Composed for celebrations from Christmas to Epiphany and first produced
in Leipzig in 1734-35, Bach's Christmas Oratorio unfolds movingly in a
set of six cantatas unified by a single narrative recounting the birth
of Christ. Traditional passages from the Gospels of Luke and Matthew are
presented in recitative, interspersed with arias and choruses that
provide powerful emotional and contemplative responses to the story.
Among the most famous segments of the Christmas Oratorio are the great
opening chorus, Jauchzet, frohlocket! the beautiful pastoral Sinfonia,
the bass aria Grosser Herr, und starker König, the alto aria Schlafe,
mein Liebster and the closing chorus, Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen. This
masterpiece of sacred music, for centuries a favorite of concert
audiences and church congregations throughout the Christmas season, has
been reproduced directly from the authoritative Bach-Gesellschaft
edition published by Breitkopf & Härtel.