Weihnachtsoratorium
Johann Sebastian
One of the Cantor's best-known works, performed here by one of the most discerning connoisseurs of this repertoire
Sung in German with French subtitles
Weihnachtsoratorium was originally divided up into six parts – or cantatas – because it was intended to be performed in Leipzig on the six days of Christmas, but it is based on one and the same narrative. It begins with the birth of Jesus and concludes with the adoration of the Magi. The strength of this work lies largely in its powerful text, which draws abundantly on the Gospels of St Luke and St Matthew. Weihnachtsoratorium, like the Mass in B Minor, represents the pinnacle of Bach's art in both the orchestral passages and the writing for the soloists.
