About
Bach's Christmas Oratorio consists of six cantatas, the first of which was first performed at Christmas in 1734 at the town church of Leipzig, the Nikolaikirche, in the morning, with an afternoon performance at the Tomaskirche. The second part was performed on 26th December, in the morning at the Tomaskirche and in the afternoon at the Nikolaikirche, while the third was performed only at the Nikolaikirche on 27th December. The fourth part was performed first on 1st January 1735, the Feast of the Circumcision, at the Tomaskirche and in the afternoon at the Nikolaikirche, while the fifth for the first Sunday of the New Year, 2nd January, was only performed in the morning at the Nikolaikirche. The sixth part was given two performances on 6th January, the Feast of the Epiphany, first at the Tomaskirche and then at the larger Nikolaikirche. Although the work makes considerable use of music originally composed for other purposes, the cycle was clearly conceived as a unified work, to which the elaboration of the first chorale at the end of the sixth part bears witness. The impression is enforced by choice of keys and formal structure, in spite of the original intention of performance of each part on a different day during the twelve days of Christmas. The first three parts deal with Christmas itself, the birth of Christ and the message to the shepherds at Bethlehem. The Evangelist intervenes only once in the fourth part to mention the circumcision and naming of Jesus. In the fifth are the reactions of the Wise Men to Bethlehem, their departure ending the Evangelist's account. The instruments used in the Christmas Oratorio include the ubiquitous four part string orchestra, with a keyboard continuo part for organ, the bass line doubled by cello and bassoon. Transverse flutes, rather than recorders, are used in some movements while the oboes used include pairs of ordinary oboes as well as pairs of the alto and tenor of the family, the oboe d'amore and the oboe da caccia. Brass instruments include three natural trumpets, their melodic parts restricted by their nature to the brilliant upper clarino register. Timpani make their due appearance with the trumpets. Two natural horns, corni da caccia, make a brief appearance in two numbers in the fourth part. There are four vocal soloists, soprano, alto, tenor and bass.
Tracklist 17 tracks
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1 Part I: Jauchzet, frohlocket 07:13
- Track
- 1
- Title
- Part I: Jauchzet, frohlocket
- Duration
- 07:13
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Hungarian Radio Choir, Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Géza Oberfrank
-
2 Part I: Bereite dich, Zion 05:15
- Track
- 2
- Title
- Part I: Bereite dich, Zion
- Duration
- 05:15
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Judit Nemeth
- Ensemble
- Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Géza Oberfrank
-
3 Part I: Wie soll ich dich empfangen 01:20
- Track
- 3
- Title
- Part I: Wie soll ich dich empfangen
- Duration
- 01:20
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Hungarian Radio Choir, Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Géza Oberfrank
-
4 Part I: Grosser Herr und starker Konig 04:51
- Track
- 4
- Title
- Part I: Grosser Herr und starker Konig
- Duration
- 04:51
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Janos Tóth
- Ensemble
- Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Géza Oberfrank
-
5 Part I: Ach, mein herzliebes Jesulein! 00:57
- Track
- 5
- Title
- Part I: Ach, mein herzliebes Jesulein!
- Duration
- 00:57
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Hungarian Radio Choir, Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Géza Oberfrank
-
6 Part II: Sinfonia 05:55
- Track
- 6
- Title
- Part II: Sinfonia
- Duration
- 05:55
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Géza Oberfrank
-
7 Part II: Brich an, o schönes Morgenlicht 01:16
- Track
- 7
- Title
- Part II: Brich an, o schönes Morgenlicht
- Duration
- 01:16
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Hungarian Radio Choir, Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Géza Oberfrank
-
8 Part II: Schlafe, mein Liebster 09:22
- Track
- 8
- Title
- Part II: Schlafe, mein Liebster
- Duration
- 09:22
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Judit Nemeth
- Ensemble
- Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Géza Oberfrank
-
9 Part II: Wir singen dir in deinem Heer 01:22
- Track
- 9
- Title
- Part II: Wir singen dir in deinem Heer
- Duration
- 01:22
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Hungarian Radio Choir, Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Géza Oberfrank
-
10 Part III: Herrscher des Himmels 02:00
- Track
- 10
- Title
- Part III: Herrscher des Himmels
- Duration
- 02:00
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Hungarian Radio Choir, Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Géza Oberfrank
-
11 Part III: Herr, dein Mitleid, dein Erbarmen 08:29
- Track
- 11
- Title
- Part III: Herr, dein Mitleid, dein Erbarmen
- Duration
- 08:29
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Ingrid Kertesi, Janos Tóth
- Ensemble
- Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Géza Oberfrank
-
12 Part IV: Flosst, mein Heiland 06:16
- Track
- 12
- Title
- Part IV: Flosst, mein Heiland
- Duration
- 06:16
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Ingrid Kertesi
- Ensemble
- Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Géza Oberfrank
-
13 Part IV: Ich will nur dir zu Ehren leben 05:15
- Track
- 13
- Title
- Part IV: Ich will nur dir zu Ehren leben
- Duration
- 05:15
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- József Mukk
- Ensemble
- Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Géza Oberfrank
-
14 Part V: Dein Glanz all' Finsternis verzehrt 01:08
- Track
- 14
- Title
- Part V: Dein Glanz all' Finsternis verzehrt
- Duration
- 01:08
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Hungarian Radio Choir, Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Géza Oberfrank
-
15 Part V: Ach, wann wird die Zeit erscheinen? 05:59
- Track
- 15
- Title
- Part V: Ach, wann wird die Zeit erscheinen?
- Duration
- 05:59
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Ingrid Kertesi, Judit Nemeth, József Mukk
- Ensemble
- Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Géza Oberfrank
-
16 Part VI: Ich steh' an deiner Krippen hier 01:15
- Track
- 16
- Title
- Part VI: Ich steh' an deiner Krippen hier
- Duration
- 01:15
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Hungarian Radio Choir, Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Géza Oberfrank
-
17 Part VI: Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen 03:22
- Track
- 17
- Title
- Part VI: Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen
- Duration
- 03:22
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Hungarian Radio Choir, Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra
- Conductor
- Géza Oberfrank