Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin / RIAS Kammerchor . Hans-Christoph Rademann

When Bach composed the 'Christmas Oratorio' he was more inspired by his own Passions than the traditions of the German 'Christmas stories'. The same three layers of bible passages, chorales and newly written poetry appear equally in the 'Christmas Oratorio' and the Passions. Various musical shapes originate from this form, which moves continuously between recitative, arias, ariosos, large choruses and short chorales. In contrast to his often dramatic, almost operatic Passions, the 'Christmas Oratorio' is much more contemplative. The emphasis lies not so much in narrating the story with all its dramatic developments; it is more a reflective essay on the well-known story of Christmas. The Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin and the Rias Kammerchor have selected cantatas nos. 1, 2, 3, and 6 from this six-part work. Bach wrote a cantata for each of the six holy days of the Christmas period and these were written as separate pieces which he later assembled to form the oratorio as we now know it.