Johann Sebastian Bach: Weihnachtsoratorium Highlights

Silent Night, Holy Night, and Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer? For many people it is not these or other popular songs, but the Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) that evokes the true spirit of Christmas at least as much as the Christmas tree and the manger: a musical ritual with a long-tradition, a fixed part of the cultural heritage of the Christian West. Many churches across the globe witness performances of the Oratorio every year, and well-attended concerts demonstrate the relevance of this music across the centuries. Even those who view the Christian message rather critically find it difficult to escape the pull that emanates from the festive glory of Bach’s music. Whether performed in its entirety of six cantatas or in individual selections—BWV 248 enraptures audiences, and generates brightly shining eyes in its listeners in any form of performance. Since the music is so richly abundant in varied sound-worlds, even a selection of highlights hardly runs the risk of being too subjective, but—quite to the contrary—presents a representative slice of Bach’s great artistry: vividly narrated recitatives, magnificent choruses, moving chorales, and heart-felt arias bring to life the Nativity, as outlined in the Bible, before the listeners’ eyes and ears. In today’s world, in which the Christmas message is in danger of being overwhelmed by loud, glaring commerce, Bach and his music can help us rediscover the feast’s true significance.

Ingeborg Danz
Martin Petzold
Panajotis Iconomou
Gewandhausorchester
Thomanerchor Leipzig
Thomaskantor Georg Christoph Biller

 Grammophone (15.11.2013, Lindsay Kemp):

"What we can say is that they have a typically fruity German boy sound, never seem like 84 singers (in a good way), and, despite strong underlying discipline, seem able to enjoy the more joyous moments with true enthusiasm."

Neue Bachgesellschaft - CD Tip (Newsletter Winter 2010, Sabine Näher):

"Die vom 7. bis 13. Dezember 2009 in der Thomaskirche entstandene Produktion zeigt den Chor in guter Verfassung - von schwungvoll-federnden, mitreißenden Chören bis zu eindringlich gestalteten, beseelten Chorälen. Insbesondere die Knabenstimmen [...] können mit mühelos strahlendem Klang überzeugen. Das Gewandhausorchester ist wie immer verlässlicher Partner auf höchstem Niveau und fügt viele wunderbare Instrumentalsoli hinzu."

Concerti - Das Berliner Musikleben (December 2010, Klemens Hippel):

"An der alten Wirkunsstätte Bachs setzt man [...] ganz auf die große Tradition des Chores, mit eigenen Knabensopranen und Solisten, die ihre Ausbildung bei den Thomanern begannen. Ein Genuss für Freunde des Klanges von Knabenchören"