The provocative group tackles Bach’s jubilant Christmas oratorio in this electric reading. The six parts of the work narrate the birth and early days of Jesus, and the Dunedin Consort treat the subject matter with reverence and attention, bringing out Bach’s groundbreaking orchestration and brilliant polyphony. This deluxe edition includes recordings of 10 additional Christmas compositions from Bach. The set of lively chorales, motets, and organ preludes give a sense of what popular Christmas music was like in the everyday life and times of the great German composer.