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Bach, J S: Christmas Oratorio, BWV248

Elly Ameling, Janet Baker, Robert Tear & Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

Choir of King’s College, Cambridge & Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Sir Philip Ledger

Bach, J S: Christmas Oratorio, BWV248

Awards:

Recorded in the mid-1970s at King's College Cambridge, this is definitely a 'vintage' Christmas Oratorio. Soloists Elly Ameling, Janet Baker, Robert Tear and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau are on...

David Smith, Presto Music

More reviews

Bach, J S: Christmas Oratorio, BWV248

Elly Ameling, Janet Baker, Robert Tear & Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

Choir of King’s College, Cambridge & Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Sir Philip Ledger

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Awards:

Recorded in the mid-1970s at King's College Cambridge, this is definitely a 'vintage' Christmas Oratorio. Soloists Elly Ameling, Janet Baker, Robert Tear and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau are on...

David Smith, Presto Music

More reviews

About

Johann Sebastian Bach performed his Christmas Oratorio during the festive season 1734/5 in Leipzig. It does not conform to the usual meaning of the word Oratorio in that it is not a single self-contained work but is split into six sections or cantatas for six different services between Christmas Day and Epiphany, indeed the soloists and instrumentalists employed are varied thus enforcing the view that Bach did not expect all six to be performed in one evening concert. There is the usual blend of choruses and chorales for the choir with arias and recitatives for the soloists with the Tenor also allocated the role of Evangelist.

This recording, featuring the choir of King’s College, Cambridge, together with soloists closely associated with the works of the composer and of international renown, took place in July and December 1976 in King’s College Chapel with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under the direction of the Sir Philip Ledger, the then College musical director

Contents and tracklist

Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 1
Work length28:04
No. 1, Chor. "Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage"
Track length8:16
No. 2, Rezitativ. "Es begab sich aber zu der Zeit"
Track length1:26
No. 3, Rezitativ. "Nun wird mein liebster Bräutigam"
Track length1:06
No. 4, Aria. "Bereite dich, Zion, mit zärtlichen Trieben"
Track length5:32
No. 5, Choral. "Wie soll ich dich empfangen"
Track length1:17
No. 6, Rezitativ. "Und sie gebar ihren ersten Sohn"
Track length0:30
No. 7, Choral. "Er ist auf Erden kommen arm"
Track length3:43
No. 8, Aria. "Großer Herr, o starker König"
Track length4:59
No. 9, Choral. "Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein"
Track length1:15
Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 2
Work length29:04
No. 10, Sinfonia
Track length5:02
No. 11, Rezitativ. "Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend"
Track length0:47
No. 12, Choral. "Brich an, o schönes Morgenlicht"
Track length1:16
No. 13, Rezitativ. "Und der Engel sprach zu ihnen"
Track length0:48
No. 14, Rezitativ. "Was Gott dem Abraham verheißen"
Track length0:56
No. 15, Aria. "Frohe Hirten, eilt, ach eilet"
Track length3:57
No. 16, Rezitativ. "Und das habt zum Zeichen"
Track length0:28
No. 17, Choral. "Schaut hin, dort liegt im finstern Stall"
Track length0:42
No. 18, Rezitaitv. "So geht denn hin"
Track length1:01
No. 19, Aria. "Schlafe, mein Liebster"
Track length9:10
No. 20, Rezitativ. "Und alsobald war da bei dem Engel"
Track length0:16
No. 21, Chor. "Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe"
Track length2:45
No. 22, Rezitativ. "So recht, ihr Engel"
Track length0:30
No. 23, Choral. "Wir singen dir in deinem Heer"
Track length1:26
Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 3
Work length24:10
No. 24, Chor. "Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen"
Track length2:09
No. 25, Rezitativ. "Und da die Engel von ihnen gen Himmel führen"
Track length0:13
No. 26, Chor. "Lasset uns nun gehen gen Bethlehem"
Track length0:45
No. 27, Rezitativ. "Er hat sein Volk getröst"
Track length0:46
No. 28, Choral. "Dies hat er alles uns getan"
Track length0:50
No. 29, Duett. "Herr, dein Mitleid, dein Erbarmen"
Track length7:18
No. 30, Rezitativ. "Und sie kamen eilend"
Track length1:26
No. 31, Aria. "Schließe, mein Herze, dies selige Wunder"
Track length5:25
No. 32, Rezitativ. "Ja, ja, mein Herz"
Track length0:34
No. 33, Choral. "Ich will dich mit Fleiß bewahren"
Track length1:05
No. 34, Rezitativ. "Und die Hirten kehrten wieder um"
Track length0:29
No. 35, Choral. "Seid froh dieweil"
Track length0:54
No. 24, Chor. "Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen" (Reprise)
Track length2:16
Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 4
Work length24:08
No. 36, Chor. "Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben"
Track length5:55
No. 37, Rezitativ. "Und da acht Tage um waren"
Track length0:43
No. 38, Rezitativ und Arioso-Choral. "Immanuel, o süßes Wort"
Track length2:55
No. 39, Aria. "Flößt, mein Heiland"
Track length5:39
No. 40, Rezitativ und Arioso-Choral. "Wohlan, dein Name soll allein"
Track length1:35
No. 41, Aria. "Ich will nur dir zu Ehren leben"
Track length5:00
No. 42, Choral. "Jesus richte mein Beginnen"
Track length2:21
Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 5
Work length24:00
No. 43, Chor. "Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen"
Track length7:08
No. 44, Rezitativ. "Da Jesus geboren war zu Bethlehem"
Track length0:25
No. 45, Chor und Rezitativ. "Wo ist der neugeborne König der Jüden"
Track length1:58
No. 46, Choral. "Dein Glanz all Finsternis verzehrt"
Track length0:56
No. 47, Aria. "Erleucht auch meine finstre Sinnen"
Track length4:10
No. 48, Rezitativ. "Da das der König Herodes hörte"
Track length0:14
No. 49, Rezitativ. "Warum wollt ihr erschrecken"
Track length0:42
No. 50, Rezitativ. "Und ließ versammeln alle Hohepriester"
Track length1:21
No. 51, Terzett. "Ach, wenn wird die Zeit erscheinen?"
Track length5:27
No. 52, Rezitativ. "Mein Liebster herrschet schon"
Track length0:36
No. 53, Choral. "Zwar ist solche Herzensstube"
Track length1:03
Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 6
Work length24:44
No. 54, Chor. "Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben"
Track length5:19
No. 55, Rezitativ. "Da berief Herodes die Weisen heimlich"
Track length0:52
No. 56, Rezitativ. "Du Falscher, suche nur den Herrn zu fällen"
Track length1:00
No. 57, Aria. "Nur ein Wink von seinen Händen"
Track length3:42
No. 58, Rezitativ. "Als sie nun den König gehöret hatten"
Track length1:18
No. 59, Choral. "Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier"
Track length1:07
No. 60, Rezitativ. "Und Gott befahl ihnen im Traum"
Track length0:25
No. 61, Rezitativ. "So geht! Genug, mein Schatz geht nicht von hier"
Track length1:58
No. 62, Aria. "Nun mögt ihr stolzen Feinde schrecken"
Track length4:47
No. 63, Rezitativ. "Was will der Höllen Schrecken nun"
Track length0:50
No. 64, Choral. "Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen"
Track length3:26

Awards and reviews

  • Presto Favourites
    Recommended Recording

Recorded in the mid-1970s at King's College Cambridge, this is definitely a 'vintage' Christmas Oratorio. Soloists Elly Ameling, Janet Baker, Robert Tear and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau are on top form, and Philip Ledger's reading of the work brings out its majestic gravitas.
David Smith
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