Bach’s Christmas Oratorio 2024

  • The bottom half of a violin with sheet music, pine, and cranberries adorning the front of the fiddle on rustic wood background. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock Image

Two Performances

Friday, December 13, 2024 at 7:30 PM
St. Paul’s United Church of Christ
900 Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN

Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 4 PM
Westwood Lutheran Church
9001 Cedar Lake Rd, St. Louis Park, MN

“Shout for joy!” Back by popular demand, the Bach Society of Minnesota and the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers renew their collaboration to tell one of the greatest musical Christmas stories of all time. Hear three cantatas from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio as well as Cantata BWV 40, originally written for the second day of Christmas. Nearly 300 years after their creation, Bach’s narrative recitatives, beautiful arias, solemn chorales, and magnificent orchestration performed on period instruments are an experience to remember. Join us on this vivid musical journey through the mystery of the nativity led by Philip Brunelle and Matthias Maute, conductor of the Bach Society of Minnesota.

Bach Society of Minnesota Logo

PROGRAM

• Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Cantata I (First Day of Christmas-Birth of Jesus)
• Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes, BWV 40
• Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Cantata IV (First Sunday after New Year-Journey of the Magi)
• Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Cantata VI (Feast of Epiphany-The Adoration of the Magi)

THINGS TO KNOW

• This is the third time the Bach Society of Minnesota and VocalEssence have collaborated to perform Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and the first time that they will perform Cantata IV, which is the only cantata in the piece that uses Baroque Horns in the orchestration.

• J.S. Bach’s (1685−1750) Christmas Oratorio was written to be performed on the six feast days of Christmas at St. Thomas and St. Nicholas churches in Leipzig beginning on December 25, 1734 with Cantata I and finishing on January 6, 1735 with Cantata VI.

• When Bach died in 1750, his music was considered old-fashioned. It was only when Felix Mendelssohn performed St. Matthew Passion in 1829 that a Bach revival took place, and his music was more frequently performed during the 19th century. This revival helped pave the way for the tradition of performing the Christmas Oratorio during the Christmas season.

• Perhaps the most important musical element in Bach’s sacred choral music, and certainly in the Christmas Oratorio, is the chorale. The chorale was introduced into church services by Martin Luther to allow the congregation to take an active part in the musical worship: they have simple hymn-like melodies that were harmonized by the choir or the organ.

• The Christmas Oratorio, contains music that Bach had already composed. He adapted several earlier secular works that were written for royalty or notable figures and repurposed them. Essentially, Bach parodied himself!

• Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes was written for the Second Day of Christmas, December 26, 1723. It was Bach’s first Christmas cantata that was composed and performed at Leipzig at St. Thomas and St. Nicholas churches.

Image Gallery

  • Person wearing glasses a red button down shirt and suit coat smiles at the camera.
    Matthias Maute
  • Person wearing glasses a yellow button down shirt and suit coat smiles at the camera.
    Philip Brunelle
  • Person wearing a white button down shirt and suit jacket looks directly at the camera.
    Nicholas Chalmers
  • People wearing black and red and holding Baroque instruments pose for a photo.
    Members of the Orchestra of the Bach Society of Minnesota.
  • VocalEssence Ensemble Singers wearing black pose for a photo. Photo Credit: Bruce Silcox
    VocalEssence Ensemble Singers, Photo Credit: Bruce Silcox
  • Person conducting orchestra members.
    Mattias Maute conducts the Orchestra of the Bach Society of Minnesota Musicians and VocalEssence Ensemble Singers in December 2023. Photo Credit: Bruce Silcox
  • Person conducting orchestra members.
    Philip Brunelle conducts the Orchestra of the Bach Society of Minnesota and VocalEssence Ensemble Singers. Photo Credit: Bruce Silcox
  • Person wearing black sings in front of orchestra players performing at a concert.
    Nicholas Chalmers performs Bach's Christmas Oratorio in December 2023. Photo Credit: Bruce Silcox
  • Singers holding black folders and orchestra players perform.
    The Orchestra of the Bach Society of Minnesota and VocalEssence Ensemble Singers Perform Bach's Christmas Oratorio, Photo Credit: Bruce Silcox
  • Singers holding black folders and orchestra players perform.
    The Orchestra of the Bach Society of Minnesota and VocalEssence Ensemble Singers Perform Bach's Christmas Oratorio, Photo Credit: Bruce Silcox
  • Orchestra players wearing black play their instruments.
    The Orchestra of the Bach Society of Minnesota performs. Photo Credit: Bruce Silcox
  • Man in black suit with red shirt and man in black tuxedo hold hands above their heads in front of orchestra musicans and singers. Photo Credit: Bruce Silcox
    Matthias Maute and Philip Brunelle. Photo Credit: Bruce Silcox