ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
PHILIPPE HERREWEGHE
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750):
*Weihnachts-Oratorium* BWV 248
[Cantata I > VI]
Dorothee Mields _soprano_
Damien Guillon _countertenor_
Thomas Hobbs _tenor_
Peter Kooij _bass_
Collegium Vocale Gent
Philippe Herreweghe
*Weihnachts-Oratorium*
No matter how lovely they are, none of Bach’s other Christmas cantatas can hope to compete with the popularity of the Christmas Oratorio written in 1734-35. The reason is obvious: its six cantatas make the oratorio an exceedingly strong musical and conceptual unity. Bach skilfully and pragmatically reworked some of his earlier secular choruses and arias, written for birthday cantatas for the Saxon royal family, creating music in honour of the birth of Christ. In this way he not only saved time, he also gave these splendid compositions a new lease on life.