CLXIII. BACH, J.S.: Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248

CLXIII. BACH, J.S. (1685-1750)

Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248 (1734)
1. Part 1: The Birth of Jesus
2. Part 2: The Annunciation to the Shepherds
3. Part 3: The Adoration of the Shepherds
4. Part 4: The Circumcision and Naming of Jesus
5. Part 5: The Journey of the Magi
6. Part 6: The Adoration of the Magi
Dorothea Röschmann, soprano
Andreas Scholl, alto
Werner Güra, tenor
Klaus Häger, bass
Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
RIAS Kammerchor
René Jacobs, cond.
(2:32:29)

This is one of the few complete performance of all six parts on YouTube, and it is excellent.

This is the third long-form Bach work on this blog (St. Matthew Passion: Post I and B Minor Mass: Post XXVIII).

There is something about these endurance-testing listening sessions that really makes one's musical soul pay close attention. Although not as mighty as the Passion or Mass, this oratorio -- really, a combination of parody masses -- is an example of Bach reusing earlier cantatas -- specifically, two or three secular cantatas: BWV 213 and 214 [see Post CCCLIV].

That does not mean that Bach just plopped in the earlier music verbatim -- he rewrote much of it to fit the occasion, and added many new sections, as well.

The text is by Picander, taken mostly from Luke and Matthew.

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One particular aria stands out for its use of an echo (in both the oboe and soprano part) -- No. 39: Flößt, mein Heiland, flößt dein Namen: