Immerse yourself in the timeless beauty of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Christmas Oratorio," a masterful cycle of six cantatas composed for the Christmas season of 1734. This exquisite collection, presented by Deutsche Grammophon, is a cornerstone of classical music, offering a profound and uplifting experience that transcends the centuries.
Spanning nearly two hours, this two-disc set plus a Blu-ray edition captures the essence of Bach's genius, blending sacred text with sublime melody and harmony. The oratorio, originally performed over six days, is here presented in its entirety, allowing you to delve into the rich narrative of the Christmas story as told through Bach's inspired compositions.
From the jubilant opening of "Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage" to the serene conclusion of "Warum wollt ihr erschrecken?", each cantata is a testament to Bach's unparalleled ability to evoke emotion and spirituality through music. The performances are brought to life by renowned artists, with the libretto drawing from various sources to create a cohesive and moving journey.
Whether you are a seasoned classical enthusiast or new to the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, this recording offers a profound and enriching experience. The "Christmas Oratorio" is not just a collection of songs but a deeply meaningful exploration of faith, hope, and the joy of the Christmas season.
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 1 "For the First Day of Christmas": No. 1, Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die TageJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 1 "For the First Day of Christmas": No. 2, Es begab sich aber zu der ZeitJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 1 "For the First Day of Christmas": No. 3, Nun wird mein liebster BräutigamJohann Sebastian Bach, Hugh Cutting, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 1 "For the First Day of Christmas": No. 4, Bereite dich, Zion, mit zärtlichen TriebenJohann Sebastian Bach, Hugh Cutting, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 1 "For the First Day of Christmas": No. 5, Wie soll ich dich empfangenJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 1 "For the First Day of Christmas": No. 6, Und sie gebar ihren ersten SohnJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 1 "For the First Day of Christmas": No. 7, Er ist auf Erden kommen armJohann Sebastian Bach, Frederick Long, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 1 "For the First Day of Christmas": No. 8, Großer Herr, o starker KönigJohann Sebastian Bach, Frederick Long, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 1 "For the First Day of Christmas": No. 9, Ach, mein herzliebes JesuleinJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 2 "For the Second Day of Christmas": No. 10, SinfoniaJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 2 "For the Second Day of Christmas": No. 11, Und es waren Hirten in derselben GegendJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 2 "For the Second Day of Christmas": No. 12, Brich an, o schönes MorgenlichtJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 2 "For the Second Day of Christmas": No. 13, Und der Engel sprach zu ihnenJohann Sebastian Bach, Nick Pritchard, Alison Ponsford-Hill, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 2 "For the Second Day of Christmas": No. 14, Was Gott dem Abraham verheißenJohann Sebastian Bach, Christopher Webb, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 2 "For the Second Day of Christmas": No. 15, Frohe Hirten, eilt, ach eiletJohann Sebastian Bach, Jonathan Hanley, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 2 "For the Second Day of Christmas": No. 16, Und das habt zum ZeichenJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 2 "For the Second Day of Christmas": No. 17, Schaut hin, dort liegt im finstern StallJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 2 "For the Second Day of Christmas": No. 18, So geht denn hinJohann Sebastian Bach, Christopher Webb, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 2 "For the Second Day of Christmas": No. 19, Schlafe, mein Liebster, genieße der RuhJohann Sebastian Bach, Hugh Cutting, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 2 "For the Second Day of Christmas": No. 20, Und alsobald war da bei dem EngelJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 2 "For the Second Day of Christmas": No. 21, Ehre sei Gott in der HöheJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 2 "For the Second Day of Christmas": No. 22, So recht, ihr Engel, jauchzt und singetJohann Sebastian Bach, Frederick Long, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 2 "For the Second Day of Christmas": No. 23, Wir singen dir in deinem HeerJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 3 "For the Third Day of Christmas": No. 24, Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das LallenJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 3 "For the Third Day of Christmas": No. 25, Und da die Engel von ihnen gen Himmel fuhrenJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 3 "For the Third Day of Christmas": No. 26, Lasset uns nun gehen gen BethlehemJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 3 "For the Third Day of Christmas": No. 27, Er hat sein Volk getröstJohann Sebastian Bach, Dingle Yandell, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 3 "For the Third Day of Christmas": No. 28, Dies hat er alles uns getanJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 3 "For the Third Day of Christmas": No. 29, Herr, dein Mitleid, dein ErbarmenJohann Sebastian Bach, Hilary Cronin, Dingle Yandell, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 3 "For the Third Day of Christmas": No. 30, Und sie kamen eilendJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 3 "For the Third Day of Christmas": No. 31, Schließe, mein Herze, dies selige WundeJohann Sebastian Bach, Hugh Cutting, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 3 "For the Third Day of Christmas": No. 32, Ja, ja, mein Herz soll es bewahrenJohann Sebastian Bach, Hugh Cutting, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 3 "For the Third Day of Christmas": No. 33, Ich will dich mit Fleiß bewahrenJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 3 "For the Third Day of Christmas": No. 34, Und die Hirten kehrten wieder umJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 3 "For the Third Day of Christmas": No. 35, Seid froh dieweilJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 3 "For the Third Day of Christmas": Recap No. 24, da capo: Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das LallenJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 4 "For the Feast of the Circumcision": No. 36, Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit LobenJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 4 "For the Feast of the Circumcision": No. 37, Und da acht Tage um warenJohann Sebastian Bach, Nick Pritchard, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 4 "For the Feast of the Circumcision": No. 38, Immanuel, o süßes WortJohann Sebastian Bach, Hilary Cronin, Frederick Long, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 4 "For the Feast of the Circumcision": No. 39, Flößt, mein Heiland, flößt dein NamenJohann Sebastian Bach, Hilary Cronin, Alison Ponsford-Hill, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 4 "For the Feast of the Circumcision": No. 40, Wohlan, dein Name soll alleinJohann Sebastian Bach, Hilary Cronin, Frederick Long, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 4 "For the Feast of the Circumcision": No. 41, Ich will nur dir zu Ehren lebenJohann Sebastian Bach, Nick Pritchard, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 4 "For the Feast of the Circumcision": No. 42, Jesus richte mein BeginnenJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 5 "For the First Sunday in the New Year": No. 43, Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungenJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 5 "For the First Sunday in the New Year": No. 44, Da Jesus geboren war zu BethlehemJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 5 "For the First Sunday in the New Year": No. 45, Wo ist der neugeborne König der JüdenJohann Sebastian Bach, Hugh Cutting, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 5 "For the First Sunday in the New Year": No. 46, Dein Glanz all Finsternis verzehrtJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 5 "For the First Sunday in the New Year": No. 47, Erleucht auch meine finstre SinnenJohann Sebastian Bach, Dingle Yandell, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 5 "For the First Sunday in the New Year": No. 48, Da das der König Herodes hörteJohann Sebastian Bach, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 5 "For the First Sunday in the New Year": No. 49, Warum wollt ihr erschrecken?Johann Sebastian Bach, Hugh Cutting, The Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner