The Birth of Christ

Audio transcription

Albrecht Altdorfer’s painting seems magical, dramatic, even fantastical with its scenic depiction and its particular lighting effects.

The words „O, Saviour, open wide the heavens!“ echo this effect. They open Johannes Brahms’s motet which he composed between 1863 and 1864 for mixed choir without backing. Brahms drew on the eponymous advent song whose lyrics were written by Friedrich von Spee in 1622 under great distress four hundred years ago in the middle of the Thirty Years War. In his motet, Brahms freely develops melodically the five verses of his source, greatly enriching the modest song’s complexity.

Equally complex is Albrecht Altdorfer’s small painting depicting the birth of Christ. Not only the star of Bethlehem shines like a huge planet, also the torn open sky emits celestial light. A further source of light brightens up the festive and intimate birth scene, painted here as an angular ruin as was common in the time: This source of light is baby Jesus himself who from within shines a celestial light. In their worship, Mary and Joseph with the angels around and above are illuminated by his celestial light.

Brahms’s multi-vocal motet responds to this dramatic lighting effect of the painting. The lead of the voices produces a veritable sound panorama that diffuses like the celestial light.