Weingarten Season: Christmas Oratorio & Magnificat

REJOICE, BE GLAD, RAISE, PRAISE THE DAYS During the Advent season, Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio is simply a must. The second part of the concert is also remarkable: Bach's son, Carl Philipp Emanuel, was considered more esteemed than his father throughout his musical life, and he made significant contributions to music history by helping to prepare the Classical music era. However, he was very modest and believed that if any of his works had lasting significance, it would be the Magnificat in D major. Nowadays, dozens of his works are performed, but the Magnificat is one of his most beautiful. C.P.E. Bach's 9-movement Magnificat from 1749 is among the most sonorous and, in its vocal solo parts, one of the most demanding settings of the "Song of Praise of Mary" from Luke 1. The work meets all the criteria of a large-scale sacred composition: grandeur, dignity, polyphonic and concertante choral movements, as well as sensitive and passionate arias. Thus, the richly orchestrated Magnificat fits perfectly with the Christmas Oratorio. Father and son Bach united musically at Christmas; it couldn't be more beautiful. And this is presented with an internationally impressive lineup of soloists, under the renowned conductor Frieder Bernius and his magnificent Stuttgart Chamber Choir. Now Christmas can come!