music tradition of shepherds playing shawm-like instruments at Christmas. Similarly, the pastoral sinfony in Handel's Messiah (1741) is known as the 'Pifa' after the Italian piffero or piffaro, similar to the shawm and an ancestor of the oboe.}}

;Part II: 2 flutes, 2 oboes d'amore, 2 oboes da caccia, 2 violins, viola, continuo

;Part III: 3 trumpets, timpani, 2 flutes, 2 oboes (both of which double on oboe d'amore), 2 violins, viola, continuo

;Part IV: 2 horns, 2 oboes, 2 violins, viola, continuo

;Part V: 2 oboes d'amore, 2 violins, viola, continuo

;Part VI: 3 trumpets, timpani, 2 oboes (both of which double on oboe d'amore), 2 violins, viola, continuo

;Notes

{{notelist|45em}}

Parts and numbers

Each section combines choruses (a pastoral Sinfonia opens Part II instead of a chorus), chorales and from the soloists recitatives, ariosos and arias.

By notational convention the recitatives are in common time.

=Part I=

{{see also|Jauchzet, frohlocket! BWV 248 I}}

class="wikitable"

|+Part I: For the First Day of Christmas

!No.!! !!Key!!Time!!First line!!Scoring!!Source and Audio

1ChorusD major3/8{{lang|de|Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage}}3 trumpets, timpani, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, strings (violin I, II, viola) and continuo (cello, violone, organ and bassoon)BWV 214: Chorus, Tönet, ihr Pauken!

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 01 Jauchzet, frohlokket.ogg

| title = 01 Jauchzet, frohlocket

| plain = yes

}}

2colspan=3|Recitative (Evangelist, tenor)Es begab sich aber zu der ZeitContinuo{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=1|range=-6}}

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 02 Es begab sich aber zu der Zeit.ogg

| title = 02 Es begab sich aber

| plain = yes

}}

3colspan=3|Recitative (alto)Nun wird mein liebster Bräutigam2 oboe d'amore, continuo{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 03 Nun wird mein liebster Brautigam.ogg

| title = 03 Nun wird mein liebster

| plain = yes

}}

4Aria (alto)A min3/8Bereite dich, Zion, mit zärtlichen TriebenOboe d'amore I, violin I, continuoBWV 213: Aria, Ich will dich nicht hören

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 04 Bereite dich, Zion.ogg

| title = 04 Bereite dich, Zion

| plain = yes

}}

5ChoraleE-Phrygian{{cite book|last=Dürr|first=Alfred|author-link=Alfred Dürr|title=The Cantatas of J. S. Bach|page=103|translator=Richard D. P. Jones|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2005|isbn=978-0-19-816707-5}}{{cite book|author=Rolf Wischnath|chapter=Eine Predigt über den Prediger: Zu Johann Sebastian Bachs Weihnachtsoratorium|editor1=Marco Hofheinz|editor2=Georg Plasger|editor3=Annegreth Schilling|title=Verbindlich werden: Reformierte Existenz in ökumenischer Begegnung|language=de|page=122|publisher=Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht|year=2015|isbn=978-3-7887-2909-7}}CommonWie soll ich dich empfangen2 flutes, 2 oboes, strings and continuo"Wie soll ich dich empfangen", v. 1 (Paul Gerhardt, 1653); Zahn 5385a (Hans Leo Hassler, 1601)Luke Dahn (2018). [http://www.bach-chorales.com/BWV0248_5.htm BWV 248(1)/5] at {{URL|http://www.bach-chorales.com}}.

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 05 Wie soll ich dich empfangen.ogg

| title = 05 Wie soll ich dich

| plain = yes

}}

6colspan=3|Recitative (Evangelist, tenor)Und sie gebar ihren ersten SohnContinuo{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=7}}

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 06 Und sie gebar ihren ersten Sohn.ogg

| title = 06 Und sie gebar ihren

| plain = yes

}}

7Chorale (sopranos)

----

Recitative (bass)

|G major

3/4
Common		Er ist auf Erden kommen arm

----

Wer will die Liebe recht erhöhn

|2 oboe d'amore, continuo

"Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ", v. 6 (Martin Luther, 1524); Zahn 1947 (Wittenberg 1524)BWV2a (1998), p. 474.Luke Dahn (2018). [http://www.bach-chorales.com/BWV0248_28.htm BWV 248(3)/28(5)] at {{URL|http://www.bach-chorales.com}}.

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 07 Er ist auf Erden kommen arm.ogg

| title = 07 Er ist auf Erden

| plain = yes

}}

8Aria (bass)D major2/4Großer Herr, o starker KönigTrumpet I, flute I, strings, continuoBWV 214: Aria, Kron und Preis gekrönter Damen

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 08 Grosser Herr.ogg

| title = 08 Großer Herr

| plain = yes

}}

9ChoraleD majorCommonAch mein herzliebes Jesulein!3 trumpets, timpani, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, strings and continuo (cello, violone, organ and bassoon)"Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her", v. 13 (Martin Luther, 1535); Zahn 346 (Martin Luther, 1539)Luke Dahn (2018). [http://www.bach-chorales.com/BWV0248_9.htm BWV 248(1)/9] at {{URL|http://www.bach-chorales.com}}.

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 09 Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein.ogg

| title = 09 Ach mein herzliebes

| plain = yes

}}

=Part II=

{{see also|Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend, BWV 248 II}}

class="wikitable"

|+Part II: For the Second Day of Christmas

!No.!! !!Key!!Time!!First line!!Scoring!!Source and Audio

10SinfoniaG major12/8—2 flutes, 2 oboe d'amore, 2 oboe da caccia, strings, continuo{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 10 Sinfonia.ogg

| title = 10 Sinfonia

| plain = yes

}}

11colspan=3|Recitative (Evangelist, tenor)Und es waren Hirten in derselben GegendContinuo{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=8|range=-9}}

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 11 Und es waren Hirten.ogg

| title = 11 Und es waren Hirten

| plain = yes

}}

12ChoraleG majorCommonBrich an, o schönes Morgenlicht2 flutes, 2 oboe d'amore, 2 oboe da caccia, strings, continuo"Ermuntre dich, mein schwacher Geist", v. 9 (Johann Rist, 1641); Zahn 5741 (Johann Schop, 1641)Luke Dahn (2018). [http://www.bach-chorales.com/BWV0248_12.htm BWV 248(2)/12(3)] at {{URL|http://www.bach-chorales.com}}.

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 12 Brich an o schones Morgenlicht.ogg

| title = 12 Brich an o schones

| plain = yes

}}

13colspan=3|Recitative (Evangelist, tenor; Angel, soprano)Und der Engel sprach zu ihnen
Fürchtet euch nicht		Strings, continuo{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=10|range=-11}}

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 13 Und der Engel sprach.ogg

| title = 13 Und der Engel sprach

| plain = yes

}}

14colspan=3|Recitative (bass)Was Gott dem Abraham verheißen2 oboe d'amore, 2 oboe da caccia, strings, continuo{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 14 Was Gott dem Abraham verheissen.ogg

| title = 14 Was Gott dem Abraham

| plain = yes

}}

15Aria (tenor)E minor3/8Frohe Hirten, eilt, ach eiletFlute I, continuoBWV 214: Aria, Fromme Musen! meine Glieder

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 15 Frohe Hirten.ogg

| title = 15 Frohe Hirten

| plain = yes

}}

16colspan=3|Recitative (Evangelist, tenor)In some performances sung by the Angel (soprano).Und das habt zum ZeichenContinuo{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=12}}

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 16 Und das habt zum Zeichen.ogg

| title = 16 Und das habt zum Zeichen

| plain = yes

}}

17ChoraleC majorCommonSchaut hin! dort liegt im finstern Stall2 flutes, 2 oboe d'amore, 2 oboe da caccia, strings, continuo"Schaut, schaut, was ist für Wunder dar", v. 8 (Paul Gerhardt, 1667); Zahn 346 (Martin Luther, 1539)Luke Dahn (2018). [http://www.bach-chorales.com/BWV0248_17.htm BWV 248(2)/17(8)] at {{URL|http://www.bach-chorales.com}}.

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 17 Schaut hin, dort liegt im finstern Stall.ogg

| title = 17 Schaut hin

| plain = yes

}}

18colspan=3|Recitative (bass)So geht denn hin!2 oboe d'amore, 2 oboe da caccia, continuo{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 18 So geht denn hin.ogg

| title = 18 So geht denn hin

| plain = yes

}}

19Aria (alto)G maj/{{Nowrap|E min}}2/4Schlafe, mein Liebster, genieße der Ruh'Flute I (colla parte an octave above the alto soloist throughout), 2 oboe d'amore, 2 oboe da caccia, strings, continuoBWV 213: Aria, Schlafe, mein Liebster, und pflege der Ruh

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 19 Schlafe, mein Liebster.ogg

| title = 19 Schlafe, mein Liebster

| plain = yes

}}

20colspan=3|Recitative (Evangelist, tenor)Und alsobald war da bei dem EngelContinuo{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=13}}

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 20 Und alsobald war da bei dem Engel.ogg

| title = 20 Und alsobald war da

| plain = yes

}}

21ChorusG majorSplit Common (2/2)Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe2 flutes, 2 oboe d'amore, 2 oboe da caccia, strings, continuo{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=14}}

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 21 Ehre sei Gott.ogg

| title = 21 Ehre sei Gott

| plain = yes

}}

22colspan=3|Recitative (bass)So recht, ihr Engel, jauchzt und singetContinuo{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 22 So recht, ihr Engel.ogg

| title = 22 So recht, ihr Engel

| plain = yes

}}

23ChoraleG major12/8Wir singen dir in deinem Heer2 flutes, 2 oboe d'amore, 2 oboe da caccia, strings, continuo"Wir singen dir, Immanuel", v. 2 (Paul Gerhardt, 1656); Zahn 346 (Martin Luther, 1539)Luke Dahn (2018). [http://www.bach-chorales.com/BWV0248_23.htm BWV 248(2)/23(14)] at {{URL|http://www.bach-chorales.com}}.

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 23 Wir singen dir in deinem Heer.ogg

| title = 23 Wir singen dir

| plain = yes

}}

=Part III=

{{see also|Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen, BWV 248 III}}

class="wikitable"

|+Part III: For the Third Day of Christmas

!No.!! !!Key!!Time!!First line!!Scoring!!Source and Audio

24ChorusD major3/8Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das LallenTrumpet I, II, III, timpani, flute I, II, oboe I, II, strings, continuoBWV 214: Chorus, Blühet, ihr Linden in Sachsen, wie Zedern

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 24 Herrscher des Himmels.ogg

| title = 24 Herrscher des Himmels

| plain = yes

}}

25colspan=3|Recitative (Evangelist, tenor)Und da die Engel von ihnen gen Himmel fuhrenContinuo{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=15}}

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 25 Und da die Engel.ogg

| title = 25 Und da die Engel

| plain = yes

}}

26ChorusA major3/4Lasset uns nun gehen gen BethlehemFlute I, II, oboe d'amore I, II, strings, continuo{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 26 Lasset uns nun gehen gen Bethlehem.ogg

| title = 26 Lasset uns nun gehen

| plain = yes

}}

27colspan=3|Recitative (bass)Er hat sein Volk getröst'tFlute I, II, continuo{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 27 Er hat sein Volk getrost.ogg

| title = 27 Er hat sein Volk

| plain = yes

}}

28ChoraleD majorCommonDies hat er alles uns getanFlute I, II, oboe I, II, strings, continuo"Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ", v. 7 (Martin Luther, 1524); Zahn 1947 (Wittenberg 1524)

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 28 Dies hat er alles uns getan.ogg

| title = 28 Dies hat er alles

| plain = yes

}}

29Duet (soprano, bass)A major3/8Herr, dein Mitleid, dein ErbarmenOboe d'amore I, II, continuoBWV 213: Aria, Ich bin deine, du bist meine

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 29 Herr, dein Mitleid.ogg

| title = 29 Herr, dein Mitleid

| plain = yes

}}

30colspan=3|Recitative (Evangelist, tenor)Und sie kamen eilendContinuo{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=16|range=-19}}

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 30 Und sie kamen eilend.ogg

| title = 30 Und sie kamen eilend

| plain = yes

}}

31Aria (alto)D maj/B min2/4Schließe, mein Herze, dies selige WunderViolin solo, continuo{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 31 Schliesse mein Herze.ogg

| title = 31 Schliesse mein Herze

| plain = yes

}}

32colspan=3|Recitative (alto)Ja, ja! mein Herz soll es bewahrenFlute I, II, continuo{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 32 Ja, ja, mein Herz.ogg

| title = 32 Ja, ja, mein Herz

| plain = yes

}}

33ChoraleG majorCommonIch will dich mit Fleiß bewahrenFlute I, II, oboe I, II, strings, continuo"Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen", v. 15 (Paul Gerhardt, 1653); Zahn 6461 (Georg Ebeling, 1666)Luke Dahn (2018). [http://www.bach-chorales.com/BWV0248_33.htm BWV 248(3)/33(10)] at {{URL|http://www.bach-chorales.com}}.

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 33 Ich will dich mit Fleiss bewahren.ogg

| title = 33 Ich will dich mit

| plain = yes

}}

34colspan=3|Recitative (Evangelist, tenor)Und die Hirten kehrten wieder umContinuo{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=20}}

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 34 Und die Hirten kehrten wieder um.ogg

| title = 34 Und die Hirten

| plain = yes

}}

35ChoraleF-sharp minorCommonSeid froh, dieweilFlute I, II, oboe I, II, strings, continuo"Laßt Furcht und Pein", v. 4 (Christoph Runge, 1653); Zahn 2072 (Kaspar Füger, 1593)Luke Dahn (2018). [http://www.bach-chorales.com/BWV0248_35.htm BWV 248(3)/35(12)] at {{URL|http://www.bach-chorales.com}}.

{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 35 Seid froh dieweil.ogg

| title = 35 Seid froh, dieweil

| plain = yes

}}

24Chorus da capoD major3/8Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das LallenTrumpet I, II, III, timpani, flute I, II, oboe I, II, strings, continuoBWV 214: Chorus, Blühet, ihr Linden in Sachsen, wie Zedern{{Listen

| filename = Bach - Christmas Oratorio (Dalal) - 36 Herrscher des Himmels.ogg

| title = 36 Herrscher des Himmels

| plain = yes

}}

=Part IV=

{{see also|Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben, BWV 248 IV}}

class="wikitable"

|+Part IV: For New Year's Day (Feast of the Circumcision)

!No.!! !!Key!!Time!!First line!!Scoring!!Source

36Chorus{{Nowrap|F major}}3/8{{lang|de|Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben}}Horns I, II, oboe I, II, strings, continuoBWV 213: Chorus, Lasst uns sorgen, lasst uns wachen
37colspan=3|Recitative (Evangelist, tenor)Und da acht Tage um warenContinuo{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Luke|chapter=2|verse=21}}
38colspan=3|Recitative (bass)
Arioso (sopr./bass)		Immanuel, o süßes Wort
{{Nowrap|Jesu, du mein liebstes Leben}}		Strings, continuo 
39Aria (soprano & 'Echo' soprano)C major6/8Flößt, mein Heiland, flößt dein NamenOboe I solo, continuoBWV 213: Aria, Treues Echo dieser Orten
40colspan=3|Recitative (bass)
Arioso (soprano)		Wohlan! dein Name soll allein
Jesu, meine Freud' und Wonne		Strings, continuo 
41Aria (tenor)D minorCommonIch will nur dir zu Ehren lebenViolin I, II, continuoBWV 213: Aria, Auf meinen Flügeln sollst du schweben
42ChoraleF major3/4Jesus richte mein BeginnenHorns I, II, oboe I, II, strings, continuoWords: Johann Rist, 1642

=Part V=

{{see also|Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen, BWV 248 V}}

class="wikitable"

|+Part V: For the First Sunday in the New YearPart V is meant to be performed on the Sunday between New Year's Day and Epiphany on 6 January; in years that start on Sunday or Monday or Tuesday (with the Dominical letters A/AG, G/GF, F/FE), there is no such day, e.g in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024 & 2029.

!No.!! !!Key!!Time!!First line!!Scoring!!Source

43ChorusA maj/{{Nowrap|F{{Music|#}} min}}3/4Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungenOboe d'amore I, II, strings, continuo 
44colspan=3|Recitative (Evangelist, tenor)Da Jesus geboren war zu BethlehemContinuo{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=1}}
45Chorus
Recitative (alto)
Chorus		D majorCommonWo ist der neugeborne König der Juden{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=2}}
Sucht ihn in meiner Brust
Wir haben seinen Stern gesehen		Oboe d'amore I, II, strings, continuoBWV 247: St Mark Passion, Chorus,
Pfui dich, wie fein zerbrichst du den Tempel
46ChoraleA majorCommonDein Glanz all' Finsternis verzehrtOboe d'amore I, II, strings, continuoWords: Georg Weissel, 1642
47Aria (bass)F{{Music|#}} minor2/4Erleucht' auch meine finstre SinnenOboe d'amore I solo, organ (continuo tacet){{cite book|editor1=Walter Blankenburg|editor2=Alfred Dürr|title=Weihnachts-Oratorium BWV 248|series=Neue Bach-Ausgabe|chapter=47. Aria|page=223|publisher=Bärenreiter|ismn=9790006461585|year=1960}}BWV 215: Aria, Durch die von Eifer entflammeten Waffen
48colspan=3|Recitative (Evangelist, tenor)Da das der König Herodes hörteContinuo{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=3}}
49colspan=3|Recitative (alto)Warum wollt ihr erschreckenStrings, continuo 
50colspan=3|Recitative (Evangelist, tenor)Und ließ versammeln alle HohenpriesterContinuo{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=4|range=-6}}
51Trio (sopr., alto, ten.)B minor2/4Ach! wann wird die Zeit erscheinen?Violin I solo, continuounknown
52colspan=3|Recitative (alto)Mein Liebster herrschet schonContinuo 
53ChoraleA majorCommonZwar ist solche HerzensstubeOboe d'amore I, II, strings, continuoWords: Johann Franck, 1655

=Part VI=

{{see also|Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben, BWV 248 VI}}

class="wikitable"

|+Part VI: For the Feast of Epiphany

!No.!! !!Key!!Time!!First line!!Scoring!!Source

54ChorusD major3/8Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnaubenTrumpet I, II, III, timpani, oboe I, II, strings, continuoBWV 248a (lost church cantata)
55colspan=3|Recitative (Evangelist, tenor; Herod, bass)Da berief Herodes die Weisen heimlich

Ziehet hin und forschet fleißig		Continuo{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=7|range=-8}}
56colspan=3|Recitative (soprano)Du Falscher, suche nur den Herrn zu fällenStrings, continuoBWV 248a (lost church cantata)
57Aria (soprano)A maj/{{Nowrap|F{{Music|#}} min/}}{{Nowrap|A maj}}3/4Nur ein Wink von seinen HändenOboe d'amore I, strings, continuoBWV 248a (lost church cantata)
58colspan=3|Recitative (Evangelist, tenor)Als sie nun den König gehöret hattenContinuo{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=9|range=-11}}
59ChoraleG majorCommonIch steh an deiner Krippen hierOboe I, II, strings, continuoWords: Paul Gerhardt, 1656
60colspan=3|Recitative (Evangelist, tenor)Und Gott befahl ihnen im Traum'Continuo{{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Matthew|chapter=2|verse=12}}
61colspan=3|Recitative (tenor)So geht! Genug, mein Schatz geht nicht von hierOboe d'amore I, II, continuoBWV 248a (lost church cantata)
62Aria (tenor)B minor2/4Nun mögt ihr stolzen Feinde schreckenOboe d'amore I, II, continuoBWV 248a (lost church cantata)
63colspan=3|Recitative (soprano, alto, tenor, bass)Was will der Höllen Schrecken nunContinuoBWV 248a (lost church cantata)
64ChoraleD majorCommonNun seid ihr wohl gerochenTrumpet I, II, III, timpani, oboe I, II, strings, continuoBWV 248a (lost church cantata); Words: Georg Werner, 1648

Reception

{{expand section|date=December 2019}}

In Göran Tunström's 1983 Swedish novel Juloratoriet (The Christmas Oratorio) and its 1996 film version, Bach's work is important for the leading characters.{{cite book|author=Göran Tunström|title=Juloratoriet|title-link=The Christmas Oratorio|year=1983|language=sv|isbn=9789100463083|publisher=Bonniers|postscript=;}} [{{Google books|id=6g3BDAEACAAJ|plainurl=yes}} at Google Books].

The first English-language monograph on the Christmas Oratorio was published in 2004.{{sfn|Butt|2006}} It was a translation of a 2002 Dutch-language study by {{ill|Ignace Bossuyt|fr||nl}}.{{sfn|Bossuyt|2004|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Uba5l4K5KvAC&pg=PA9 9]}}

The 2024 German-Austrian TV film {{ill|Bach – Ein Weihnachtswunder|de}} [Bach – A Christmas Miracle] tells a fictional story about the creation of the Christmas Oratorio in the context of local politics and domestic conflicts in the Bach family.{{cite web|url=https://www.katholisch.de/artikel/58088-sechs-kantaten-zum-lob-gottes-ard-zeigt-bach-ein-weihnachtswunder|access-date=16 December 2024|title=Sechs Kantaten zum Lob Gottes: ARD zeigt Bach – ein Weihnachtswunder|author=Renate Kortheuer-Schüring|date=8 December 2024|agency=Evangelischer Pressedienst|website=katholisch.de|language=de}}

Recordings

{{main|Christmas Oratorio discography}}

References

{{reflist}}

Cited sources

{{div col|colwidth=45em}}

  • {{cite book

|last1= Bossuyt

|first1= Ignace

|author-link1= :fr:Ignace Bossuyt

|translator-last1= Bull

|translator-first1= Stratton

|date= 2004

|title= Johann Sebastian Bach, Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248)

|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Uba5l4K5KvAC

|others= Foreword by Philippe Herreweghe

|location= Leuven

|publisher= Leuven University Press

|isbn= 978-90-5867-421-0

}}

  • {{cite journal |last1=Butt |first1=John |author-link1=John Butt (musician) |date=1 November 2006 |title=Johann Sebastian Bach: Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248). By Ignace Bossuyt. Trans. by Stratton Bull. pp. 185. |url=https://academic.oup.com/ml/article-abstract/87/4/654/2871085 |journal=Music & Letters|publisher=Oxford University Press |volume=87 |issue=4 |pages=654–656 |doi=10.1093/ml/gcl037 |jstor=4140326 }}
  • {{cite book |date=1998 |editor1-last=Dürr |editor1-first=Alfred |editor1-link=Alfred Dürr |editor2-last=Kobayashi |editor2-first=Yoshitake |title=Bach Werke Verzeichnis: Kleine Ausgabe – Nach der von Wolfgang Schmieder vorgelegten 2. Ausgabe |trans-title=Bach Works Catalogue: Small Edition – After Wolfgang Schmieder's 2nd edition |language=de |others=Kirsten Beißwenger (collaborator). |edition=BWV2a |location=Wiesbaden |publisher=Breitkopf & Härtel |isbn=978-3-7651-0249-3}} Preface in English and German.
  • {{cite book

| last1 = Dürr

| first1 = Alfred

| author-link = Alfred Dürr

| last2 = Jones

| first2 = Richard D. P.

| author2-link = Richard D. P. Jones

| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=m9JuwslMcq4C&pg=PA102

| title = The Cantatas of J. S. Bach: With Their Librettos in German-English Parallel Text

| publisher = Oxford University Press

| year = 2006

| isbn = 978-0-19-929776-4

| pages = 102–105, 820

}}

  • {{cite book |last1=Glöckner |first1=Andreas |date=2009 |chapter=Ein weiterer Kantatenjahrgang Gottfried Heinrich Stölzels in Bachs Aufführungsrepertoire? |trans-chapter=Is there another cantata cycle by Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel that belonged to Bach's performance repertoire? |chapter-url=https://journals.qucosa.de/ejournals/bjb/article/view/1861 |editor1-last=Wollny |editor1-first=Peter |editor1-link=Peter Wollny |title=Bach-Jahrbuch 2009 |trans-title=Bach Yearbook 2009 |url=https://journals.qucosa.de/ejournals/bjb/issue/view/170 |series=Bach-Jahrbuch |language=de |volume=95 |others=Neue Bachgesellschaft |location=Leipzig |publisher=Evangelische Verlagsanstalt |pages=95–115 |doi=10.13141/bjb.v2009 |isbn=978-3-374-02749-1 |issn=0084-7682 }}
  • {{Cite AV media notes |title=Johann Sebastian Bach: Weihnachtsoratorium – Christmas Oratorio – Oratorium Tempore Nativitatis Christi – BWV 248 |others=Henry S. Drinker (English lyrics), Paul Horn (piano reduction), John Coombs (Foreword translator) |date=2005 |chapter=Foreword |url=https://www.carusmedia.com/images-intern/medien/30/3124853/3124853x.pdf |access-date=23 December 2019 |last=Hofmann |first=Klaus |author-link=Klaus Hofmann |page=V |type=Urtext edition: vocal score |publisher=Carus-Verlag |id=31.248/53 }}
  • {{cite book

| last = Melamed

| first = Daniel R.

| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=JDlBMqI628UC

| title = J. S. Bach and the German Motet

| publisher = Cambridge University Press

| year = 1995

| isbn = 978-0-521-41864-5

}}

  • {{cite book |last1=Rathey |first1=Markus |date=2016 |title=Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio: Music, Theology, Culture |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qp-kDAAAQBAJ |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-027525-9 }}
  • {{cite book|last=Rathey|first=Markus|year=2016b|title=Bach's Major Vocal Works. Music, Drama, Liturgy|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=9780300219517}}
  • {{cite book |last1=Terry |first1=Charles Sanford |author-link1=Charles Sanford Terry (historian) |date=1915 |chapter=The Christmas Oratorio (1734) |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/bachschorals01terruoft/page/41 |title=The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the "Passions" and Oratorios |url=https://archive.org/details/bachschorals01terruoft/page/n3 |series=Bach's Chorals |volume=I |location=Cambridge |publisher=University Press |pages=41–61 }}
  • {{cite book

| last = Wessel

| first = Jens

| url = https://ediss.sub.uni-hamburg.de//volltexte/2016/7928/pdf/Dissertation.pdf

| chapter = Köthen (1717–1723)

| title = J. S. Bach und die italienische Oper / Drammi per musica für das kurfürstlich-sächsische und polnische Königshaus zwischen 1733 und 1736

| publisher = Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg

| date = 2015

| pages = 25–44, 47, 99–100

| language = de

| type = dissertation

}}

  • {{cite book |last1=Zahn |first1=Johannes |author-link1=Johannes Zahn |date=1891 |title=Die Melodien von den achtzeiligen trochäischen bis zu den zehnzeiligen inkl. enthaltend |trans-title=Melodies in eight trochaic up to and including ten lines |url=https://archive.org/details/1508286757bsb11304502 |series={{ill|Die Melodien der deutschen evangelischen Kirchenlieder|scores|Die Melodien der deutschen evangelischen Kirchenlieder (Zahn, Johannes)|lt=Die Melodien der deutschen evangelischen Kirchenlieder}} |language=de |volume=IV |location=Gütersloh |publisher=Bertelsmann |ref={{harvid|Zahn IV}} }}
  • {{cite book |last1=Zahn |first1=Johannes |author-link1=Johannes Zahn |date=1893 |title=Schlüßband: Chronologisches Verzeichnis der benutzten Gesang-, Melodien- und Choralbücher, und die letzten Nachträge |trans-title=Closing volume: chronological catalogue of used song-, melody- and choirbooks, and the last supplements |url=https://archive.org/details/1508288358bsb11304504 |series={{ill|Die Melodien der deutschen evangelischen Kirchenlieder|scores|Die Melodien der deutschen evangelischen Kirchenlieder (Zahn, Johannes)|lt=Die Melodien der deutschen evangelischen Kirchenlieder}} |language=de |volume=VI |location=Gütersloh |publisher=Bertelsmann |ref={{harvid|Zahn VI}} }}

{{div col end}}

Further reading

  • {{cite book|last=Buelow|first=George J.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1uuuCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA272|title=The Late Baroque Era – From the 1680s to 1740|publisher=Springer|year=2016|isbn=978-1-34-911303-3|ref=none}}
  • {{cite book|last=Wolff|first=Christoph|author-link=Christoph Wolff|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NHpL3cQg0_UC&pg=PA237|title=Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician|publisher=W. W. Norton|year=2002|isbn=978-0-393-32256-9|ref=none}}

External links

{{commons category}}

  • Complete text and instrumentation: [https://web.archive.org/web/20080517121312/http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~wfb/cantatas/248I.html Part I], [https://web.archive.org/web/20080523162506/http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~wfb/cantatas/248II.html Part II], [https://web.archive.org/web/20080523203905/http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~wfb/cantatas/248III.html Part III], [https://web.archive.org/web/20080523172258/http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~wfb/cantatas/248IV.html Part IV], [https://web.archive.org/web/20080512130240/http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~wfb/cantatas/248V.html Part V], [https://web.archive.org/web/20080523162511/http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~wfb/cantatas/248VI.html Part VI] {{in lang|de}}
  • [http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Vocal/BWV248.htm Bach Cantatas Website]: Details, recordings & reviews
  • [http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Articles/XO-Satz.htm Donald Satz: A Bottomless Bucket of Bach – Christmas Oratorio (April 2000)]: Details and comparison of four recordings
  • {{IMSLP|work=Weihnachtsoratorium, BWV 248 (Bach, Johann Sebastian)|cname=Christmas Oratorio}}
  • {{YouTube|playlist=PLBjoEdEVMABKPzoTfMlkgVsK9E195AfdJ|title=Full performance at the Herderkirche, Weimar (video in 2 parts)}}, John Eliot Gardiner, English Baroque Soloists, Monteverdi Choir, Claron McFadden and Katharine Fuge (soprano), Christoph Genz (tenor), Bernarda Fink (alto), Dietrich Henschel (bass)
  • {{YouTube|id=7367ct_ySvk|time=280s|title=Complete live recording (video)|link=no}}, {{ill|Holger Speck|de}}, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, NDR Vokalensemble, Elbphilharmonie 7 December 2023

{{Masses, Magnificat, Passions and Oratorios by Johann Sebastian Bach}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Passions and oratorios by Johann Sebastian Bach

Category:1734 oratorios

Category:Christmas in Germany

Category:Christmas music

Category:Compositions with natural trumpets in D

Category:Christmas cantatas

Category:Oratorios based on the Bible

Category:Epiphany music