J.S. Bach: Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248 (Live) Gewandhausorchester Leipzig & Gotthold Schwarz

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750): Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 1:
• 1Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 1: No. 1, Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage (Live)07:23
• 2Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 1: No. 2, Es begab sich aber zu der Zeit (Live)01:23
• 3Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 1: No. 3, Nun wird mein liebster Bräutigam (Live)00:58
• 4Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 1: No. 4, Bereite dich, Zion, mit zärtlichen Trieben (Live)05:19
• 5Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 1: No. 5, Wie soll ich dich empfangen (Live)01:01
• 6Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 1: No. 6, Und sie gebar ihren ersten Sohn (Live)00:24
• 7Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 1: No. 7, Er ist auf Erden kommen arm (Live)02:47
• 8Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 1: No. 8, Großer Herr und starker König (Live)04:38
• 9Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 1: No. 9, Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein (Live)01:11
• Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 2:
• 10Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 2: No. 10, Sinfonia (Live)05:22
• 11Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 2: No. 11, Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend (Live)00:44
• 12Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 2: No. 12, Brich an, o schönes Morgenlicht (Live)00:51
• 13Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 2: No. 13, Und der Engel sprach zu ihnen (Live)00:45
• 14Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 2: No. 14, Was Gott dem Abraham verheißen (Live)00:49
• 15Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 2: No. 15, Frohe Hirten, eilt, ach eilet (Live)03:42
• 16Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 2: No. 16, Und das habt zum Zeichen (Live)00:22
• 17Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 2: No. 17, Schaut hin, dort liegt in finstern Stall (Live)00:38
• 18Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 2: No. 18, So geht denn hin, ihr Hirten, geht (Live)00:53
• 19Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 2: No. 19, Schlafe, mein Liebster, genieße der Ruh (Live)09:05
• 20Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 2: No. 20, Und alsobald war da bei dem Engel (Live)00:15
• 21Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 2: No. 21, Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe (Live)02:15
• 22Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 2: No. 22, So recht, ihr Engel, jauchzt und singet (Live)00:27
• 23Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 2: No. 23, Wir singen dir in deinem Heer (Live)01:24
• Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 3:
• 24Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 3: No. 24a, Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen (Live)01:41
• 25Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 3: No. 25, Und da die Engel von ihnen gen Himmel fuhren (Live)00:08
• 26Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 3: No. 26, Lasset uns nun gehen gen Bethlehem (Live)00:44
• 27Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 3: No. 27, Er hat sein Volk getröst (Live)00:46
• 28Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 3: No. 28, Dies hat er alles uns getan (Live)00:44
• 29Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 3: No. 29, Herr, dein Mitleid, dein Erbarmen (Live)07:29
• 30Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 3: No. 30, Und sie kamen eilend (Live)01:26
• 31Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 3: No. 31, Schließe, mein Herze, dies selige Wunder (Live)05:34
• 32Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 3: No. 32, Ja, ja, mein Herz soll es bewahren (Live)00:25
• 33Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 3: No. 33, Ich will dich mit Fleiß bewahren (Live)00:53
• 34Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 3: No. 34, Und die Hirten kehrten wieder um (Live)00:26
• 35Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 3: No. 35, Seid froh dieweil (Live)00:38
• 36Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 3: No. 24b, Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen (Live)01:56
• Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 4:
• 37Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 4: No. 36, Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben (Live)05:22
• 38Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 4: No. 37, Und da acht Tage um waren (Live)00:32
• 39Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 4: No. 38, Immanuel, o süßes Wort (Live)02:23
• 40Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 4: No. 39, Flößt, mein Heiland, flößt dein Namen (Live)05:53
• 41Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 4: No. 40, Wohlan! Dein Name soll allein (Live)01:22
• 42Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 4: No. 41, Ich will nur dir zu Ehren leben (Live)04:48
• 43Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 4: No. 42, Jesus richte mein Beginnen (Live)01:53
• Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 5:
• 44Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 5: No. 43, Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen (Live)06:36
• 45Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 5: No. 44, Da Jesus geboren war zu Bethlehem (Live)00:25
• 46Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 5: No. 45, Wo ist der neugeborne König der Juden? (Live)01:57
• 47Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 5: No. 46, Dein Glanz all' Finsternis verzehrt (Live)00:54
• 48Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 5: No. 47, Erleucht' auch meine finstre Sinnen (Live)04:35
• 49Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 5: No. 48, Da das der König Herodes hörte (Live)00:14
• 50Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 5: No. 49, Warum wollt ihr erschrecken? (Live)00:36
• 51Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 5: No. 50, Und ließ versammeln alle Hohepriester (Live)01:28
• 52Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 5: No. 51, Ach! Wann wird die Zeit erscheinen (Live)05:29
• 53Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 5: No. 52, Mein Liebster herrschet schon (Live)00:30
• 54Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 5: No. 53, Zwar ist solche Herzensstube (Live)00:56
• Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 6:
• 55Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 6: No. 54, Herr, wen die stolzen Feinde schnauben (Live)04:43
• 56Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 6: No. 55, Da berief Herodes die Weisen heimlich (Live)00:49
• 57Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 6: No. 56, Du Falscher, suche nur den Herrn zu fällen (Live)00:56
• 58Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 6: No. 57, Nur ein Wink von seinen Händen (Live)03:37
• 59Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 6: No. 58, Als sie nun den König gehöret hatten (Live)01:20
• 60Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 6: No. 59, Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier (Live)01:07
• 61Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 6: No. 60, Und Gott befahl ihnen im Traum' (Live)00:26
• 62Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 6: No. 61, So geht! Genug, mein Schatz geht nicht von hier (Live)01:55
• 63Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 6: No. 62, Nun mögt ihr stolzen Feinde schrecken (Live)04:16
• 64Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 6: No. 63, Was will der Höllen Schrecken nun (Live)00:36
• 65Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248, Pt. 6: No. 64, Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen (Live)03:10
• Total Runtime02:24:14

Info for J.S. Bach: Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248 (Live)

For many, the Christmas holiday season would be incomplete without the resounding drum roll and trumpet fanfare that opens Bach’s “Oratorium auf die Heilige Weynacht” (“Oratorio for the holy Christmas”). Ever since it was first performed by the Thomaskantor between Christmas Day in 1734 and Epiphany 1735 in Leipzig’s two main churches of St. Thomas and St. Nikolai, Bach’s six part musical mas-terpiece has become a cornerstone of the city’s identity and musical heritage. The performance pre-sented here, led by Bach’s 17th successor Gotthold Schwarz together with the Thomanerchor and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, features a lineup of renowned soloists, enabling one to experience the festive grandeur of what many consider the epitome of Christmas music in its original setting.

“Gotthold Schwarz transforms this into a Christmas Oratorio that is far more than a sum of its parts… his musical rhetoric avoids cheap gimmicks and vain showmanship.” (Peter Korfmacher, LVZ)

Dorothee Mields, sopran0
Elvira Bill, alto
Patrick Grahl, tenor (Evangelist)
Markus Schäfer, tenor (arias)
Klaus Häger, bass
Thomanerchor Leipzig
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Gotthold Schwarz, conductor

Gewandhausorchester
The earliest roots of the Gewandhausorchester can be traced as far back as 1479. In this year Leipzig City Council appointed three musicians - Kunstpfeifer ('artistic pipers') - as municipal employees. This small ensemble remained in civic service until 1840, by which time their number had increased to seven. The musicians played a central role in Leipzig's cultural life, performing at functions in the City Hall, providing the musical accompaniment for services in the city's churches and participating in theatre productions, as well as forming a part of the orchestra of the Große Concerte ('Grand Concerts').

The concert enterprise Großes Concert was founded in 1743 by a society comprising both nobility and regular citizens alike - the first venture of its kind in Leipzig. The original Große Musicalische Concerte were held in the more spacious of homes of Leipzig society. The concerts' popularity soon, however, necessitated the hire of a hall in the hostelry Zu den drei Schwanen. For over thirty years, this inn played host to those citizens of Leipzig who could afford the society's substantial annual membership fee, from which the musicians were renumerated. The original orchestra comprised sixteen musicians, half of whom were professionals (including the Kunstpfeifer), half students at the city's university.

The year 1766 saw the opening of the nearby Komödienhaus ('Comedy House'). The theatre employed no musicians and ensemble of its own, rather hosting itinerant theatrical and operatic troupes for which the Stadtmusiker (the City Musicians) were engaged as orchestra. As time passed and the demands of the theatrical productions increased, the orchestra was to be ever more frequently bolstered by the musicians of the Große Concerte. So began the gradual symbiosis of Leipzig's concert and theatre orchestras.

At this time, the Gewandhaus (Gewand = robe), the trading house of the city's textile merchants, had no use for a substantial part of the upper floor of the building. On the initiative of the mayor, this space was converted into a concert hall. In November 1781, the first Gewandhauskonzert took place. The audience consisted of the members of the society which had promoted the concerts in the inn; the 32-man orchestra comprised the musicians who had given the Große Concerte, the majority of whom were, by this time, also employed regularly by the theatre. The orchestra of these Gewandhaus Concerts, therefore, soon became known as the 'Gewandhaus and Theatre Orchestra'.

In 1789, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart travelled to Leipzig in order to give a concert in the Gewandhaus. By this time, the hall was well established as the centre of Leipzig's concert life and would remain so for the subsequent 100 years. The nine symphonies of Ludwig van Beethoven received their first performance as a complete cycle worldwide during the composer's lifetime in the 1825/26 season. Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy's celebrated tenure as Gewandhauskapellmeister (conductor and music director of the Gewandhausorchester) began in 1835. His Scottish Symphony and Violin Concerto in E minor were both premiered in the Gewandhaus. Mendelssohn also conducted the first performances of symphonies of Robert Schumann and of Franz Schubert's C major Symphony The Great. In later years, both Richard Wagner's Meistersinger Prelude (1862) and Johannes Brahms’ Violin Concerto (1879) received their world premieres in the Gewandhaus, conducted in both cases by the composers themselves. …

Booklet for J.S. Bach: Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248 (Live)