• Wolfgang Carl Briegel: Dies ist der Tag des Fröhligkeit
  +Andreas Hammerschmidt: Maria gegrüsset seist du; Freude, grosse Freude; Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein; Wie bin ich doch so hertzlich froh; Wo ist der neugeborne König; Mein Sohn, warum hast du uns getan
  +Johann Schelle: Nun komm der Heiden Heiland
  +Christoph Bernhard: Fürchtet euch nicht
  +Michael Praetorius: Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen; Puer natus in Bethlehem
  +Christian Flor: Pastores currite in Bethlehem
  +Franz Tunder: Ein kleines Kindelein
  +Heinrich Schütz: O bone Jesu, fili Mariae
  +Thomas Selle: Angelus ad Josephum
  +Dieterich Buxtehude: Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
  +Johann Rudolph Ahle: Herr, nun lässest du deiner Diener
  +Samuel Capricornus: Sonata a 8 Instrumenti (1. Satz)
  +David Pohle: Nascitur Immanuel
  +Johann Christoph Bach: O Freudenzeit, o Wundernacht

Clematis, Brice Sailly, Stephanie de Failly

This innovative programme presents an imaginary Christmas oratorio made up of works by German composers of the 17th century. Many of these works are unpublished and come from the splendid Düben collection in the library of the University of Uppsala; they are arranged here in a sequence that introduces the scenes and the principal characters of the Nativity: Mary, Joseph, the Archangel Gabriel, the angels, the shepherds, the Magi and Simeon. These works belong to the genre of the historia sacra and depict the dialogue of the Annunciation between the archangel Gabriel and Mary, the arrival of the Magi — guided by angels — at the manger, and the scene where Mary and Joseph look for Jesus in the Temple. These narrative scenes stand in contrast to the large ensembles that represent the angelic host, the shepherds, and the adoring multitudes before the manger. The instruments also play an important role in this celebration with their contrasting timbres. This recording features works by Andreas Hammerschmidt, Wolfgang Carl Briegel, Christian Flor, Christoph Bernhard, Heinrich Schütz, Franz Tunder, David Pohle, and Thomas Selle.