Johann Sebastian Bach Weihnachtsoratorium (Teile IV-VI)

Part IV: The Circumcision of Christ (New Year’s Day) 36. Coro Bow ye, thankful, kneel and praise ye,
kneel before the Father’s throne.
Christ the lord came to save you,
God for Him your sins forgave you,
Christ the Lord from pit of Hell will raise you.

37. Evangelista (Tenore) And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, then was the name of the child called Jesus, which was the name the Angel had given, given ere He had been conceived in His mothers womb.

38. Recitativo con Choral (Soprano e Basso) Immanuel, o word so sweet!
My Jesus, safe retreat,
my life my Jesus gave me.
My Jesus died that He might save me.
My Jesus’ image dear I prize,

...

Teil IV: Am Fest der Beschneidung Christi (Neujahr) 36. Coro Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben
vor des Höchsten Gnadenthron!
Gottes Sohn will der Erden
Heiland und Erlöser werden,
Gottes Sohn dämpft der Feinde Wut und Toben.

37. Evangelista (Tenore) Und da acht Tage um waren, dass das Kind beschnitten würde, da ward sein Name genennet Jesus, welcher genennet war von dem Engel, ehe denn er im Mutterleibe empfangen ward.

38. Recitativo con Choral (Soprano e Basso) Immanuel, o süßes Wort!
Mein Jesus heißt mein Hort,
mein Jesus heißt mein Leben.
Mein Jesus hat sich mir ergeben,
mein Jesus soll mir immerfort
vor meinen Augen schweben.

...

Meinrad Walter
Translation: Erik Dorset

What would Christmas be without music? The angles in the Bible do not merely speak the divine message of peace; they sing “Gloria in Excelsis Deo.” Songs such as O du fröhliche (O, how joyful) or Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her (From Heaven above to Earth I come) are simply part of the Christmas holiday season. But the epitome of Christmas music is Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, which opens with a drum roll. Tönet, ihr Pauken! (Sound, you drums!) was the title of the cantata that paid homage to the Saxon Electress and Polish Queen Maria Josepha, the music of which Bach reworked to make one of the most successful pieces of Christmas music of all time. And maybe even the composer suspected that although that very Queen would disappear silently and wordlessly, Christmas, as a multifaceted

...