Great works: Bach's Christmas Oratorio
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- Start Date: 08 Dec 2025End Date: 08 Dec 2025Mon (Daytime): 11:00 - 13:00In PersonFull fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00
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What is the course about?
Explore the structure of this work and how it it made of six parts incorporating music from earlier compositions. Discuss the likely voice types and performing forces from the first 1734 performance, and analyse key arias.
What will we cover?
- What is an oratorio
- various forms of oratorios and cantatas
- What makes this ‘Weihnachtsoratorium’ a ‘Christmas Oratorio’
- Technical language and analysis eg: aria, recitative focusing on examples from the first part (for Christmas Day).
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- recognise key forms of Bach’s oratorio
- feel confident using some technical language to describe this work
- understand the timeline of this work and the occasion for which it was written.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is suitable for all levels. We may look at a music scores and identify key features of music notation (how many violins are playing, etc…) so this course will be most suitable for those who are curious and ambitious to learn.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The single session will comprise combinations of lecture, question-and-answer, guided listening, video and manuscript study. You may wish to do extra reading after this class and suggestions will be made for this.
There will also be Spotify and Youtube playlists for this course if you wish to do extra listening.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
You may also wish to purchase some of the music books or recordings discussed in class, for further reading and study: links to these materials will be available online after the session.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
To find out more about music history classes Music history courses in London and online which lists our full programme of classes ordered by term, and by day of the week. You may then click on each title to read the full course outline.
Edward teaches music history and theory at City lit. His specialism is early music (medieval, renaissance and baroque) and he completed a PhD in historical musicology at King's College London (2013) on the performance of medieval music. Outside of teaching, Edward is a regular contributor to Gramophone magazine and has lectured for Dartington International Summer School, London's Southbank Centre and The British Library. He has also worked as a researcher for BBC Proms and written for the journal Early Music (OUP). His essays are published in: The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Historical Performance in Music, (Cambridge University Press); The Montpellier Codex: Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Music 16 (Boydell Press); Recomposing the Past: Representations of Early Music on Stage and Screen (Ashgate 2018); and 30-Second Classical Music (Ivy Press).
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
