Chapter XI
The Christmas Oratorio—The Magnificat—The Lost Works—Instrumental Works—Bach’s Playing—The Manieren, or Grace Notes.
Bach never wrote an oratorio in the sense of a sacred dramatic work to be performed on a stage without action. We have shown that the Passion settings are a portion of the Lutheran Lenten services; and the church cantatas take much the same place as the anthem in the English Cathedral service, with the difference of greater length, orchestral accompaniment, and an opportunity for the congregation to take part in the final chorale.
Christmas Oratorio
The so-called Christmas Oratorio, dated 1734, is nothing more than a series of six cantatas, to be sung during the service on six successive days at Christmas time. Each begins with a chorus which is followed by several arias and recitatives, and each ends with a chorale, besides which, chorales are also interspersed in the body of the work. The second cantata opens with a most exquisite symphony, of a pastoral nature something akin to the pastoral symphony in the “Messiah,” but longer, and with the most subtle orchestral effects; especially are the passages for two oboes interchanging with the strings most beautiful; and the chief “motive” of the symphony recurs in the accompaniment of the closing chorale. The character of the choruses is for the most part one of triumphant joyfulness, and the arias have all the tender effects which Bach so well knew how to produce.
Easter Oratorio
The Easter Oratorio is a short cantata without a chorale.
The motets are compositions in several movements for unaccompanied voices, from three to eight in number. The movements are interspersed with chorales harmonised in four parts. The seventh motet, “Ich lasse dich nicht,” though as fine as any, is considered to be almost certainly not by Bach, and is therefore only given as an appendix in vol. 39 of the Bach Gesellschaft edition. The appendix also gives a figured bass and instrumental accompaniment to No. 2. “Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf.”
Motets by Bach and other composers are sung in the Thomas Church at Leipsic, and in the Kreuz-Church at Dresden at vespers on Saturday afternoons.