Amid a sea of Nutcrackers, Messiahs, and TV specials, one of the best Christmas pieces gets lost in the mix. Bach‘s Christmas Oratorio is a piece which, while not ignored, does not get the recognition it deserves. It is overshadowed even by Bach’s own Advent & Christmas music (namely, Wachet Auf and the Magnificat.)
The Oratorio is actually six different cantatas strung together into one longer work. The six cantatas were not originally performed all at once; instead, they were spread apart and performed as part of six separate church services marking the important feast days of the Christmas season. Nowadays, they are almost exclusively heard as one large concert work.
Here is the opening chorus, “Jauchzet, frohlocket!” Merry Christmas!
Did you ever hear a piece and think, I know this tune, but these aren’t the words I’m used to?
Marc-Antoine Charpentier‘s Messe de Minuit (Midnight Mass for Christmas) is a French baroque mass which uses Christmas Carols that would have been recognized by any French person in the 17th / 18th century. The idea of singing different words to familiar tunes was by no means a new idea, and is a practice that continues today (for Americans, the most famous example of this is our national anthem, whose original words were for an English club for musicians – that is to say, drunken amateur musicians.)
French fashion … yeah …
Anyway, whether or not you recognize any of these French carols, the music is quite catchy, largely because of its origin as secular song. Charpentier, like a good Frenchman of the old monarchy of puffy wigs and silly shoes, makes exquisite, elegant work out of everyday melodies.
Christmas Carols are interesting. In an attempt to keep things as simple as possible, I’ll categorize them into three groups: purely sacred carols, somewhat sacred carols, and secular carols.
It’s easy to identify purely sacred carols like “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” because they actually refer to the Christmas story and have Biblical references. Likewise, secular carols are easy to identity – they tend to be about a general holiday feeling of warmth and love, or mention Santa Claus.
Then there’s that “somewhat sacred” group. “The Holly and the Ivy” is a song about plants, and the only association with religion is that the words make rhymes about Mary. “King Jesus hath a Garden” is also about vegetation, with metaphorical associations to Christ-like virtues. Then there’s the “Cherry Tree Carol” (again about a plant), a totally non-Biblical story which barely has a religious message at all. Some argue that these originated long ago from Pagan solstice celebrations and were adopted and changed into Christian music.
These “somewhat sacred” carols are still sung today in churches, but you’d never hear them at the mall. They mention sacred things, but their theology isn’t exactly rock-solid. Not too long ago, they were considered completely secular, and would never have been sung in a church.
Anyway, today’s piece is a gorgeous German somewhat-sacred carol. And yes, plant life is mentioned.
Mary wandered through a thorny wood, Lord, have mercy,
which was leafless for seven years – Jesus and Mary.
What did Mary carry by her heart? Lord, have mercy.
A little baby without pain – Jesus and Mary.
The thorns then had roses, Lord, have mercy,
As the baby was carried through the thorny wood – Jesus and Mary.
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