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Harnoncourt's more recent recording of the same work is musically better, but this version has endearing qualities. Moments of undisciplined ensemble and occasional plodding tempos don’t disguise...

BBC Music Magazine, March 20093 out of 5 stars

More reviews

Bach, J S: Christmas Oratorio, BWV248

Name: Bach, J S: Christmas Oratorio, BWV248
Price: 11.5 USD
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Kurt Equiluz, Paul Esswood & Siegmund Nimsgern

Concentus musicus Wien & Wiener Sangerknaben, Nikolaus Harnoncourt

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Harnoncourt's more recent recording of the same work is musically better, but this version has endearing qualities. Moments of undisciplined ensemble and occasional plodding tempos don’t disguise...

BBC Music Magazine, March 20093 out of 5 stars

More reviews

About

Release date: 6th Oct 2008
Label: Warner Classics
Series: Das Alte Werk
Catalogue number: 2564698540
Length: 2 hours 34 minutes
Genre:
- Oratorios & Passions

Contents and tracklist

Bach, J S: Christmas Oratorio, BWV248: Jauchzet frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage

Work length8:29

Chorus Viennensis, Wiener Sängerknaben, Concentus musicus Wien
Nikolaus Harnoncourt

ExcerptBach, J S: Christmas Oratorio, BWV248

Work length12:23

Kurt Equiluz (tenor), Paul Esswood (countertenor), Siegmund Nimsgern (bass), Soloist of the Wiener Sängerknaben (soprano)
Concentus musicus Wien, Chorus Viennensis, Wiener Sängerknaben
Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Part 1 "Es begab sich aber zu der Zeit" [Evangelist]

Track length1:08

Part 1 "Nun wird mein liebster Bräutigam" [Counter-Tenor]

Track length0:52

Part 1 "Bereite dich, Zion" [Counter-Tenor]

Track length5:57

Part 1 "Wie soll ich dich empfangen" [Choir]

Track length1:08

Part 1 "Und sie gebar" [Evangelist]

Track length0:23

Part 1 "Er ist auf Erden kommen arm" [Boy Soprano, Bass]

Track length2:55

Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium, BWV 248, Part I: 'Grosser Herr, o starker König'

Work length5:29

Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium [Christmas Oratorio] BWV248 : Part 1 "Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein" [Choir]

Work length1:11

Chorus Viennensis, Wiener Sängerknaben, Concentus musicus Wien
Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Bach, J S: Christmas Oratorio, BWV248: Sinfonia 'Hirtenmusik'

Work length4:44

Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium [Christmas Oratorio] BWV248 : Part 2 "Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend" [Evangelist]

Work length0:31

Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium, BWV 248, Part II

Work length1:48

Kurt Equiluz (tenor), Soloist of the Wiener Sängerknaben (soprano)
Chorus Viennensis, Wiener Sängerknaben, Concentus musicus Wien
Nikolaus Harnoncourt

'Brich an, o schönes Morgenlicht'

Track length1:07

'Und der Engel sprach zu ihnen'

Track length0:41

Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium [Christmas Oratorio] BWV248 : Part 2 "Was Gott dem Abraham verheissen" [Bass]

Work length0:39

Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium, BWV 248, Part II: 'Frohe Hirten, eilt, ach eilet'

Work length3:44

ExcerptBach, J S: Christmas Oratorio, BWV248

Work length0:55

Kurt Equiluz (tenor)
Concentus musicus Wien, Chorus Viennensis, Wiener Sängerknaben
Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Part 2 "Und das habt zum Zeichen" [Evangelist]

Track length0:18

Part 2 "Schaut hin, dort liegt im finstern Stall" [Choir]

Track length0:37

Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium, BWV 248, Part II

Work length10:15

'So geht denn hin'

Track length0:49

'Schlafe, mein Liebster'

Track length9:26

ExcerptBach, J S: Christmas Oratorio, BWV248

Work length4:30

Kurt Equiluz (tenor), Siegmund Nimsgern (bass)
Concentus musicus Wien, Chorus Viennensis, Wiener Sängerknaben
Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Part 2 "Und alsobald war da bei dem Engel" [Evangelist]

Track length0:15

Part 2 "Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe" [Choir]

Track length3:54

Part 2 "So recht, ihr Engel" [Bass]

Track length0:21

Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium, BWV 248, Part II: 'Wir singen dir in deinem Heer'

Work length1:13

Chorus Viennensis, Wiener Sängerknaben, Concentus musicus Wien
Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium, BWV 248, Part III: 'Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen'

Work length2:22

Chorus Viennensis, Wiener Sängerknaben, Concentus musicus Wien
Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Bach, J S: Christmas Oratorio, BWV248

Work length19:13

Kurt Equiluz (tenor), Siegmund Nimsgern (bass), Soloist of the Wiener Sängerknaben (soprano), Paul Esswood (countertenor)
Concentus musicus Wien, Chorus Viennensis, Wiener Sängerknaben
Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Part 3 "Und da die Engel" [Evangelist]

Track length0:11

Part 3 "Lasset uns nun gehen" [Choir]

Track length0:47

Part 3 "Er hat sein Volk getröst'" [Bass]

Track length0:38

Part 3 "Dies hat er alles uns getan" [Choir]

Track length0:51

Part 3 "Herr, dein Mitleid" [Boy Soprano, Bass]

Track length7:55

Part 3 "Und sie kamen eilend" [Evangelist]

Track length1:07

Part 3 "Schliesse, mein Herze" [Counter-Tenor]

Track length5:04

Part 3 "Ja, ja, mein Herz" [Counter-Tenor]

Track length0:28

Part 3 "Ich will dich mit Fleiss bewahren" [Choir]

Track length0:58

Part 3 "Und die Hirten kehrten wieder um" [Evangelist]

Track length0:25

Part 3 "Seid froh dieweil" [Choir]

Track length0:49

Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium [Christmas Oratorio] BWV248 : Part 3 "Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen" [Choir]

Work length2:22

Chorus Viennensis, Wiener Sängerknaben, Concentus musicus Wien
Nikolaus Harnoncourt

ExcerptBach, J S: Christmas Oratorio, BWV248

Work length17:49

Kurt Equiluz (tenor), Siegmund Nimsgern (bass), Soloist of the Wiener Sängerknaben (soprano)
Chorus Viennensis, Wiener Sängerknaben, Concentus musicus Wien
Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Part 4 "Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben" [Choir]

Track length6:50

Part 4 "Und da acht Tage um waren" [Evangelist]

Track length0:33

Part 4 "Immanuel, o süsses Wort!" [Boy Soprano, Bass]

Track length2:30

Part 4 "Flösst mein Heiland" [Boy Soprano]

Track length6:20

Part 4 "Wohlan, dein Name soll allein" [Boy Soprano, Bass]

Track length1:36

Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium, BWV 248, Part IV: 'Ich will nur dir zu Ehren leben'

Work length4:44

Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium [Christmas Oratorio] BWV248 : Part 4 "Jesus richte mein Beginnen" [Choir]

Work length2:19

Chorus Viennensis, Wiener Sängerknaben, Concentus musicus Wien
Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Bach, J S: Weihnachtsoratorium, BWV 248, Part V: 'Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen'

Work length7:52

Chorus Viennensis, Wiener Sängerknaben, Concentus musicus Wien
Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Bach, J S: Christmas Oratorio, BWV248

Work length42:10

Kurt Equiluz (tenor), Paul Esswood (countertenor), Siegmund Nimsgern (bass), Soloist of the Wiener Sängerknaben (soprano)
Concentus musicus Wien, Chorus Viennensis, Wiener Sängerknaben
Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Part 5 "Da Jesus geboren war" [Evangelist]

Track length0:21

Part 5 "Wo ist der neugeborne König der Jüden?" [Choir, Counter-Tenor]

Track length1:38

Part 5 "Dein Glanz all Finsternis verzehrt" [Choir]

Track length0:48

Part 5 "Erleucht auch meine finstre Sinnen" [Bass]

Track length4:21

Part 5 "Da das der König Herodes hörte" [Evangelist]

Track length0:11

Part 5 "Warum wollt ihr erschrecken?" [Counter-Tenor, Tenor]

Track length0:26

Part 5 "Und liess versammlen alle Hohepriester" [Evangelist]

Track length1:21

Part 5 "Ach, wenn wird die Zeit erscheinen" [Boy Soprano, Counter-Tenor, Tenor]

Track length5:47

Part 5 "Mein Liebster herrschet schon" [Counter-Tenor]

Track length0:28

Part 5 "Zwar ist solche Herzensstube" [Choir]

Track length0:57

Part 6 "Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben" [Choir]

Track length5:42

Part 6 "Da berief Herodes" [Evangelist, Herod]

Track length0:44

Part 6 "Du Falscher, suche nur" [Boy Soprano]

Track length0:46

Part 6 "Nur ein Wink von seinen Händen" [Boy Soprano]

Track length5:03

Part 6 "Als sie nun den König gehöret hatten" [Evangelist]

Track length1:02

Part 6 "Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier" [Choir]

Track length1:04

Part 6 "Und Gott befahl ihnen im Traum" [Evangelist]

Track length0:21

Part 6 "So geht!" [Tenor]

Track length1:52

Part 6 "Nun mögt ihr stolzen Feinde schrecken" [Tenor]

Track length5:00

Part 6 "Was will der Höllen Schrecken nun" [Boy Soprano, Counter-Tenor, Tenor, Bass]

Track length0:35

Part 6 "Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen" [Choir]

Track length3:43

Awards and reviews

March 2009

Harnoncourt's more recent recording of the same work is musically better, but this version has endearing qualities. Moments of undisciplined ensemble and occasional plodding tempos don’t disguise an interesting interpretation.

Bach, J S: Christmas Oratorio, BWV248

Bach, J S: Christmas Oratorio, BWV248

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Contents and tracklist

Awards and reviews

March 2009

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