Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1700) Weihnachtsoratorium BWV248 Christmas Oratorio

UPC 807280123791

Product Details

• Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
• Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner
• Soloists: Claron-McFadden (soprano), Bernarda Fink (alto), Christoph-Genz (tenor), Dietrich Henschel (bass)
• Choir: Monteverdi Choir
• Orchestra: English Baroque Soloists
• From the Herderkirche, Weimar 1999
• Sung in German
• Sound Formats: PCM Stereo, DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1
• Picture Format: 16:9
• Menu Language: English, German, French, Spanish
• Subtitle Languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese
• Running Time: 220 minutes (2 DVDs)
• Region Code: 0 (worldwide), NTSC
• Special Features: "Jauchzet, Frohlocket!" J. E. Gardiner's Bach Cantate Pilgrimage, "Bach Revisited" - J. E. Gardiner in Saxony and Thuringia
• Dual Layer Format: Layer transition may cause a slight pause

Overview

Bach's Weihnachtsoratorium (Christmas Oratorio) is one of the most beloved choral works of all time. This recording, filmed in the beautiful Herderkirche in Weimar, features Sir John Eliot Gardiner leading the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists in a thrilling performance of this holiday masterpiece. The work is presented in six parts, each corresponding to one of the major feast days of the Christmas season.

The soloists are all outstanding, with Claron-McFadden's clear and agile soprano, Bernarda Fink's warm and expressive alto, Christoph-Genz's powerful and nuanced tenor, and Dietrich Henschel's rich and resonant bass all contributing to a memorable performance. The Monteverdi Choir is in top form, delivering the complex choral passages with precision and verve. The English Baroque Soloists provide lively and expressive accompaniment, with Gardiner drawing out the full range of colors and textures in Bach's score.

The special features on this DVD include two documentaries: "Jauchzet, Frohlocket!" which follows Gardiner and his ensemble on their Bach Cantata Pilgrimage, and "Bach Revisited," which explores Gardiner's connection to Bach's music and his experiences performing and recording the Christmas Oratorio.

Product Specifications

• Format: 2 DVDs/NTSC
• Sound Formats: PCM Stereo, DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1
• Picture Format: 16:9
• Menu Language: English, German, French, Spanish
• Subtitle Languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese
• Running Time: 220 minutes
• Region Code: 0 (worldwide)
• Special Features: "Jauchzet, Frohlocket!" J. E. Gardiner's Bach Cantate Pilgrimage, "Bach Revisited" - J. E. Gardiner in Saxony and Thuringia

Cast and Crew

• Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner
• Soloists: Claron-McFadden (soprano), Bernarda Fink (alto), Christoph-Genz (tenor), Dietrich Henschel (bass)
• Choir: Monteverdi Choir
• Orchestra: English Baroque Soloists
• Director: Andreas Morell
• Producer: Michael Beyer
• Executive Producer: Burkhardt Seiler

Interesting Facts

• Bach's Christmas Oratorio was first performed in Leipzig in 1734, and was intended for use in the church services of the Christmas season.
• The work is made up of six cantatas, each of which tells a different part of the Christmas story, from the birth of Jesus to the adoration of the Magi.
• Bach recycled music from earlier works in the Christmas Oratorio, including several secular cantatas and a birthday ode for the Electress of Saxony.
• The Christmas Oratorio is one of the most popular of Bach's choral works, and is frequently performed and recorded.