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After a decade of providing extraordinary music to Leipzig’s churches, Bach makes plans for his most elaborate Christmas yet. With Donald Macleod.

Christmas can be special wherever you live, but to experience a truly Christmassy Christmas, many would say that the only place to go is Germany. Plenty of Britain’s favourite Yuletide traditions originated there and Germany’s citizens have always had a special knack for celebrating this time of year. This was certainly true in JS Bach’s lifetime and, right through his career, he produced quantities of amazing Christmas music that we still love and revere today. All this week, Donald Macleod invites us to join Bach and his family during the Christmas season, at five different periods in his life, to see how his story develops and revel in the glorious works he created for Christmastime.

Today, Donald returns us to Leipzig, ten years after we previously visited Bach there and saw him eager to impress his new employers. In 1734 we find an altogether more jaded Bach, feeling undermined and under-appreciated. The composer’s famous temper had led to more than one run-in with his employers and colleagues. So what was keeping him in Leipzig? And what prompted him to embark on his most ambitious Christmas project yet?

Christmas Oratorio, BWV248, Part 6: Opening Chorus: Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben
Bach Collegium Japan, directed by Masaaki Suzuki

Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV1043: 2. Largo ma non tanto
Simon Standage, violin; Elizabeth Wilcock, violin; The English Concert; directed by Trevor Pinnock

Flute Sonata No 4 in C major, BWV1033: 1. Andante: Presto & 2. Allegro
Barthold Kuijken, flute; Ewald Demeyere, harpsichord

Mass in B minor, BWV 232: Domine Deus & Qui tollis peccata mundi
Christina Landshamer, soprano; Kenneth Tarver, tenor; Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks; Concerto Köln; directed by Peter Dijkstra

Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Part 3 (complete)
Monika Frimmer, soprano; Yoshikazu Mera, counter-tenor; Gerd Türk, tenor; Peter Kooij, bass; Bach Collegium Japan; directed by Masaaki Suzuki