The Music

Below is the German text of the Christmas Oratorio and a translation. Biblical translations are taken from the King James Authorized Version of 1611. All other translations are by my colleague Mr Robert Minett, to whom I give my sincere thanks. Where no credit is given for the text, I have assumed it to have been written by Picander in collaboration with Bach. Alongside, where appropriate, there is a commentary on the music in italics to aid listening.

Peter Parfitt

Part 1 The Birth of Jesus

1. Chorus

The exuberant opening chorus, in fast triple time, symbolic of the Holy Trinity, is taken directly from the secular cantata BWV 214, written to celebrate the birthday of Queen Maria Josepha on December 8^th 1733. The rather specific secular words of the original cantata, which greeted the Queen on her birthday, Tönnen ihr Pauken! (Sound the Drums!) are replaced with the more generic Jauchzet, frohlocket, the timpani retaining, however, their prominent place in the texture. The music, in D Major, is in ternary (ABA or Da Capo) form with the slightly more reflective middle section in the relative key of B Minor. The striking orchestration to the opening of the first chorus is a consequence of its original secular text, in which first drums and then trumpets are urged to celebrate. The opening lines of the chorus are, unusually, in unison. (As the master of counterpoint Bach very rarely used unison writing). It is entirely to be expected that Bach should turn the music written to open the celebrations of the birthday of royalty, into something more durable such as the opening of this work, celebrating the nativity of Christ, King of Heaven. [D.C. means Da Capo, a popular Baroque convention whereby the music is written in binary form with two distinct sections, but with the opening, or A, section of the movement repeated at the end, making overall for a ternary (ABA) structure.]

Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage,
rühmet, was heute der Höchste getan!
Lasset das Zagen, verbannet die Klage,
stimmet voll Jauchzen und Fröhlichkeit an!
Dienet dem Höchsten mit herrlichen Chören,
Laßt uns den Namen des Herrschers verehren! (D.C.)

Rejoice, be cheerful, arise, praise the days,
Give glory to what the Highest has done!
Abandon faint-heartedness, banish lamentation,
Sing in exultation and joyfulness!
Serve the most High with glorious choirs,
Let us honour the name of the Lord! (D.C.)

2. Evangelist Text: St Luke 2: v 1, 3 - 6

Es begab sich aber zu der Zeit, daß ein Gebot von dem Kaiser Augustus ausging, daß alle Welt geschätzet würde. Und jedermann ging, daß er sich schätzen ließe, ein jeglicher in seine Stadt.

Da machte sich auch auf Joseph aus Galiläa, aus der stadt Nazareth, in das jüdische Land zur Stadt David, die da heißet Bethlehem; darum, daß er von dem Hause und Geschlechte David war: auf daß er sich schätzen ließe mit Maria, seinem vertrauten Weibe, die war schwanger. Und als sie daselbst waren, kam die Zeit, daß sie gebären sollte.

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; because he was of the house and lineage of David: to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

3. Recitative - Alto

In this recitative the alto outlines the hopes of the world. Accompanied by two oboes d’amore, Bach saves the highest pitches for the final phrase painting the words using both the alto’s notes and the oboes’.

Nun wird mein liebster Bräutigam,
nun wird der Held aus Davids Stamm
zum Trost, zum Heil der Erden
einmal geboren werden.
Nun wird der Stern aus Jakob scheinen,
sein Strahl bricht schon hervor.
Auf, Zion, und verlasse nun das Weinen,
dein Wohl steigt hoch empor!

Now my dearest bridegroom,
Now the hero from David’s line,
for the comfort and salvation of the earth,
will be born.
Now the star from Jacob will shine,
his rays are already beaming upon us.
Arise, Zion, leave your weeping,
Your prosperity is ascending on high!