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The '''Christmas Oratorio''' (German: '''Weihnachtsoratorium''') BWV 248 is a musical work by Johann Sebastian Bach celebrating the Christmas season. It was written in 1734, although much of the music was recycled from the composer's earlier music, including three secular cantatas written in the same year (BWV 213, 214 and 215) and the lost St. Mark Passion. The text is by Picander. It is in six parts, each part being a cantata intended for performance on one of the Twelve Days of Christmas (although the work is nowadays often performed as a whole). It is narrated by a Tenor Evangelist, and also makes extensive use of Lutheran hymns.
The first cantata, for the first day of Christmas, focuses on Mary, (sung by the alto) in the period around the birth of Jesus; the second, for the second day of Christmas, the appearance of the angel to the shepherds; the third, for the third day of Christmas, the visit of the shepherds to Jesus in the stable; the fourth, for New Year's Day, the Circumcision of Christ; the fifth, for the Sunday after New Year's Day, the visit of the Three Wise Men; and the last, for the Feast of the Epiphany, the role of Herod.

Contents

Music

First piece

External links

Music

The music of the ''Weihnachtsoratorium'' (''Christmas Oratorio'') consists of various chorales, arias and cantatas. Every sung text is accompanied by the chorus, contrary to the St. Matthew Passion. There are also no big chorales in the ''Weihnachtsoratorium''. Bach used many previous works in the ''Weihnachtsoratorium''. He used at least 19 previously written pieces, for example BWV 213, 214 and 215.

First piece

The first piece of the ''Weihnachtsoratorium'', from the chorus "Jauchzet, frohlocket! auf, preiset die Tage" to the chorale "Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein" is written for the first day of Christmas. This piece celebrates the birth of Jesus with a chorus and cantatas. For example, the following piece from the New Testament is sung:
:Es begab sich aber zu der Zeit, dass ein Gebot von dem Kaiser Augusto ausging, dass alle Welt geschätzet würde. Und jedermann ging, dass er sich schätzen ließe, ein jeglicher in seine Stadt. Da machte sich auch auf Joseph aus Galiläa, aus der Stadt Nazareth, in das jüdische Land zur Stadt David, die da heißet Bethlehem; darum, dass er von dem Hause und Geschlechte David war: auf dass er sich schätzen ließe mit Maria, seinem vertrauten Weibe, die war schwanger. Und als sie daselbst waren, kam die Zeit, dass sie gebären sollte.
This is the German translation of the first word of the Christmas story by Luke.

External links

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