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Home , American Bach Soloists, Christmas Oratorio, Evangelist (Bach), St John Passion

WASHINGTON BACH CONSORT Dana Marsh, Artistic Director

Christmas Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248 (1685–1750) Nine virtual programs offer some of the finest works in the and oratorio repertory. You’ll ORATORIO enjoy the Washington Bach Consort as you’ve never Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248 heard them before, but you’ll also gain revelations Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) and insights into the music itself coming from our Dana Marsh, Artistic Director two resident Bach scholars, Michael Marissen and Daniel R. Melamed. Supported in part by grants Part I from the National Endowment for the Humanities Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage, BWV 248I and the J. Reilly Lewis Legacy Fund, Bach Friday, 12.25.20 at 8 p.m. YouTube & Facebook Interactions is a new digital concert experience offering the expressive heights of Bach’s musical NEW YOUTUBE & FACEBOOK DATES ↓ language as well as the story behind its creation. The series features three renowned , Part II Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140, Aus der Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend, BWV 248II Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir, BWV 131, and Nun komm, Thursday, 1.7.21 at 8 p.m. on YouTube & Facebook der Heiden Heiland, BWV 61, followed by all six parts of Bach’s beloved , BWV 248. Part III Each part will be presented on its intended day Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen, BWV 248III of liturgical observance, over the twelve days of Thursday, 1.14.21 at 8 p.m. on YouTube & Facebook Christmas to the Feast of the (January 6). Part IV Bach Interactions is supported by gifts from the Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben, BWV 248IV J. Reilly Lewis Legacy Fund and the National Thursday, 1.21.21 at 8 p.m. on YouTube & Facebook Endowment for the Humanities. Part V OUR MISSION Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen, BWV 248V Thursday, 1.28.21 at 8 p.m on YouTube & Facebook Founded in 1977 by the late Dr. J. Reilly Lewis, the Washington Bach Consort is a professional choral Part VI and orchestral ensemble based in Washington, Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben, BWV 248VI DC that is committed to ensuring that current and Thursday, 2.4.21 at 8 p.m. on YouTube & Facebook future audiences experience the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and his contemporaries, by: 1. performing the music of Bach and his contemporaries to the highest artistic CLICK HERE standards, To Donate Online Now 2. sharing the joy of Bach’s music by broadening audiences in the nation’s capital, 3. nurturing the appreciation of Bach’s music through education and community outreach activities, and 4. interpreting the music of Bach for audiences of today, thereby ensuring his legacy. 2 PART IV

PRESENTER Daniel R. Melamed

CHORUS

SOPRANO ALTO TENOR BASS Amy Nicole Broadbent Reginald Mobley Patrick Kilbride, Jason Widney, soloist Elijah McCormack, soloist Kristen Dubenion-Smith, soloist () Jonathan Woody soloist Matthew Loyal Smith

ORCHESTRA

VIOLIN VIOLONCELLO Andrew Fouts, John Moran Geoffrey Burgess Leon Schelhase concertmaster Margaret Owens Tatiana Chulochnikova, ORGAN soloist Jessica Powell Eig HORN Adam Pearl Brad Tatum Paul Hopkins Risa Browder

TEXT & TRANSLATION

Aufs Fest der Beschneidung Christi. Frühe zu St. On the feast of the circumcision of Christ. Early Thomæ; Nachmittage zu St. Nicolai. at St. Thomas; in the afternoon at St. Nicholas.

Tutti All Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben Bow with thanksgiving, bow with lauding Vor des Höchsten Gnadenthron! Before the Most High’s Throne of Grace! Gottes Sohn God’s Son Will der Erden Is willing to become the earth’s Heiland und Erlöser werden, Savior and redeemer; Gottes Sohn God’s Son Dämpft der Feinde Wut und Toben. Dampens the enemies’ fury and rage.

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3 TEXT & TRANSLATION (cont’d.)

Evangelist Evangelist Und da acht Tage um waren, daß das Kind beschnitten And as eight days were up, when the child would be würde, da ward sein Name genennet , welcher circumcised, his name was called Jesus, [the name he] genennet war von dem Engel, ehe denn er im was called by the angel, before he was conceived in the Mutterleibe empfangen ward. womb. Recitativ und Choral and chorale Immanuel, o süßes Wort! “Emmanuel,” o sweet word! Mein Jesus heißt mein Hort, My Jesus is called “my refuge,” Mein Jesus heißt mein Leben. My Jesus is called “my life.” Mein Jesus hat sich mir ergeben; My Jesus has submitted himself to me; Mein Jesus soll mir immerfort My Jesus shall evermore, to me, Vor meinen Augen schweben. Hover before my eyes. Mein Jesus heißet meine Lust, My Jesus is called “my delight,” Mein Jesus labet Herz und Brust. My Jesus refreshes heart and breast. Komm! Ich will dich mit Lust umfassen, Mein Come! With delight I will embrace you, Herze soll dich nimmer lassen. My heart shall never leave you. Ach, so nimm mich zu dir! Oh, so take me to you! Jesu, du mein liebstes Leben, Jesus, you, my most beloved life, Meiner Seelen Bräutigam, My soul’s bridegroom, Der du dich vor mich gegeben You who has given himself for me An des bittern Kreuzes Stamm! On the beam of the bitter cross! Auch in dem Sterben sollst du mir Even in dying shall you be to me Das Allerliebste sein; The most beloved of all; In Not, Gefahr und Ungemach In need, danger, and affliction Seh ich dir sehnlichst nach. I gaze after you most ardently. Was jagte mir zuletzt der Tod für Grauen How in the end might death [be able to] scare ein? Mein Jesus! Wenn ich sterbe, Me with fright? My Jesus! When I die, So weiß ich, daß ich nicht verderbe. I know that then I will not be ruined. Dein Name steht in mir geschrieben, Your name, inscribed within me, Der hat des Todes Furcht vertrieben. Has driven out the fear of death. ARIA Flößt, mein Heiland, flößt dein Namen Auch Is it, my Savior, is it [true] that your name instills den allerkleinsten Samen Even the very tiniest seed Jenes strengen Schreckens ein? of that stark horror [of the Day of Judgment]? Nein, du sagst ja selber nein; No, yes you yourself say, “no”; Sollt ich nun das Sterben scheuen? Now shall I shy away from having to die? Nein, dein süßes Wort ist da! No, your sweet word is there! Oder sollt ich mich erfreuen? Or shall I rejoice? Ja, du Heiland sprichst selbst ja. Yes, you yourself, Savior, declare, “yes.”

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4 TEXT & TRANSLATION (cont’d.)

Recitativ und Choral Recitative and chorale Wohlan, dein Name soll allein Well then, your name alone shall In meinem Herzen sein! Be in my heart! So will ich dich entzücket nennen, These are what I, in a trance, will call you, Wenn Brust und Herz zu dir vor Liebe brennen. When [my] breast and heart burn with love for you. Doch, Liebster, sage mir: But tell me, Most Beloved: Wie rühm ich dich, wie dank ich dir? How may I glorify you, how may I thank you? Jesu, meine Freud und Wonne, Jesus, my joy and gladness, Meine Hoffnung, Schatz und Teil, My hope, treasure, and portion, Mein Erlösung, Schmuck und Heil, My redemption, adornment, and salvation, Hirt und König, Licht und Sonne, Shepherd and king, light and sun,— Ach! wie soll ich würdiglich, Oh!—how shall I worthily Mein Herr Jesu, preisen dich? Praise you, my lord Jesus? ARIA ARIA Ich will nur dir zu Ehren leben, For honor I will live only to you; Mein Heiland, gib mir Kraft und Mut, My Savior, give me power and courage, Daß es mein Herz recht eifrig tut! That my heart will do it right zealously! Stärke mich, Strengthen me Deine Gnade würdiglich To exalt your grace worthily Und mit Danken zu erheben! And with thanksgiving! Choral Chorale Jesus richte mein Beginnen, May Jesus direct my embarking; Jesus bleibe stets bei mir, May Jesus remain with me ever; Jesus zäume mir die Sinnen, May Jesus bridle my inclinations; Jesus sei nur mein Begier, May Jesus only be my desire; Jesus sei mir in Gedanken, May Jesus be in the plans I devise; Jesu, lasse mich nicht wanken! Jesus, let me not waver!

(transl. Daniel R. Melamed and Michael Marissen)

5 PART V PRESENTER Michael Marissen

CHORUS

SOPRANO ALTO TENOR BASS Amy Nicole Broadbent, Sarah Davis Issaelkhoury Patrick Kilbride Steven Combs, soloist soloist Kristen Dubenion-Smith, Gregório Taniguchi, Jonathan Woody Laura Choi Stuart soloist soloist (Evangelist)

ORCHESTRA VIOLA VIOLONE HARPSICHORD Andrew Fouts, Risa Browder Jessica Powell Eig Leon Schelhase soloist, concertmaster Tatiana Chulochnikova VIOLONCELLO OBOE D’AMORE ORGAN John Moran Margaret Owens Adam Pearl Geoffrey Burgess

TEXT & TRANSLATION

Am Sonntage nach dem Neuen Jahr. In der On the Sunday after New Year’s. At St. Nicholas Kirche zu St. Nicolai. Church. Tutti All Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen, May honor, God, be sung to you, Dir sei Lob und Dank bereit’. May laud and thanks be extended to you. Dich erhebet alle Welt, All the world exalts you, Weil dir unser Wohl gefällt, Because our well-being pleases you, Weil anheut Because today Unser aller Wunsch gelungen, The wish of all of us has come true, Weil uns dein Segen so herrlich erfreut. Because your blessing gladdens us so splendidly. Evangelist Evangelist Da Jesus geboren war zu Bethlehem im jüdischen When Jesus was born at Bethlehem in the Jewish region at Lande zur Zeit des Königes Herodis, siehe, da kamen the time of King Herod, look: there came the wisemen of die Weisen vom Morgenlande gen Jerusalem und the Orient to Jerusalem, saying: sprachen: Chorus Chorus Where is the newborn King of the Jews? Wo ist der neugeborne König der Jüden? Recitativ Recitative Sucht ihn in meiner Brust, Seek him in my breast; Hier wohnt er, mir und ihm zur Lust! Here he dwells, to my and his delight!

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6 TEXT & TRANSLATION (cont’d.) Chorus Chorus Wir haben seinen Stern gesehen im Morgenlande und We have seen his star in the Orient and have come to sind kommen, ihn anzubeten. worship him. Recitativ Recitative Wohl euch, die ihr dies Licht gesehen, Well for you, you who have seen this light; Es ist zu eurem Heil geschehen! It has taken place for your salvation! Mein Heiland, du, du bist das Licht, You, my Savior, you are the light Das auch den Heiden scheinen sollen, That shall shine also to the gentiles, and they Und sie, sie kennen dich noch nicht, [These gentiles, the wisemen], they do not know you Als sie dich schon verehren wollen. Yet, [even now] as they already want to revere you. Wie hell, wie klar muß nicht dein Schein, How bright, how clear must not your luminosity be, Geliebter Jesu, sein! Beloved Jesus! Choral Chorale Dein Glanz all Finsternis verzehrt, Your luster consumes all darkness, Die trübe Nacht in Licht verkehrt. Turns the murky night into light. Leit uns auf deinen Wegen, Lead us along your pathways, Daß dein Gesicht That we may see your face Und herrlichs Licht And glorious light Wir ewig schauen mögen! Eternally! ARIA ARIA Erleucht auch meine finstre Sinnen, Light up, too, my dark inclinations, Erleuchte mein Herze Light up my heart Durch der Strahlen klaren Schein! With the clear luminosity of your streams of light! Dein Wort soll mir die hellste Kerze Your word shall be the brightest candle to me In allen meinen Werken sein; In all my works; Dies lässet die Seele nichts Böses beginnen. This will let the soul embark on nothing evil. Evangelist Evangelist Da das der König Herodes hörte, erschrak er und mit When Herod the King heard that, he was alarmed, and with ihm das ganze Jerusalem. him all of Jerusalem. Recitativ Recitative Warum wollt ihr erschrecken? Why would you all want to be alarmed? Kann meines Jesu Gegenwart Can the presence of my Jesus euch solche Furcht erwecken? Arouse such fear in you? O! solltet ihr euch nicht O! Shouldn’t you Vielmehr darüber freuen, Rather be glad about that, Weil er dadurch verspricht, Because he promises through it Der Menschen Wohlfahrt zu verneuen. To renew the welfare of humankind. Evangelist Evangelist Und ließ versammlen alle Hohepriester und And [Herod] had all the chief and scripture experts Schriftgelehrten unter dem Volk und erforschete von among the people gather, and inquired of them, where ihnen, wo Christus sollte geboren werden. Und sie [the] Christ was expected to be born. And they told him: “at sagten ihm: Zu Bethlehem im jüdischen Lande; denn Bethlehem in the Jewish region; for so it stands written by also stehet geschrieben durch den Propheten: Und the prophet, ‘And you Bethlehem in the Jewish region are du Bethlehem im jüdischen Lande bist mitnichten die by no means the smallest among the princes of Judah; for kleinest unter den Fürsten Juda; denn aus dir soll mir out of you shall come to me the leader who would be a ruler kommen der Herzog, der über mein Volk Israel ein over my people Israel.’”! Herr sei.

7 TEXT & TRANSLATION (cont’d.) ARIA ARIA Ach, wenn wird die Zeit erscheinen? Oh, when will the time appear? Ach, wenn kömmt der Trost Oh, when shall the consolation of der Seinen? His own [saved people] come? Schweigt, er ist schon würklich hier! Silence!—he really is already here! Jesu, ach so komm zu mir! Jesus, oh then come to me! Recitativ Recitative Mein Liebster herrschet schon. My Most Beloved already rules. Ein Herz, das seine Herrschaft liebet A heart that loves his Lordship, Und sich ihm ganz zu eigen gibet, And gives itself to him completely for his own, Ist meines Jesu Thron. Is [to be] my Jesus’ throne. Choral Chorale Zwar ist solche Herzensstube True, such a heart-cellar [for Jesus to dwell in] is Wohl kein schöner Fürstensaal, Certainly no choice hall of princes, Sondern eine finstre Grube; But rather a dark pit; Doch, sobald dein Gnadenstrahl Yet, as soon as your grace-filled stream of light In derselben nur wird blinken, Flashes in this same [pit], Wird es voller Sonnen dünken. It will seem full of sunlight.

8 PART VI PRESENTERS Michael Marissen Daniel R. Melamed

CHORUS SOPRANO ALTO TENOR BASS Katelyn Aungst Roger O. Isaacs, soloist Matthew Hill, David Rugger, soloist Margot Rood, soloist Sarah Davis Issaelkhoury soloist (Evangelist) Jason Widney Patrick Kilbride

ORCHESTRA VIOLIN VIOLONCELLO HARPSICHORD Andrew Fouts, John Moran Josh Cohen Leon Schelhase concertmaster Joelle Monroe Dennis Tatiana Chulochnikova VIOLONE Anthony Ferry ORGAN Jessica Powell Eig Adam Pearl VIOLA Risa Browder OBOE, OBOE D’AMORE Michelle Humphreys Geoffrey Burgess Margaret Owens

TEXT & TRANSLATION

Am Feste der Offenbarung Christi. Frühe zu On Epiphany. Early at St. Thomas. In the afternoon St. Thomæ. Nachmittag zu St. Nicolai. at St. Nicholas. Tutti All Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben, Lord, when our insolent enemies snort, So gib, daß wir im festen Glauben Then grant that we in steadfast faith Nach deiner Macht und Hülfe sehn! Will look to your strength and salvation! Wir wollen dir allein vertrauen, We want to put our trust in you alone, So können wir den scharfen Klauen So that we can escape Des Feindes unversehrt entgehn. The enemy’s sharp claws unharmed. Evangelist Evangelist Da berief Herodes die Weisen heimlich und erlernet Then Herod convened the wisemen secretly and sought mit Fleiß von ihnen, wenn der Stern erschienen wäre. with diligence to learn from them when the star might have Und weiset sie gen Bethlehem und sprach: appeared. And [he] directed them to Bethlehem, saying: Herodes Herod Ziehet hin und forschet fleißig nach dem Kindlein, Set out and search diligently for the little child, and when und wenn ihr’s findet, sagt mir’s wieder, daß ich auch you find it, report this to me, so that I, too, may come and komme und es anbete. worship it.

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9 TEXT & TRANSLATION (cont’d.) Recitativ Recitative Du Falscher, suche nur den Herrn zu fällen, You deceitful one, just try to bring down the Lord; Nimm alle falsche List, Use all your deceitful cunning Dem Heiland nachzustellen; To have it in for the Savior; Der, dessen Kraft kein Mensch ermißt, He, whose power no human comprehends, Bleibt doch in sichrer Hand. Remains nonetheless in safe hands. Dein Herz, dein falsches Herz ist schon, Your heart, your deceitful heart, Nebst aller seiner List, des Höchsten Sohn, With all its cunning, is already very well known Den du zu stürzen suchst, sehr wohl bekannt. To the Son of the Most High, whom you seek to overthrow. ARIA ARIA Nur ein Wink von seinen Händen Just one signal from his hands Stürzt ohnmächtger Menschen Macht. Overthrows the feeble strength of humankind. Hier wird alle Kraft verlacht! Here all power is mocked! Spricht der Höchste nur ein Wort, The Most High has to utter just one word Seiner Feinde Stolz zu enden, To put a stop to the insolence of his enemies. O, so müssen sich sofort O, then the plans of mortals Sterblicher Gedanken wenden. Will have to be immediately cut short. Evangelist Evangelist Als sie nun den König gehöret hatten, zogen sie Having heard the king, then, they set out. And look: the star hin. Und siehe, der Stern, den sie im Morgenlande that they had seen in the Orient went forth before them, gesehen hatten, ging für ihnen hin, bis daß er kam until, having come [to Bethlehem], it settled over [the und stund oben über, da das Kindlein war. Da sie den place] where the little child was. When they saw the star, Stern sahen, wurden sie hoch erfreuet und gingen they became exceedingly glad and went into the house and in das Haus und funden das Kindlein mit Maria, found the little child with Mary its mother, and bowed down seiner Mutter, und fielen nieder und beteten es an and worshiped it, and opened their treasures, giving it gold, und täten ihre Schätze auf und schenkten ihm Gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Weihrauch und Myrrhen. Choral Chorale Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier, Here I stand at your manger, O Jesulein, mein Leben; O little Jesus, my Life; Ich komme, bring und schenke dir, I come to bring and give to you Was du mir hast gegeben. What you have granted me. Nimm hin, es ist mein Geist und Sinn, Take this, it is my spirit and inclination, Herz, Seel und Mut, nimm alles hin, Heart, soul and courage; take this all, Und laß dir’s wohlgefallen! And let it please you greatly! Evangelist Evangelist Und Gott befahl ihnen im Traum, daß sie sich nicht And God commanded them in a dream that they should sollten wieder zu Herodes lenken, und zogen durch not direct themselves back to Herod, and [they] set off by einen andern Weg wieder in ihr Land. another way back to their country.

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10 TEXT & TRANSLATION (cont’d.) Recitativ Recitative So geht! Genug, mein Schatz geht nicht von hier, So go! [It is] enough that my Treasure will not go Er bleibet da bei mir; From here; he stays with me; Ich will ihn auch nicht von mir lassen. I will also not let him [free] from me. Sein Arm wird mich aus Lieb His arm will embrace me out of love Mit sanftmutsvollem Trieb With gentle desire Und größter Zärtlichkeit umfassen; And greatest tenderness; Er soll mein Bräutigam verbleiben, He shall remain my bridegroom; Ich will ihm Brust und Herz verschreiben. I will entrust breast and heart to him. Ich weiß gewiß, er liebet mich, I know for certain that he loves me; Mein Herz liebt ihn auch inniglich My heart also loves him deeply Und wird ihn ewig ehren. And will honor him eternally. Was könnte mich nun für ein Feind Now, at such good fortune, how could any enemy Bei solchem Glück versehren! Harm me! Du, Jesu, bist und bleibst mein Freund; You, Jesus, are and remain my friend; Und werd ich ängstlich zu dir flehn: And if I anxiously beseech you: Herr, hilf!, so laß mich Hülfe sehn! “Lord, save [me]!,” then let me see salvation! ARIA ARIA Nun mögt ihr stolzen Feinde schrecken; Now you insolent enemies might horrify; Was könnt ihr mir für Furcht erwecken? [Yet] how could you arouse any fear in me? Mein Schatz, mein Hort ist hier bei mir! My Treasure, my Refuge is here with me! Ihr mögt euch noch so grimmig stellen, You do still so like to feign being fierce; Droht nur, mich ganz und gar zu fällen, Just [go ahead and] threaten to bring me down Doch seht! mein Heiland wohnet hier. Completely; but look! My Savior dwells here. Recitativ Recitative Was will der Höllen Schrecken nun, What will the horrors of hell intend now, Was will uns Welt und Sünde tun, What will World and Sin intend to do to us, Da wir in Jesu Händen ruhn! Since we rest in Jesus’ hands! Choral Chorale Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen Now you all are well avenged An eurer Feinde Schar, Of your band of enemies, Denn Christus hat zerbrochen, For Christ has broken apart Was euch zuwider war. What was against you. Tod, Teufel, Sünd und Hölle Death, devil, sin, and hell Sind ganz und gar geschwächt; Are completely diminished; Bei Gott hat seine Stelle The human family Das menschliche Geschlecht. Has its place by God.

11 DANA MARSH, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Bach Studies (co-author Daniel R. Melamed; Oxford, 1998), Bach’s (Oxford, 2008), Tainted Glory Dana Marsh began his musical training as a boy chorister at St. in Handel’s (Yale, 2014), Bach & God (Oxford, Thomas Church School 2016), and essays in Harvard Theological Review, The in New York and at Salisbury Huffington Post, Lutheran Quarterly, and The New York Cathedral in England. He earned Times. his undergraduate degree in organ Daniel R. Melamed is professor at performance at the Eastman School the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and received masters and doctoral degrees of Music, and serves as president in historical musicology from the University of Oxford. of the American and Praised by The Los Angeles Times as an “energetic and director of the Bloomington Bach persuasive conductor,” and by The Washington Post as Cantata Project. His books Hearing “a superb choral conductor, energetic and precise,” Bach’s and Listening to Bach: Marsh has entered into fruitful collaborations with the Mass in and Christmas Oratorio, for general the London Mozart Players, Studio de musique readers, are available from . ancienne de Montréal, the Choir of St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue, the Portland Baroque Orchestra, and the Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra, among MEET THE ARTISTS others. As an acclaimed countertenor soloist and With a voice that “shimmers” (DC consort singer (1992-2008), he performed with the Metro Theater Arts), Washington, American Bach Soloists, Concert Royal of New York, DC-based soprano Amy Nicole New York Collegium, Seattle Baroque Orchestra, Broadbent has garnered and the Academy of Ancient Music. As a singer/ recognition as a versatile and soloist with the Choir of New College Oxford while dynamic performer. An advocate undertaking his D.Phil. research, he toured frequently for new music, in 2016 Broadbent with the Academy of Ancient Music, Orchestra of was selected by composer Robert Kyr as a soloist for the Age of Enlightenment, and the European Union the world premiere of his cantata Song of the Beloved. Baroque Orchestra, recording 15 discs with New Professional achievements include winning first- College Choir, one of which won the Gramophone place in the 2015 National Society of Arts and Letters’ award in early music in 2008. Marsh was Assistant Winston Voice Competition, first place at local and Director of Music and Director of Chapel Music at regional levels of NATS competitions, and prizewinner Girton College Cambridge, and he currently serves as for the New York Oratorio Society Competition at Director of the Historical Performance Institute at the Carnegie Hall, the Annapolis Opera Competition, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. the Bethlehem Bach Competition, and the Franco- American Grand Concours Vocal Competition. As an MEET THE PRESENTERS ensemble musician, Amy has performed with many of the nation’s top professional . She is currently a Michael Marissen is Daniel vocalist in the United States Navy Band Sea Chanters Underhill Professor Emeritus of Chorus, with the rank of Musician First Class. Amy Music at Swarthmore College, holds degrees from the University of Maryland, where he taught from 1989 to College Park. 2014. He has also been a visiting Geoffrey Burgess has played a professor on the graduate faculties key role in the early music revival at Princeton University and on three continents. Australian the University of Pennsylvania. His publications by birth, he played Baroque include The Social and Religious Designs of J. S. Bach’s oboe around the globe, and is Brandenburg Concertos (Princeton, 1995), Creative known equally as a scholar of Responses to Bach from Mozart to Hindemith (editor; early music. He was a member of Nebraska, 1998), , anti-, and Bach’s Les Arts Florissants in Paris for twenty years, and St. John Passion (Oxford, 1998), An Introduction to since relocating to the U.S. in the 90s, has appeared 12 regularly as soloist, orchestral and chamber musician An award-winning violinist, Tatiana recorded with the Washington Bach Consort, Philadelphia her debut solo album in 2016—a world premiere Bach Collegium, Concert Royal (New York), Mercury recording of violin works by the late 19th century (Houston), the Boston Early Music Festival Ensemble, composer Theodore Akimenko. The CD was released Publick Musick (Rochester), Pegasus Early Music, and worldwide in July 2016 on the British recording label is a member of the virtuoso chamber ensemble Kleine Toccata Classics and earned several very enthusiastic Kammermusik. reviews, including from Fanfare Magazine (US) which called it “a fascinating release” and Classica Magazine In addition to numerous recordings of orchestral and (France) which described the interpretation as a “total operatic repertoire, Geoffrey’s solo recordings include commitment and a free lyricism that goes straight to music of the Bach Family, newly commissioned works the heart.” for Baroque oboe and harpsichord, and Classical with the Cambini Winds. Dr Burgess For details, please visit Tatiana’s website at tatiana. has taught at Stony Brook, Duke, and Columbia com Universities, and on the faculties of Oberlin, Longy and Amherst summer schools. He is currently Praised for her “plush” mezzo- Baroque Oboe Instructor at the Eastman School of soprano voice (The Baltimore Music, and is sought after as a master teacher, giving Sun) and voice of “sweet clarity” workshops and guest lectures at venues such as (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette), Kristen the Utrecht Early Music Festival, the conservatories Dubenion-Smith enjoys an active in Amsterdam, The Hague, and Paris, and the performing career in opera, oratorio Mozarteum in Salzburg. As well as author of the and sacred vocal chamber music, standard work on the oboe in the English language specializing in music of the medieval, renaissance and (The Oboe, Yale UP, 2004), his writings include Well- baroque eras. Tempered Woodwinds: Friedrich von Huene and the In 2010, Ms. Dubenion-Smith co-founded the award Making of Early Music in a New World (Indiana UP, 2015), winning, Washington, DC-based medieval ensemble, and a critical edition of Bruce Haynes’s Nachlass, The Eya. Highlights of their 2019-2020 season include Pathetick Musician: Moving an Audience in the Age of concerts on the Academy of Early Music Series (Ann Eloquence (Oxford UP, 2016). He is currently writing Arbor, MI) and hosting an Irish Festival at Georgetown a historical novel based on the life of Bach’s oboist University with the Irish Embassy. Caspar Gleditsch with the provisional title The Thorn of the Honey Locust. 2019-2020 soloist engagements include performances with the Bach in Baltimore Concert Series, The City Praised for her “fine performances” Choir of Washington, the Washington National (The Washington Post), “dark plush Cathedral Baroque Orchestra, Cathedra Consort, the romantic violin sound” (New York Dryden Ensemble, The Reston Chorale, Handel Choir Concert Review) and “thrilling of Baltimore, the Arts Chorale of Winchester, the technique and bravura style” Cathedral Choral Society and the Washington Bach ( Classical Voice), Consort. Ukrainian- American violinist Tatiana Chulochnikova maintains an active career as Violinist Andrew Fouts is honored a soloist, orchestra leader and chamber musician with to have served as a concertmaster performances spanning the United States. with the Washington Bach Consort since 2010. The Washington Post Born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Tatiana began playing violin has praised his performances with at the age of seven and made her professional debut the Consort as being “exemplary on at 14 playing Bruch’s violin concerto with the Kharkiv the highest part, playing with clean Philharmonic. Tatiana received her professional intonation and radiant tone.” Other mentions by the training at the Tchaikovsky College of Music and Post have praised his “deeply expressive solos” and Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow. She also holds “mellifluous sound and sensitive style.” degrees from Oberlin Conservatory and the . Hailing from Northern California, Andrew resides in 13 Pittsburgh and is a member of the city’s acclaimed New York Competition, 2nd place in Vocal Arts DC Art early music ensemble, Chatham Baroque. The Song Competition, and 3rd place at the Metropolitan ensemble maintains a robust concert season, Opera National Council Middle Atlantic Regional averaging 80 performances a year, comprising its Competition. Matthew received both his Master and Concert Series, Peanut Butter & Jam Sessions for Bachelor of Music degrees from the University of kids, work in early childhood centers of the Pittsburgh Maryland. Public Schools, touring across North and South America, and collaborations with other Pittsburgh Patrick Kilbride received degrees arts organizations including the Pittsburgh Opera, from Northwestern University, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Pittsburgh Camerata, University of Maryland Opera Quantum Theatre, Carnegie Mellon, and the Studio, and fellowships from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Aspen Opera Theater Center and Tanglewood Music Festival. He The 17/18 Season includes appearances with Apollo’s made his U.S. debut in Monteverdi’s Fire, the Four Nations Ensemble, and in recital with Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in patria with the Boston Early Music Seattle harpsichordist Byron Schenkman. Festival. Winning the 24th International Concours de Chant in Clermont-Ferrand, France, he made his In 2008 Andrew won first prize at the American Bach European debut in a French national tour of Handel’s Soloists’ International Baroque Violin Competition. Acis and Galatea in 2015-2016. He has sung roles with He has taught at the Madison Early Music Festival and Festival Aix-en-Provence, the Britten-Pears Aldeburgh the Oficina de Música de Curitiba, Brazil, and can be Festival, Opera Lafayette and Heartbeat Opera, heard on recordings with Chatham Baroque, American debuting at the Opéra royal de Versailles, Théâtre Bach Soloists, Philharmonia Baroque, Apollo’s Fire, Gérard Philippe, Paris, Grand Théâtre Luxembourg, Musik Ekklesia, and Alarm Will Sound. His principal Snape Maltings Concert Hall, the Kennedy Center, teachers were Charles Castleman at the Eastman and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Upcoming School of Music, and Stanley Ritchie at Indiana performances include a new production of John University Jacobs School of Music. Blow’s Venus and Adonis with Opera Lafayette, Matthew Hill, tenor, from Laurel, appearances with the Washington Bach Consort, Maryland, enjoys a varied career Cathedral Choral Society, and his debut at the Teatro as a soloist and ensemble singer, Nacional de São Carlos, Lisbon, Portugal. based in Washington, DC. Past solo www.PatrickKilbride.com concert work includes Handel’s Elijah McCormack, male soprano, Israel in Egypt and Messiah, Mozart’s completed his Master’s degree Requiem, Rachmaninoff’sAll-Night in voice at Indiana University’s Vigil, Bach’s , and the Evangelist in Historical Performance Institute Bach’s St. Matthew and St. John Passions. He also in May 2019, where he studied performs regularly with the American Bach Soloists, with Steven Rickards. He recently Washington Bach Consort, and Washington National appeared as the soprano soloist in Cathedral Choirs. As a choral musician, Matthew the Dallas Bach Society’s St. John Passion, garnering sings weekly at Christ Church Georgetown and is a critical praise for his “powerful” delivery and member of the United States Air Force Band Singing “expressive sophistication” (Dallas Morning News). Last Sergeants. Recent opera credits include his debut Summer, at the American Bach Soloists Academy, with Washington National Opera as Older brother he performed works by Handel, Buxtehude, Lotti, in Dead Man Walking, Patre in Gounod’s Sapho with and Bach, most notably the role of Erato in Handel’s Washington Concert Opera, Parpignol in La Bohème Terpsicore. He was also featured as a young artist at with Wolf Trap Opera, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte and the Boston Early Music Festival, where he sang works Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni with the Maryland Opera by Agostino Steffani. Studio, and Damon in Acis and Galatea with New Dominion Chorale. Matthew has won 2nd place in the In his two years at Indiana University, he sang roles National Society of Arts and Letters Dorothy Lincoln- in Giulio Cesare (Tolomeo) and Hansel and Gretel Smith Competition, won the Choralis Young Artist (Dewman), and also appeared as a soprano soloist in Competition, 4th place in the Oratorio Society of the Historical Performance Institute’s performance of 14 Bach’s St. John Passion directed by . Outside Baroque oboe by Randall Cook (Basel, 2014), after of the Jacobs School, he has sung roles in Handel’s Jonathan Bradbury (London, early 18th century); Alcina (Oberto), Cavalli’s Didone (Amore), Le Nozze di baroque oboe d’amore by Bernard Schermer (Basel, Figaro (Cherubino) and The Turn of the Screw (Miles). 1998), after J.H. Eichentopf (, early 18th He completed his Bachelor’s degree at Skidmore century); by Sand Dalton (Lopez Island, College in 2016, where he studied with Sylvia Stoner- WA, 2000), after Eichentopf. Hawkins and made his role debut as Arsamenes in Handel’s Serse. Margot Rood, hailed for her “colorful and vital” singing by Particularly noted for his The Washington Post, performs a “crystalline diction and pure, evenly wide range of repertoire, and is in produced tone” (Miami Herald), demand as a soloist with conductors countertenor Reginald Mobley is including Harry Christophers, Scott highly sought after for Baroque, Metcalfe, Patrick Dupré Quigley, Classical and modern repertoire. Stephen Stubbs, Franz Welser-Möst, and Beth Willer. Recent highlights include an Recognized particularly for her commitment to early extensive tour of sixteen concerts around Europe music, Margot is a former Lorraine Hunt Lieberson singing Bach’s Matthäus-Passion with the Monteverdi Fellow at Emmanuel Music, where she is often Choir and English Baroque Soloists led by Sir John featured on Emmanuel’s nationally-known Bach Eliot Gardiner; an ensemble to which he returned cantata series. She is frequently booked for Bach for a further European tour, where international performances with the likes of Edinburgh’s Dunedin reviews commented on his “purity of timbre” and Consort, South Florida’s Enlightenment Festival, “homogeneity of tone.” He also performed concerts Handel + Haydn Society, Philharmonia Baroque of Händel’s Messiah with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and the Washington Bach Consort. Orchestra, Purcell’s King Arthur with the Academy Handel’s Messiah is a signature piece, which she of Ancient Music in London, and Mozart’s Requiem has performed with Toronto’s Tafelmusik Baroque with Orkiestra Historyczna in Poland. Further Orchestra, TENET Vocal Artists, Seraphic Fire, Bach highlights include tours of Germany with Freiburg Collegium San Diego, Rhode Island Philharmonic, and Barockorchester, and Balthasar-Neumann Choir und New Jersey Symphony. Other appearances include Ensemble, performing at prestigious venues across Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and annual concerts Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. as well as tours and recordings with acclaimed In demand as a performer on renaissance ensemble Blue Heron. historical , Meg Owens Margot is a recent recipient of the St. Botolph Club appears regularly with many Foundation’s Emerging Artist Award for her work in of North America’s baroque new music. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in the orchestras, including American Bach world premiere of Shawn Jaeger’s Letters Made with Soloists, Ars Lyrica, Folger Consort, Gold. Recent and upcoming solo appearances also National Cathedral Baroque include the Cleveland Orchestra (Stravinsky Threni), Orchestra, Opera Lafayette, Tafelmusik, Tempesta Boston Symphony (Benjamin Dream of the Song), New di Mare, and Washington Bach Consort. Recent World Symphony (Reich The Desert Music), and A Far concerts include solo appearances with REBEL, Four Cry (Golijov Three Songs). Nations, Sebastian Chamber Players, and Berkshire Bach Society. Hailing from eastern North Carolina, Notable recording releases include Blue Heron’s Ms. Owens earned degrees in oboe performance at Ockeghem Songs, Vol. 1, La Renommée in Lalande’s the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, the Les Fontaines de Versailles and La Paix in Charpentier’s Manhattan School of Music, and the City University Les Arts Florissants with Boston Early Music Festival of New York. Ms. Owens teaches historical oboes at (CPO), and the role of Emily Webb on Monadnock Indiana University, modern oboe at George Mason Music’s recording of Ned Rorem’s Our Town (New University, and directs Mason’s baroque chamber World Records). She has recorded repertoire from orchestra. the medieval to the 21st-century on the Coro, Albany Records, Blue Heron, BMOP Sound, Toccata Classics,

15 and Sono Luminus labels. Her solo recording with pioneers of the early music movement as well as the composer Heather Gilligan, Living in Light, is now next generation, including Paul Elliott, Scott Allen available. She can also be heard on Blue Heron’s Jarrett, Jeffrey Thomas, and John Butt. As one of the Music from the Peterhouse Partbooks Vol. 5, which nation’s finest choral artists, he has appeared with won the Gramophone Award for Early Music in 2018. Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Clarion Vocal Ensemble, Seraphic Fire, Cantus, Washington Bach Consort, Baritone David Rugger enjoys a Oregon Bach Festival, and Staunton Music Festival. blossoming career in oratorio, early music, and ensemble singing. David Gregório is passionate about being an active part of received his PhD in musicology the community of artists, supporting composers in from Indiana University, where he recording new works as a studio singer and in faith also studied voice and was active communities as a choral scholar. He also serves as a in the Historical Performance language coach, especially in his native Portuguese. Institute. Recent performances include appearances with the St. Louis Bach Society, Bach Akademie Bass-baritone Jonathan Woody is Charlotte, Conspirare, Mountainside Baroque, Dayton a sought-after performer of early Bach Society, Vocal Arts Ensemble (Cincinnati), and and new music in New York and Seraphic Fire. In his scholarship, David explores the across North America. He has been relationship between vocal sound, the body, and featured with historically-informed identity in the long twentieth century, especially in orchestras such as Apollo’s Fire, England and America. He has given papers at the Boston Early Music Festival, national meetings of the American Musicological Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Bach Collegium San Society, the North American British Music Studies Diego, Portland Baroque Orchestra and New York Association, and the Midwest Victorian Studies Baroque Incorporated, earning praise as “charismatic,” Association. David is writing a book about singing “riveting,” and “wonderfully dramatic.” Jonathan is Bach’s vocal music from non-specialists. He currently also committed to ensemble singing at the highest teaches at the University of Indianapolis and Butler level and has performed with the Choir of Trinity Wall University. More information can be found at Street, TENET, the Clarion Music Society and New davidrugger.com. York Polyphony, among others. An avid performer of new music, Jonathan has premiered works including Gregório Taniguchi crafts Ellen Reid’s p r i s m (2019 Pulitzer Prize winner), Ted compelling performances that move Hearne’s The Source, Missy Mazzoli’s Breaking the audiences. His dedication to rhetoric Waves (NYC premiere), and Du Yun’s Angel’s Bone in music draws listeners to hear (2017 Pulitzer Prize winner). He has appeared with historical works as a dynamic and Staunton Music Festival, Aldeburgh Festival, Portland living part of our musical culture, Bach Festival, Carmel Bach Festival, Oregon Bach illuminating classics for a modern Festival, Opera Lafayette, Gotham Chamber Opera, audience. Contemporary vocal music and new works and Beth Morrison Projects. Jonathan has recorded by emerging composers likewise come alive through with the Choir of Trinity Wall Street (Musica Omnia), his communicative artistry. Boston Early Music Festival (RadioBremen), and New York Polyphony (BIS Records). Jonathan’s musical Gregório has empowered narratives with an intuitive pursuits extend beyond his voice and he has been sense for storytelling as the Evangelist in Bach’s commissioned as a composer for groups including St. John Passion and Christmas Oratorio, Æneas in Lorelei Ensemble, the Handel + Haydn Society, and Cavalli’s La Didone, Miles Zegner in Missy Mazzoli’s the Uncommon Music Festival. Currently based in Proving Up, and Septimius in Handel’s Theodora. He Brooklyn, NY, Jonathan holds degrees from McGill has toured Ecuador with the emerging ensemble University and the University of Maryland, College Las Aves and presented historically-informed 17th- Park, and is represented by Miguel Rodriguez of century Italian and Spanish sacred repertoire in the Athlone Artists. cathedrals of Quito during Holy Week. He advocates www.athloneartists.com/artists/jonathan-woody/ for the intimate connections created by chamber music and regularly presents recitals of classic and contemporary art song. He has worked closely with 16 CHRISTMAS ORATORIO Part I Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage, BWV 248I Friday, 12.25.20 at 8 p.m. YouTube & Facebook

NEW YOUTUBE & FACEBOOK DATES ↓

Part II Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend, BWV 248II Thursday, 1.7.21 at 8 p.m. on YouTube & Facebook Part III Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen, BWV 248III Thursday, 1.14.21 at 8 p.m. on YouTube & Facebook Part IV Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben, BWV 248IV Thursday, 1.21.21at 8 p.m. on YouTube & Facebook Part V Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen, BWV 248V Thursday, 1.28.21at 8 p.m on YouTube & Facebook Part VI Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben, BWV 248VI Thursday, 2.4.21 at 8 p.m. on YouTube & Facebook

6 ABOUT THE MUSIC: HOW SHALL I RECEIVE passions and with the style they expected from their composer. The oratorio, in contrast to the YOU? passions, was sunny and smiling, simple, and galant—even to the point of suggesting of doubt Modern interest in J. S. Bach as a composer of about Bach’s authorship. (Carl Philipp Emanuel church music owes a great deal to one celebrated Bach was suggested as a possible compiler, for moment: the Berlin performance of a version of example.) Its lighter style, aligning better with his St. Matthew Passion in 1829 under the musical secular music, was a source of puzzlement. direction of Felix Mendelssohn. The context And then they discovered the origin of was a concert, not a liturgy; and the performing much of the Christmas Oratorio in actual secular organization was the Berlin Sing-Akademie, a compositions—that Bach had reused music bourgeois amateur society that had been founded composed for other non-liturgical purposes, fitted in the late eighteenth century to promote the with new texts. This created multiple problems, if private study of great music from the past for the not a crisis. Not only was there the musical style of artistic and moral edification of its middle-class the oratorio to deal with, there was also the issue members. The effect was sensational, beginning the of originality, closely associated in the nineteenth restoration of Bach’s large-scale concerted vocal century with the concept of genius, and the music to the repertory. apparent clash of the solemn purpose of Bach’s To the concert repertory, that is—this music had sacred music with its frivolous secular origins. become largely unsuited to its original liturgical The complete edition of Bach’s works begun in purposes not long after Bach’s death. This was 1850 was forced to confront this in the preface only partly a matter of the notes; it was the text to its 1856 publication of the Christmas Oratorio. that created problems. Tastes in religious poetry The strategy of the editor, Wilhelm Rust, was to changed rapidly, making the wild and graphic emphasize the role of , which were both imagery of the Passion’s and dated sacred and original to the composition, and to and perhaps tasteless. Even the chorales became declare that the apparent secular origin of the outdated; the second half of the eighteenth century music was essentially a red herring. Bach knew all saw almost every hymn text revised to suit modern, along, he suggested, that the music he composed more rationalistic tastes. for those secular occasions would find use in By the 1820s, Bach’s passions and other concerted sacred works. Several problems disappeared with church music was historical, and it is no accident this assertion because the notes became sacred by that its revival was in concert performances their nature, conceived that way from the start and connected with cultural edification, with reverence remaining so whether used in a secular work or a for the past, and with a sense of that past as a sacred one. The originality problem was inherently foundation of German nationhood. The passions solved, too, because this explanation let Bach off came to stand alongside the preludes and fugues the hook; if he had been planning to use this music of the Well-Tempered Clavier and a few organ in a sacred composition all along then there was works in representing Bach. They were regarded as no lack of imaginative genius anywhere in the serious and weighty, full of labyrinthine harmonies process. and contrapuntal complexities, as well as tragic, For commentators, there remained the lamenting, dramatic and morally uplifting. fundamental problem of the Christmas Oratorio’s Against this background, the Christmas Oratorio apparent lack of seriousness and weight was the last of Bach’s major vocal-instrumental compared to Bach’s passions, and for this there works to be rediscovered. As writers on Bach’s was an interpretive solution that dated from music encountered the Christmas Oratorio they the earliest critical writings on the work dating found it difficult to square with the music of the from the 1840s. The musical antiquarian Carl von 18 Winterfeld argued that Bach’s use of certain chorale melodies deepened the theological seriousness of the Christmas Oratorio, in particular by drawing the work closer to his passion settings. His principal example is the first chorale in the work, “Wie soll ich dich empfangen?” The text is a verse of an hymn that asks of Jesus, “How shall I receive you?” Bach set this chorale stanza to a melody that students of his music will certainly recognize, but the way Winterfeld identified it was essential. He called the melody “O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden,” familiar to many today in its English- language version, “O sacred head now wounded.” This text is closely associated with the passion story and indeed is a chorale for Holy Week; it was part of a series of hymns that each reflected on a different body part of Jesus. This was Winterfeld’s opening and he charged through it, expressing wonder at the sounding of the notes of a passion chorale in a Christmas oratorio. He then argued for the close theological relationship between Christmas and Palm Sunday, and by extension to the passion story itself. He suggested that Bach anticipated the passion (and the Passions) by juxtaposing Christmas hymns like “Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ” and “Vom Hans Rottenhammer (1564-1625), Flower Garland Around a Painting Himmel hoch, da komm ich her” (both heard in of the Virgin and Child, 1608. the Christmas Oratorio) with a chorale melody associated with the crucifixion narrative. and again in popular and critical writings alike. There This interpretation accomplished several things. is just one problem: In eighteenth-century terms it For one it made Bach into a deep and serious is almost certainly wrong. It is true that the melody thinker about the nature of the Christmas story. Bach used for “Wie soll ich dich empfangen?” is today For another, it tempered the joyous exuberance of known as a passion chorale; in fact it is often called the Christmas Oratorio with something somber and The Passion Chorale, as if there were only one. But this presumably more fitting. Most importantly, it tied is a modern designation, and in fact one that almost the Christmas Oratorio, with its suspect lightness certainly comes from the very centrality of Bach’s and connections to secular music, firmly to Bach’s St. Matthew Passion in the repertory. In Bach’s time passions. This was particularly true because the the melody was used for numerous different texts St. Matthew Passion’s interpolated texts include no for different seasons, and tended to be identified as fewer than five verses of “O Haupt voll Blut und “Herzlich tut mich verlangen nach einem seel’gen End” Wunden” and one verse of another hymn that uses (I long in my heart for a blessed end). the same melody; in many ways this chorale tune TheChristmas Oratorio stanza “Wie soll ich dich stood for that passion setting. And of course the St. empfangen?” is the first of an Advent hymn. It was not Matthew Passion encapsulated everything that was in the Leipzig hymnal, but there was an option open valued about Bach. to Bach in setting it to music. Because hymn poetry This claim persists today—one runs across it again was regular and limited to a relatively small number 19 of metrical patterns and stanza lengths, a hymn This tipped the balance in the work towards the text could be sung to a variety of melodies. And in narrative and to the framing choruses and fact a 1736 hymnal published in Leipzig in which chorales. It inverts the emphasis of the original, in Bach had a hand suggests a tune for “Wie soll ich which commentary in the form of poetic movements dich empfangen”: “Herzlich tut mich verlangen,” the and chorales dominates. And with 200 chorus melody Bach used in the Christmas Oratorio. But it members and 50 instrumentalists, the Sing- is worth noting that the tune is not called “O Haupt Akademie’s performance of this version emphasized voll Blut und Wunden” there, and that the hymnal the powerful presentation of fully scored movements also suggests the tune for texts variously assigned performed by large forces. The result resembled to the evening, penitence, communion, Advent, the the cut-down versions of the St. Matthew Passion passion, divine sovereignty and providence, temporal presented by the organization; those performances suffering, praise and thanks, death, and the feast of also eliminated most of the work’s arias, and their the Purification. Each time it is identified not as “O overall effect was dominated by movements like Haupt voll Blut und Wunden” (the passion text) but the opening chorus and by the gospel narrative. The as “Herzlich tut mich verlangen,” a meditation on the elimination of so many of the Christmas Oratorio’s believer’s wish for death and eternal joy. To Leipzig arias helped temper aspects of the work that seemed listeners, this was not exclusively or even primarily a problematic (poetic texts and settings that called for passion melody solo vocal virtuosity) and drew the work closer to the Winterfeld made the same argument about the final form in which the St. Matthew Passion was known. chorale of part VI of the Christmas Oratorio, which The reception of theChristmas Oratorio has continued uses the same tune, this time splendidly set with to be influenced by that 1829 performance of and drums. The text, “Nun seid ihr wohl the St. Matthew Passion, which set the tone for gerochen,” is a verse of the Christmas hymn “Ihr the understanding of all of Bach’s sacred music. Christen auserkoren.” Like the first chorale in the The various strategies that appeared to bring oratorio it was not in the regular Leipzig hymnal, and the Christmas Oratorio closer to Bach’s passions its melody was probably not well known there. And succeeded in explaining a puzzling work, but they as with the first chorale, Bach chose a tune that fit established a particular perspective, inviting its the meter—the same one as he used for “Wie soll ich interpretation in relation to the passions. The dich empfangen.” Once again we are on shaky ground question posed in the Christmas Oratorio’s first in claiming that his listeners would have heard a chorale, “How shall I receive you?” is worth asking reference to the passion. We need to recognize that about the work itself. One answer is that we can this was an argument with a purpose: drawing the try to listen to it for its own merits; we do not have Christmas Oratorio closer to the Bach passions with to make Bach’s passion settings our first point of which it was implicitly and explicitly compared, and engagement with this matchless music. against which it had a hard time making a case for itself as a piece worthy of a devout composer. Daniel R. Melamed The Berlin Sing-Akademie did not perform the Daniel R. Melamed is professor at the Indiana University Jacobs Christmas Oratorio until 1857, the work’s first School of Music, and serves as president of the American Bach complete performance—Bach almost certainly never Society and director of the Bloomington Bach Cantata Project. performed the whole work himself at one stretch, The material here is adapted from his book for general readers but rather over the course of six days spanning nearly Listening to Bach: the Mass in B Minor and the Christmas Oratorio two weeks. This performance was not so complete, published by Oxford University Press. however. It traversed all six parts of the oratorio but cut 17 numbers. A few of the eliminated movements Want more? Click below to purchase Listening to Bach: the Mass in B Minor were chorale settings (but not the “passion chorale”!) and the Christmas Oratorio by Daniel R. Melamed online. and one was a passage of gospel narrative, but most of the cuts were in solo music: eight of the work’s 13 OUP AMAZON arias and four of its 10 instrumentally accompanied recitatives.

20 The Washington Bach Consort wishes to thank its generous donors: August 1, 2019–December 8, 2020 The Washington Bach Consort honors the members of the

L. Brent & Norma Bozell Dr.† & Mrs. J. Reilly Lewis Charles Reifel & Janie Kinney Margaret W. Webb David P. & Margaret Condit Mary Elizabeth Lewis James E. Rich, Jr. Dr. Elizabeth Weisburger† Shannon & Jim Davis Tamera Luzzatto Cecil “Cy” & Pearl Richardson† Sally Wells Susan Dillon Dr. Brian R. McNeill & William T. & Sally Semple John C. Wiecking Marilyn Wong Gleysteen Kathryn McKenzie Margaret Shannon Stephen C. Wright & Neil Graham Julia O’Brien Bernice & Reynold Stelloh† Thomas Woodruff Jill E. Kent & Mark E. Michael Ochs Lynn Trundle Colonel Ronald Villafranco† Solomons Bradley & Martha Olson Pierre & Claire Wagner † In memoriam Laura E. Phillips† Isabel T. Wallop

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Hoh David & Katherine Flaxman Marcia Blisard Lillias Emery Greg & Susan Foster Gerald Blum Neil R. Ericsson Stephenie Foster Mark Bohannon Ms. Marietta Ethier William F. Pedersen & Ellen L. Frost Stephen Bokat Ms. Laura Feller Signe Gates Miss Maureen R. Bozell Benjamin Fenton Gregory W. Gingery Ms. Elaine Braccio Eve Fernandes Marilyn Wong Gleysteen Elizabeth Bramham Jane Finn In honor of Dr. Dana Marsh Andrew Brethauer Roxane Kaufman & Neal Fitzpatrick Richard E. Hardy Jill D. Brett Mr. & Mrs. Karl Flicker Mrs. Frederick Hart Mr. & Mrs. John J. Parisi Bitsey Folger* Edward & Evamaria Hawkins James & Judith Bromley Jeanne Folstrom Pat Henkel Carlton Brose Richard Fouts Charles L. Kinney Janet Brown Mary Fox Cathy & Mark Knepper Philip C. Brown Elisabeth French Dominique Lallement* Bill & Michele Bukowski Dr. David W. Fricke David W. Lankford Geoffrey L. Burkhart Howard E. Frost Reverend & Mrs. Wayne J. Lehrer Dr. Gail Burnaford Mr. Philip R. Frowery Dr.† & Mrs. J. Reilly Lewis* David G. Burwell Mark Mattucci & Judith Furash Ms. Priscilla Little Michael F. Butler Nadine Gabai-Botero* Lee & Lindsay Mataya Mr. Richard Byess Dr. Mitchell Gail In honor of Chuck Reifel Heidi Byrnes Kathleen M. Gallagher Dr. Elizabeth H Maury Michael Calingaert Emily Gammon Dr. Helen H. McConnell Ms. Janet Hall Edward Gardner E. Wayne Merry Michael Canning Nancy Garrison Lee Monsein Diana Capoluongo Dr. Marjorie Ginsberg Dan & Pat Moore Mr. Bruce Carrie Paula Goldman Father Gabriel Myers Ms. Merrill Carrington Margaret Gonglewski & John Heins Carmela Veneroso & John Odling-Smee Oriana Casadei Susan Grad Barbara Negri Opper Eric Chafin Natalie Granger Mark & Martha Orling Dr. Eve Chauchard John B. Graves Elizabeth A. Peterson Kay Chernush Tom & Margaret Greene Mr. John A Purnell* Mr. David A. Churchill Roger Griffis Mary D. Reed Carol Clausen Dr. Elizabeth Griffith Raymond P. Rhinehart Sarah Coakley Susan Grosser Charles P. Rockefeller Dr. Warren Coats Corrado Gurgo John & Linda Sibert Douglas Cochrane Anne Brooks Gwaltney Sherrod Sturrock Karen C. Coe Mr. Karl Habermeier Mr. Brenan Swarz Ann Collier James Hafner Mr. & Mrs. Viguen Terminassian Charles Collins Eric Hager Judith Tickner Mr. & Mrs. Frank Correl Donna Hamilton Mr. Frederik van Bolhuis Marcia P. Crandall Mary Hamilton Kathleen Wells Mrs. Celia F. Crawford Robert Harlow & Caroline Wolf Harlow John & Joan Westley Michael Cushner Dr. Judith M. Harper J. Victoria Williamson Vena Darling Barbara Harvey Stephen W. & Patricia A. Worrel Katherine Davenny Sheridan Harvey Jack & Susan Yanovski Paul Decker Caroline Hayes Margot & David deFerranti Lane Heard Friends: $100+ Josephine F. de Give Kristine E. Heine John Curley Stanley & Ann Degler Scott Hempling Paul Meagher Hampton DeJarnette Hal Herzog Sue Swisher IJsbrand de Jong Patricia Hevner Dr. Stephen Ackert Dr. Albert Del Negro The Honorable Eric L. Hirschhorn Thomas & Margaret M. Adams Nelson C.† & Ruth S. Denlinger* Gene Hix* Arnold & Eleanor Aldrich Michael and Joan Deutsch Melissa Hockstad Anne Alexander Elizabeth Dickinson Rebecca Hoecker Mr. Leigh Alexander Mary T. Di Muro 22 Miller Raymond Honeycutt Mr. David Miller Patricia R. Schettino In memory of Alice Fischer Mrs. Diane Sauter Fred Schirrmacher John Hood Mr. Jeffrey Mora & Ms. Wendy Fuller-Mora Maria Schmiel John Howe Karel Morales Ann Imhah Schneider Joseph & Embry Howell Mr. & Mrs. Charles C. Moran Renee Schoof Joyce E. Howland Charitable Fund Tom Morante & Marianne Splitter Philip Schuler Richard Hunt Mrs. Kathy Morgan Cate & Alan Schwartz Thomas Hunt William & Patricia Morgan Kathryn Seddon Mr. Edward Hurwitz Mrs. Michele R. Morris Gerardo Segura Paul Isenman Barbara Munford David Seidman & Ruth Greenstein Steve Jackson & Cynthia Wayne* Barbara Murek Mark & Theresa Shaltanis Mr. Robert Jamroz & Mr. Jordan George Murnu Donald C. Shapero Morgenstern Sheila A. Murphy Carolyn Sherman Mr. & Mrs. Nameer Jawdat Cathy A. Muse Dr. Adi Schmueli Gabe Johnson Carolyn Nagler Carol M. Sikkelee Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Rumble Reverend Dr. Bernard & Mrs. Nass William Sittig Dr. Kenneth Jones William & Vivian Neff Ellen Smith Ms. Grace E. Jones Michael Nunn Gerald Smith Doris Kafka Liam O’Brien James Smith Mr. & Mrs. Louis E. Kahn Mark W. Olson Margaret F. Smith Anna Karavangelos Karl Olsson Donald Snyder Maria Karvouni Theodora Ooms Dagobert Soergel Joan Keenan Prof. Julianne Owens Irene M. Solet & Adam C. Powell, III Mary Keller Mark & Dawn O’Brien* Gwendolyn Sommer Francesca Kelly Mr. Mark O’Donoghue Reverend Kate Sonderegger David & Anne Kendall Ms. Susannah Patton Dr. Marsha Spieth Robert H. Kessler & Swanee Busic Peter Pavilionis William Spitzig David Keto & Beth Tomasello Laurence Pearl Thomas & Diane Stanley Stephen Kitchen B. Dwight & Suzanne Perry Ilse M. Stauffer Susan Knappertz Sophia Perry Lina Steele François Kriegk Marianne Pfeiffer* Kathryn Stevens Richard Kuisel Ellen Phillips Melissa Stoll Richard & Jeanne Lambert Mrs. Patricia Pickard Dr. Nicole Stout Deborah Lauritzen Thomas Pierce & Lu Ann Dillon Dr. Jason Strudler Mr. Bill Leahy Dean Pineles Douglas & Carol Stuart In honor of Tamera Luzzatto Ms. Jessica Powell Eig Rosmarie L. Stucki Steve & Rosalie Learned* David Pozorski & Anna Romanski Patrick J. Summers Sonya Levine George Vercessi & Barbara Preston Kaiyu Sun Jennifer Lewis James Quinn Mr. John Teasdale Martha Stecher Lewis Paul Rabin Dr. Richard P. Tollo & Felice Susan Li Mr. Charles W. Rahn Stacie J. Kreitman-Tollo Ms. Frances Li Kent Ravenscroft Jane T. Udelson Ms. Nina Liakos Trent Reasons Hans Vent † Steve Linscheid Dr. Ivan Rebustini Robert G. & Constanze C. Wales Dr. Elizabeth Lloyd Mary Reichhardt Joyce B Walker Janice Lockard Charles Reid Mallory Walker Ellen Loughran Lynch Danna M. Reynolds Isabel T. Wallop Margaret Colgate Love Meredith Rice Mr. David Wasserman Dr. Frances M. Lussier Fred & Linda Richards Dr. Norma Wegner Thomas D. Lynch John C. Ring & Adriana van Breda Mrs. Ann Weissenborn Mr. & Mrs. Alaster MacDonald Eleanor Roberts In memory of Ernest Weissenborn Mr. Richard Magraw John Roberts John Christopher Wiecking Mr. Mark W. Mahnke Markley Roberts Elsa B. Williams Carol Marburger Mary Ann Roberts JD Willson Gisela Marcuse Thomas J. Roberts Gerda Wolf Lynne Marsh Wagner Roberts Edith C. Wolff Mary Lynne Martin Linda & Richard Roeckelein Jacqueline Woody Richard Martin Donald A. Roellke Linda & George Woolley Susan Martin Robert Rood James Wright MD Jean & Lawrence Matthews Evelyn & Frederick Rooney Mary Wyrsch Donald H May Ms. Suzanne Rooney Gretchen Young Susan McCloskey Jo Ellen & Mark Roseman The Honorable Lis Young Mary McCutcheon Rebecca Rothey Georgia Yuan Margaret McKay Helen Rothman Debra Zanewich Eric Midelfort & Anne McKeithen Mr. & Mrs. Charles C Russell Mr. & Mrs. Michael M. Zazanis Harvey Sohnen & Kathleen Meagher Dr. Michael Sabatino Stephen Zilliacus In honor of Marc Eisenberg Dr. Linda Salamon Leonard & Karen Zuza Linda Mellgren Kim Saphire Michael Michaelis Sr Liz Savage Chris Miller Mary Lou Savage Honorable Johnathan S. Miller Robert L. Savage *Contributed to the J. Reilly Lewis Legacy Fund 23 † In memoriam Board of Directors Richard Ayres, President Emmy Lewis Margarita Brose, Vice President Tamera Luzzatto Donald I. Baker, Secretary Robert McDowell James Rich, Treasurer Charles Reifel Robert Beizer The Honorable John D. Rockefeller IV L. Brent Bozell III Joy Spragens Shannon Davis Catherine Ann Stevens Toni Codinas Stephen C. Wright Glen S. Fukushima

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