Felix Woyrsch (1860 - 1944)
"Die Geburt Jesu op. 18" for soloists, choir and orchestra (1888)
Felix Woyrsch, closely associated with the then still independent city of Altona (today a borough of Hamburg), was one of the most successful German oratorio composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. During his lifetime, his works were sung by choirs throughout Germany.
He divided his Christmas oratorio, which can be heard here, into two parts: The first deals with the angels and the shepherds, the second with the adoration of the Three Wise Men. Characteristic for Woyrsch is the sparing use of timbres: the pastoral prelude to the first part is only intended for woodwinds and horns, the full orchestra is only heard towards the end of the first part, with all the singing voices only in the second part. The chorale melodies interwoven into the action are particularly noteworthy: "Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her" is incorporated into a double fugato in the six-part chorus, and the chorale "Ach liebster Heiland, Jesu Christ" concludes the first part of the oratorio. "Wie soll ich dich empfangen" can be heard in the second part and is accompanied by strings.
Excerpt from the concert of the MonteverdiChor Würzburg on December 10, 2023 in the Neubaukirche Würzburg.
Anna Feith | Soprano
Michael Ha | Tenor
Stefan Stoll | Bass
Jenaer Philharmonie
MonteverdiChor Würzburg
Conductor: Matthias Beckert
16 окт 2024
