Bergen Domkor - Bach's Christmas Oratorio (I-III)

RECORDINGS OF THE WORKS

Johann Sebastian Bach: Juleoratoriet, BWV 248

The concert plays an excerpt of the work.

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Bergen Domkor - Bach's Christmas Oratorio (I-III)

Description

Five solemn timpani strokes set the mood before cascades of wind and string instruments roll over us and build up the anticipation of the choir's joyful "Jauchzet, frohlocket!" - the Christmas season and the Christ child are near! The well-known opening of Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio is quite simply the sound of Christmas for many, and a cherished pre-Christmas tradition. In December 2026 the Christmas Oratorio is performed by Bergen Domkor together with Bergen barokk. The traditional Baroque instruments that Bergen barokk plays on bring the experience closer to the years 1734-1735, when the work was composed and first performed. In the familiar Baroque manner, Bach used some of his earlier compositions and other well-known music, and combined it with new compositions for the six cantatas that make up the Christmas Oratorio. Today it is one of Bach's best-known works. The cantatas were written for the first three days of Christmas, New Year's Day, the Sunday after New Year and Epiphany. Here Parts I-III are performed, that is, the cantatas for the first, second and third day of Christmas. Orchestra, choir and soloists tell the story from Mary and Joseph leaving Nazareth to register in the census until we leave them in the wonder of the stable, with the newborn Christ child and the shepherds in the field. Renate Ekerhovd, soprano Kristina Hammarstrøm, alto Anders Jerker Dahlin, tenor Lauritz Jakob Thomsen, bass Bergen Domkor Bergen barokk Kjetil Almenning, conductor