Christmas in Cantatas with Núria Rial

Overview

Performers

Program

Georg Philipp TELEMANN 
Ouverture à la Pastorelle TWV 55:F7 
Cantata O Jesu Christ, dein Kripplein TWV 1:1200 for the 2nd day of Christmas 

Johann Sebastian BACH 
Prelude and Fugue in G Major from „The Well-Tempered Clavier II“ BWV 884 
Aria “Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt” from the Cantata Süßer Trost mein Jesu kommt BWV 151 for the 3rd day of Christmas 1725 
Trio Sonata in G Major BWV 1038 
Aria “Wie lieblich klingt es in den Ohren” from the Cantata Ich freue mich in Dir BWV 133 for the 3rd day of Christmas 1724 

Georg Philipp TELEMANN 
Quartet in G Major TWV 43:G5 
Cantata Der Jüngste Tag wird bald sein Ziel erreichen TWV 1:301 
for the second Sunday in Advent (excerpts )

Additional information

The gifted and radiant soprano, Nuria Rial, makes the German repertoire as much her own as she does the French and Spanish repertoire. The Catalan singer performs these Christmas cantatas with a rich variety of colours and nuances, from the melodious cantata for the second day of Christmas to the dramatically intense cantata for the second Sunday in Advent.

While today Johann Sebastian Bach is regarded as the greatest genius of Baroque music, 18th-century Germany appeared to favour Georg Philipp Telemann... In Leipzig, when the post of composer for St Thomas's Church became vacant, the much sought-after Telemann applied for the position with the sole aim of putting pressure on the city of Hamburg, where he was working at the time. Only after he had obtained a raise and turned down the post at St Thomas's, did the members of the Council finally elect Bach. One of them went so far as to declare angrily: "Since we couldn't get the best, let's make do with the mediocre"! But of course, that took no account of posterity, which has made Bach the benchmark for all musicians, composers and music lovers to this day.

Café Zimmermann celebrates Christmas by bringing these two composers together for our great delight. 

This concert is supported by SPEDIDAM.