The Christmas Oratorio (German: Weihnachts-Oratorium), BWV 248, is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach intended for performance in church during the Christmas season. It was written for the Christmas season of 1734 and incorporates music from earlier compositions, including three secular cantatas written during 1733 and 1734 and a now lost church cantata, BWV 248a. The date is confirmed in Bach's autograph manuscript. The next performance was not until 17 December 1857 by the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin under Eduard Grell. The Christmas Oratorio is a particularly sophisticated example of parody music. The author of the text is unknown, although a likely collaborator was Christian Friedrich Henrici (Picander).

Librettist Picander (= Christian Friedrich Henrici, 1700–1764)
Date of composition 1734
Premiered December 1734
First published 1856 (Bach Gesellschaft Ausgabe)
Type Oratorio
Catalogue BWV 248
Spoken language German
Instruments Voice
Chorus/Choir
Orchestra
Links
Autotranslations beta Jean-Sébastien Bach: Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248
Johann Sebastian Bach: Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248
Johann Sebastian Bach: Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248