Few works are as closely associated with the Christmas season as Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. Year after year, it is performed in countless churches and concert halls—not only in Leipzig, the city of Bach and home of the Calmus Ensemble—and for many it is part of the festive tradition: a musical conclusion to the year. The Calmus Ensemble approaches this monumental work in a chamber music style in its program »Christmas Oratorio.« Selected chorales take center stage and form the spiritual backbone of the concert, bringing the Christmas message to life in diverse ways. Bach’s music enters into an inspiring dialogue with well-known and lesser-known works from various eras and styles—all of which tell the Christmas story: Bob Chilcott (Christmas Oratorio), a former King’s Singer, lends new warmth to the Christmas season with modern harmonies; Josef Rheinberger (The Star of Bethlehem), a contemporary of Brahms, contributes romantic timbres; Camille Saint-Saëns (Oratorio de Noël) brings French elegance, and Harald Banter (The Christmas Story) surprises with jazzy rhythms and fresh perspectives. With »Christmas Oratorio,« the Calmus Ensemble bridges the gap between tradition and the present—between contemplative devotion and the joy of vibrant sound. A Christmas concert that allows you to rediscover the familiar while simultaneously unfolding the magic of the unheard.
PERFORMERS
Calmus Ensemble vocal ensemble
Elisabeth Mücksch soprano
Johanna Veit alto
Friedrich Bracks tenor
Jonathan Müller Saretz baritone
Michael B. Gernert bass
