The Oratorio for Christmas. Bach's timeless work, presented in an informative and stimulating book for connoisseurs and enthusiasts, for musicians, listeners, teachers, lecturers, and students. "Rejoice, exult, arise, praise the days" - for many people, Christmas truly begins with this opening chorus. Believers and skeptics alike are captivated by the Christmas Oratorio, the most famous Christmas music of all time, through human emotion, musical expression, and spiritual depth. Meinrad Walter unveils Bach's compositional nuances as well as the theological message. Initially, it addresses general aspects such as origin, structure, musical forms, and the relationship between word and sound. Then, the six cantatas are presented separately, allowing the reader to directly engage with each movement. The overarching dramatic arc remains ever-present.