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- Bach, J.S.
- Rust, Wilhelm
- Jadassohn, Salomon
Duration: 4 minutes
Description: Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248 (Weihnachtsoratorium) was composed in 1734 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) during his Leipzig tenure as Thomaskantor, where he produced a remarkable series of sacred works for the Lutheran church year. The Christmas Oratorio consists of six cantatas intended for performance on successive feast days from Christmas Day through Epiphany, with Part I first performed on December 25, 1734, at the Thomaskirche and Nikolaikirche in Leipzig. The opening chorus, “Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage” (“Stand up, be joyful”), serves as a jubilant proclamation of Christ’s birth, featuring festive trumpets, timpani, and brilliant choral writing adapted in part from earlier secular cantatas—a common practice in Bach’s parody technique. The Christmas Oratorio remains a cornerstone of the Baroque choral repertoire, especially during the Advent and Christmas seasons, and this opening chorus stands as one of Bach’s most exuberant and frequently performed sacred movements. Instrumentation: 2.2.0.1: 0.3.0.0: Timp: Hpschd.Org: Str (2.2.2.1.1 in set): Mixed chorus. Reprint of Wilhelm Rust’s edition, which is part of the Bach Gesellschaft Ausgabe. Two choral scores with piano reductions by Salomon Jadassohn are available from the publisher – one in German and one with an English translation.