Christmas Concert at Berlin Cathedral: Bach cantatas meet Ukrainian Christmas songs

Jauchzet, frohlocket! — The 2022 Christmas Concert in the Berlin Cathedral is named after the first cantata from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. Alongside “Jauchzet, frohlocket! Auf, preiset die Tage” (Triumph, rejoicing, rise, praising these days now), the third cantata of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio “Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen” (Ruler of heaven, give ear to our stammer), Johann Theiles’ “Der Sionitin Wiegenlied: Nun, ich singe, Gott, ich knie” (The Sionite's Lullaby: Now, I sing, God, I kneel) and three Ukrainian Christmas carols are also performed.

Participating in the festive concert are top-class ensembles and soloists: the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin, the Staats- und Domchor Berlin, a Ukrainian vocal ensemble, the lautten compagney Berlin as well as soloists Johannes Gaubitz, Neima Fischer, Julia Böhme and Cornelius Uhle. Kai-Uwe Jirka, director of the Staats- und Domchor and artistic director of the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin is the conductor. Ukrainian choral director Olga Prykhodko was responsible for the rehearsals of the Ukrainian choir pieces. The presenters of the evening are Nataliia Kuprynenko and Kai-Uwe Jirka. The lyrics of the cantatas and the lullaby are subtitled in Ukrainian.

Enjoy a special concert where Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio meets Ukrainian Christmas music.

Program:

(03:18) Gregorian Antiphon: Hodie christus natus est

(06:44) Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): Jauchzet, frohlocket! Auf, preiset die Tage, BWV 248 - Part I of Christmas Oratorio

(36:03) Johann Theile (1646–1724): Der Sionitin Wiegenlied: Nun, ich singe, Gott, ich knie (The Sionite's Lullaby: Now, I sing, God, I kneel) (From the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin archives)

(42:17) Ukrainian Christmas carol: Небо і земля (Heute feiern Himmel und Erde / Heaven and earth rejoice) (Arr: Stanislav Liudkevych)

(44:24) Ukrainian Christmas carol: Павочка ходить (Ein Pfau stolziert / A peacock struts) (Arr: Anatolii Avdievskyi)

(46:10) Ukrainian Christmas carol: Бог ся рождає (Gott wird geboren / God is born) (Arr: anonymous)

(49:26) Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen, BWV 248 - Part III of Christmas Oratorio

(1:13:19) German Christmas carol: O du fröhliche (Oh, how joyful)

Performers:
Sing-Akademie zu Berlin
Staats- und Domchor Berlin
Ukrainian Vocal Ensemble (Nataliia Kuprynenko, Tetiana Nadolinska, Iryna Razin-Kravchenko, Juliia Prokopets, Liudmyla Katsiyk-Prokopets, Arsenii Danyliuk, Ivan Fenyk)
lautten compagney Berlin
Evangelist: Johannes Gaubitz | TENOR
Neima Fischer | SOPRANO
Julia Böhme | ALTO
Cornelius Uhle | BARITONE
Kai-Uwe Jirka | CONDUCTOR
Rehearsal of Ukrainian choir pieces: Olga Prykhodko

Photo Thumbnail: © Johannes Jost

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