Bach at Christmas Time

[BBMmk2]

I know about Radio 3 all day Bach Fest on Christmas Eve but I was wondering about what is it about Bach's music for Advent, that makes it so different from other works, and maybe perhaps throw in other composers in to the mix, like Vaughan Williams.

First and foremost for me are the Cantatas for Advent. I have just recently listened to JSB's First and Second Cantatas, in this season.

[Serial_Apologist]

This late Advent work by Edmund Rubbra offers the double benefit of having strong echoes of late Vaughan Williams (cf Oxford Elegy), but quotes from a Bach cantata towards the end, following an intensely moving build-up. By some strange coincidence, the letters VW happen to be in the URL.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwGbnVW5O8s

I've always loved this work since hearing its premiere at the Proms in 1968.

[BBMmk2]

That's rather good. shame it's not performed more often!

[Pulcinella]

This late Advent work by Edmund Rubbra offers the double benefit of having strong echoes of late Vaughan Williams (cf Oxford Elegy), but quotes from a Bach cantata towards the end, following an intensely moving build-up. By some strange coincidence, the letters VW happen to be in the URL.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwGbnVW5O8s

I've always loved this work since hearing its premiere at the Proms in 1968.

The performance seems to be uncredited: is it the one that appeared on a Chandos CD of Rubbra's Choral Music, which now seems deleted?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rubbra-Choral-Works-Inscape-etc/dp/B00004YU73/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1513681397&sr=1-1&keywords=rubbra+inscape

[Serial_Apologist]

The performance seems to be uncredited: is it the one that appeared on a Chandos CD of Rubbra's Choral Music, which now seems deleted?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rubbra-Chor...rubbra+inscape

TBH I don't know, Pulcers: I just googled and was delighted to find that link!