NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / Thomas Hengelbrock

Bach’s baroque splendour, his festive choruses and heartfelt arias – no other music comes into its own as perfectly in the acoustics of the neo-baroque Grand Hall of the Laeiszhalle. Thomas Hengelbrock is very familiar with the Christmas Oratorio. He has performed it several times over the last few years with his Balthasar Neumann Ensemble, challenging old listening habits in the process with his forceful approach to the masterpiece.

His interpretation, together with the members of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra and the singers of the NDR Choir, also promises to be a special experience in the abundant musical offering of the Advent period. Guest soloists include leading baroque singers Sophie Karthäuser and Sophie Harmsen, the German lyric tenor Daniel Behle and Matthias Goerne, one of the outstanding singers of our time.

Alongside Cantata No. 1 – »For the First Day of Christmas« – with its famous opening chorus »Jauchzet, frohlocket!«, Hengelbrock has selected the less commonly performed Cantatas Nos. 4–6, which take the story up to the »Feast of the Epiphany« (6 January).