Baroque Christmas

One could say that it was Baroque that defined what we today think of as the sound of Christmas. This statement, of course, also applies to Easter. The stories told through feasts, both liturgical and folk in nature, aroused strong emotions, which Baroque composers attempted to form into sounds. With its entire system of musical affects drawing upon a quite precisely defined set of means of expression, such as the choice of tonality, instruments, or voices to achieve the desired emotional effect, this period proves to be psychologically close to our contemporary experience. Just a quick listen to the cantatas from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas series or his “Magnificat” or the first movement of Georg Friedrich Handel’s “Messiah” oratorio makes us feel the tension of waiting for something special, the anxiety of the unknown, joy upon the discovery of a miracle, and tenderness towards the pastoral scenes. These emotions, although toned down a bit by the small ensemble featured in the “Baroque Christmas” concert, will still be clearly felt through the use of the oboe, which not only evokes a pastoral mood, but also, due to its liveliness, adds to a joyful and triumphant feel of a piece.

Łukasz Strusiński