Bach composed his Christmas Oratorio for Christmas 1734 in Leipzig. His intention was not to perform it completely on one occasion, but to structure it as a cycle of six cantatas for the different days between Christmas and Epiphany, integrated into the religious services at the St. Thomas and St. Nicholas churches.

Each of the six parts illustrates a section of the story of the birth of Jesus:

Part 1: Christmas Day – The birth of Jesus
Part 2: Second Day of Christmas – The annunciation to the shepherds
Part 3: Third Day of Christmas – The adoration of the shepherds
Part 4: New Year – Circumcision and naming of Jesus
Part 5: First Sunday of the year: The journey of the Magi
Part 6: Feast of Epiphany (January 6): The adoration of the Magi

The libretto is by Picander (Christian Friedrich Henrici), a frequent Bach collaborator in Leipzig, who drew on sections of the Gospels of Luke (2: 1-21) and Matthew (2: 1-12), interspersing poetic texts to serve as points of emphasis and reflection throughout the narrative.

The oratorio includes the roles of the Evangelist, the Angel, and Herod, but compared to the Passions, the libretto is noticeably less dramatic. To compensate for this relative dramatic levity, Bach gives each cantata a very distinct character, painting different vignettes through the music and instrumentation.

Bach reused previously composed music (mainly secular cantatas, and a religious cantata now lost), masterfully adapting it to the new context, a procedure called “parody”. The oratorio also contains some movements that are presumed to be composed expressly for it.

The first cantata is bright and celebratory. Bach opens with the expected instrumentation for such an occasion: timpani, 3 trumpets, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, strings and basso continuo, with a 4-part choir. It is remarkable how the timpani and flutes have the first words, quickly followed in dizzying motion by the rest of the orchestra and then by the chorus, who proclaim excitement and joy.

A tenor recitative follows with the Gospel account of the arrival of Joseph and Mary into Nazareth to be registered, and the moment of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2: 1-6).

The contralto is in charge of the first reflection, with a recitative and aria that explore the rhetorical figure of Zion (Jerusalem, representing the Church) and Jesus as lovers to be soon betrothed. The aria is accompanied by two oboes d’amore.

After a chorale accompanied by the orchestra, the Evangelist picks up the story with the verses from Luke that describe the birth of Jesus and his refuge in the manger.

The next movement is a combination of a chorale in the sopranos, with recitative inserts by the solo bass. The text meditates on the coming of Jesus in poverty, as the savior of humanity, to offer us the riches of Heaven.

This reflection leads into a spectacular bass aria with solo trumpet, a combination frequently employed by Bach and other Baroque composers in celebratory circumstances. The orchestration also includes flute and strings, and the text continues to elaborate on God’s disdain for earthly pomp in sending the Savior to a manger.

The cantata closes with a chorale interspersed with fanfares from the trumpets, with text in the first person that celebrates the arrival of Child Jesus and offers the heart of the faithful as his resting place.