Alfred Hochedlinger

Kantate "Vom Leuchten zart berührt"

Christmas Cantata *Gently Touched by the Light*
for soloists, mixed choir, oboe, harp or piano, double bass, wind quartet, triangle, and narrator. Children’s choir ad lib. by Alfred Hochedlinger (based on texts by Hans Dieter Mairinger).

The score set includes all instrumental parts:
Woodwind quartet (several instrumentation options)
Oboe and alternative B-flat part
Plucked double bass, harp/piano, triangle
and the narrator’s text

This cantata seeks to convey the message of Christmas in a fresh, contemporary, and moving way. Following an introduction for wind quartet—based on the biblical pericopes—it recounts the story of the birth of Jesus Christ in six parts, from the Annunciation by the angel Gabriel to the flight to Egypt, culminating in the jubilant final chorus "Rejoice, All, in the Lord". In the spoken texts, Hans Dieter Mairinger brings the biblical events of Christ’s birth into the listeners’ everyday lives in a meditative and empathetic way.

With a running time of approximately 35 minutes, the cantata is ideally suited as the centerpiece of a Christmas concert. However, the individual sections can also be performed separately, independent of one another. Some of them are also well-suited for the Advent and Christmas liturgy. (Nos. 1 and 2 for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Nos. 3–5 and 8 for Christmas, Nos. 6 and 8 for the Epiphany)

The work allows for various options regarding the vocal instrumentation. In principle, it can be sung entirely by a mixed choir with a few solo voices. For the verses of the individual sections, feel free to be creative with the vocal arrangements: solo vocals, trios, men’s choir, women’s choir, children’s choir, etc. Some suggestions in this regard are noted in the score.

Several variations are also possible in the instrumental instrumentation: If a harp is not available, the main accompanying instrument can be replaced by a touch-sensitive keyboard instrument (piano/electric piano/keyboard). A plucked double bass will enrich the sound in any case. The oboe is used as the solo instrument. This part can just as easily be performed on a flute or a violin. A B-flat part has also been published for performance on a B-flat clarinet or soprano saxophone. The ideal wind quartet instrumentation consists of 2 trumpets and 2 trombones. Alternative brass parts are included in the part set. * The (high) triangle is not "essential," but it adds charming highlights to the sound.

A special treat for your Christmas concert!