Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin . RIAS Kammerchor . Daniel Reuss

When composing his 'Weinachtsoratorium', Bach drew inspiration more from his own passions than the limited but valuable tradition of German 'Weinachtshistorien'. This is why we find in both the passions and the 'Weinachtsoratorium' the same three components: Bible passages, chorales and newly-written poetry, with the variety of musical forms that ensues from them. Recitatives, arias, ariosos, major chorales and short chorales alternate constantly. In contrast to the often extremely dramatic passions, in which various characters play roles as if in a religious opera, the 'Weinachtsoratorium', entirely in keeping with the way the Christmas story is told in the Bible, is much more contemplative. The emphasis is not so much on telling the story with all its dramatic developments, but rather a reflection on the Christmas story known to everyone. The Akademie für alte Musik Berlin and the RIAS Kammerchor have chosen the cantatas 1, 2, 5 and 6 from this six-part work. Bach wrote each of the six cantatas for a separate feast-day in the Christmas period and initially considered them as individual works, which he only later combined to form the oratorio as we know it.