Description
Three Chorales From the Christmas Oratorio, (Weihnachts-Oratorium) BWV 248, composed by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750) and arranged by Paul Burnell in 2020 for instruments in four parts.
Duration 2:30
Score in C
I Seid froh, dieweil (No. 35)
II Wie soll ich dich empfangen (No. 5)
III Ich will dich mit Fleiß bewahren (No. 33)
Each chorale has been transposed up a perfect fourth from the key of the original.
The arrangement is suitable for multiple quartet combinations with parts available (and potential instrumentations suggested) as follows:
Part 1: C, Eb (flute, oboe, alto recorder, Eb clarinet, violin 1)
Part 2: C, Bb (oboe, tenor recorder, Bb clarinet, violin 2)
Part 3: C - alto & bass clefs, Bb, Eb, F (Bb clarinet, bass recorder, alto saxophone, horn in F, viola)
Part 4: C - bass clef, Bb, F (bassoon, great bass recorder, tenor saxophone, horn in F, 'cello)
Part 4 may be played an octave lower than written.
Any other appropriate instruments, even if not suggested above, may play.
Although the score is presented with a layout appropriate for string quartet this does not indicate a preferred instrumentation.
Performers may wish to precede each pause with a rallentando.
Programme note:
The Christmas Oratorio (German: Weihnachts-Oratorium) is an oratorio composed by Johann Sebastian Bach for performance in church during the Christmas season of 1734. Fourteen chorales - arrangements of hymn tunes - are included in the Oratorio, and this arrangement comprises three of them: Seid froh, dieweil; Wie soll ich dich empfangen, and Ich will dich mit Fleiß bewahren.