"A child has been born to us" Released on Christophorus by Kammerchor der Christuskirche Karlsruhe

 

"A child has been born to us" Released on Christophorus by Kammerchor der Christuskirche Karlsruhe

Johann Kuhnau (1670-1722), Bach's eternal 'predecessor' as Leipzig's Thomaskantor, has only been rediscovered in recent years and his true greatness has not yet been truly recognized.

He was highly respected by his contemporaries, however, and not just as a musician: he had a doctorate, worked as a lawyer, wrote satirical novels - a polymath... His musical oeuvre must have been extensive, much of it is lost.

It is therefore all the more pleasing that his magnificent Christmas cantata "Frohlocket, ihr Volker, und jauchzet, ihr Heiden" ['Rejoice, ye nations, and shout for joy, ye heathen'] has been preserved. It opens the programme on this CD and, with its instrumentation and duration of over 25 minutes, surpasses many a great cantata by his famous successor.

The quality of his work is also evident in his second cantata "Uns ist ein Kind geboren" ['A child has been born to us']: it was long regarded as a work by Johann Sebastian Bach!

Peter Gortner with the chamber choir of the Christuskirche Karlsruhe and the orchestra L'arpa festante complements these two Kuhnau cantatas with well-known movements by Michael Praetorius and Johannes Eccard to create a festive Christmas CD.

1. Johann Kuhnau: Frohlocket, ihr Volker, und jauchzet, ihr Heiden (Weihnachskantate) I. Chor: Frohlocket, ihr Volker, und jauchzet, ihr Heiden
2. II. Recitativo (Tenor): Halleluja, der Heiden Trost ist nunmehr da
3. III. Aria (Tenor): Kleines Kind und grober Held
4. IV. Recitativo (Alto): Wie danken wir dir doch vor diese unverdiente Gnade
5. V. Aria da Ciaconno (Alto): Willkommen, mein Leben, willkommen, mein Licht
6. VI. Chor: O Freuden Wort, mein Freund ist mein
7. Michael Praetorius: Der Morgenstern ist aufgedrungen
8. Wie schon leuchtet der Morgenstern
9. Johannes Eccard: Ubers Gebirg Maria geht (Motette)
10. Michael Praetorius: Resonet in laudibus (instrumental)
11. Johannes Eccard: Ubers Gebirg Maria geht (instrumental)
12. Johann Kuhnau: Uns ist ein Kind geboren (Weihnachtskantate) I. Sonata
13. II. Chor: Uns ist ein Kind geboren
14. III. Aria (Bass): Dein Geburtstag ist erschienen
15. IV. Chor: Ich will den Namen Gottes loben
16. V. Aria (Tenor): Jesu, dir sei Dank gesungen
17. VI. Recitativo (Alto): Immanuel, so wirst du dir gefallen lassen
18. VII. Aria (Alto): Jesu, dir sei Preis gesungen
19. VIII. Choral: Alleluja
20. Michael Praetorius: Es ist ein Ros entsprungenProper Music

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