C.P.E. Bach: Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu

Featuring

Uta Schwabe
Christoph Genz
Stephan Genz
Sigiswald Kuijken
La Petite Bande
Ex Tempore

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach

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Notable Performances

The first public performance of a revised version of "Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu" took place on March 18, 1778, in the 'Auf dem Kamp' concert hall.

Composer Biography

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, the composer, worked for Frederick II of Prussia for nearly 30 years before becoming music director in Hamburg after his godfather Telemann's death.

Composition History

The libretto for "Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu" by Karl Wilhelm Ramler had already been set to music by other composers, including Telemann and Graun, before C.P.E. Bach used it.

Composer's Artistic Vision

C.P.E. Bach considered "Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu" one of his greatest masterpieces, from which younger composers could learn much.

Compositional Technique

The oratorio features a unique chorus that appears three times with different words, acting as a refrain with a powerful and largely homophonic character.

Cultural Impact

"Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu" influenced succeeding generations and earned the admiration of composers like Haydn and Beethoven.

Notable Performances

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart conducted three performances of "Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu" in Vienna in 1788, making some modifications to the work.