Today, we front-load Christmas with decorations and festive lights appearing seemingly earlier than ever. In churches, Advent is a solemn season, vestments moving from pastoral green to contemplative purple to prepare for the Christmas season. Bach took up the post of Kantor in Leipzig in 1723 setting out to compose a cantata for every Sunday and feast day for the Thomaskirche and Nikolaikirche. Rather than a single lengthy Christmas work, Bach alighted on a series of six cantatas, the Christmas Oratorio to be performed on Christmas day, the following two days, New Year’s Day, the Sunday after and Epiphany. We are left to imagine the frantically busy musicians and singers performing the works in real time, mostly in both churches, but also the impact of the joyful “Jauchzet, frohlocket!” opening chorus bursting out, ending Advent's austerity in a blaze of joy, kick-starting a stunning musical celebration of the Twelve Days.
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Chorus and soloists guided us through the Christmas story from the birth of Jesus, the shepherds receiving the news and the Angels rejoicing: the first three Parts of the Christmas Oratorio. Václav Luks, the renowned Baroque expert, conducted thrillingly, with meticulous attention to detail of dynamics and phrasing, the careful shaping of the chorales a particular delight, his crisp tempi making Bach’s music dance in the choruses.
We followed St Luke’s Gospel with tenor Robin Tritschler as the Evangelist, completely inhabiting his role and guiding us with clear bright storytelling. His “Frohe Hirten” aria, with a delicate flute solo from André Cebrián telling the shepherds to listen to the angels, was thoughtfully and movingly delivered. Alto Helen Charlston’s lovely mellow timbre was slightly underpowered as Gabriel but more balanced as Mary in her rocking lullaby “Schlafe, mein Liebster” with the wonderfully delicate four-oboe accompaniment. Best of all was her haunting “Schlieϐe, mein Herze” with Leader Stephanie Gonley’s lyrical solo weaving throughout. Florian Störtz’s warm bass-baritone was splendidly authoritative as St Michael the Archangel and later beautifully measured as Zacharias. His duet with soprano Julia Doyle as Elizabeth was gloriously balanced and joyful with oboes adding colour.
The players attacked with gusto and verve, hard-stick timpani and natural trumpets ablaze, but all alive to Luks’ nuance and direction. A pair of oboes d’amore and two cors anglais made enchantingly rich contributions, but it was the continuo heroes who kept the momentum sprightly from start to finish, Tom Wilkinson’s harpsichord, Michael Bawtree’s chamber organ, Philip Higham’s lyrical cello and Jamie Kenny’s sonorous double bass. The strings took on a pastoral mellow sound for the shepherds, helping to highlight some of the more introspective moments.
The 45-strong SCO Chorus, directed by Gregory Batsleer, were on great form taking on the personae of mortals, saints, angels and shepherds, punchy in the choruses, sensitive in chorales, with entries secure and balanced. I enjoyed the beautiful single semi-chorus with soprano and baritone. Luks drove his considerable orchestral forces thrillingly but at times the excitement and energy could overwhelm, making the soloists work hard – and the chorus harder – as there was certainly soprano gloss, but it sometimes struggled to get through the forest of strings.
Bach's Christmas Oratorio is 290 years old this December and whatever one’s beliefs, as Batsleer explained, the work carries the human messages of hope, celebration, joy and peace. Even coming a month early, this festive cheer was very welcome.
