op. 8
Peter Cornelius was a versatile "poet-composer" who was in close contact with Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner. His six Christmas Songs op. 8 blend in atmospheric alternation between cheerful and solemn scenes to a contemplative and well-rounded cyclic whole: the family sitting by the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve reads about the events that took place in Bethlehem a long time ago – about the journey of the shepherds, the peregrination of the Three Wise Men, the encounter of the Holy Family with Simeon on their return to Jerusalem – and reflects on the miracles and the salvation through the Christ Child. This song collection also versified by Cornelius beautifully shows what the Christmas season is all about and why we celebrate it.
Pavel Brochin has sensitively made these songs accessible to choirs in this arrangement that is based closely on the original. The solo part and the easily singable choral setting interact tonally in a distinctly subtle manner.