("And there were shepherds in the same environs"), BWV 248II (also written as BWV 248 II), is a 1734 Christmas cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach as the second part of his Christmas Oratorio. Bach was then Thomaskantor, responsible for music at four churches in Leipzig, a position he had assumed in 1723.
The cantata follows the nativity of Jesus as narrated in the Gospel of Luke. It covers the annunciation to the shepherds. An unknown librettist added text for reflecting recitatives and arias and included stanzas from Lutheran hymns. Bach structured the cantata in 14 movements and scored it for four vocal parts and a Baroque orchestra with flutes, oboes and strings. He led the first performances at the two main churches of Leipzig on 26 December 1734 during morning and vespers services.
Part II of the oratorio begins, in contrast to the other parts, with the instrumental Sinfonia, a concerto of shepherds and angels. A tenor soloist narrates the Biblical story in recitative as the Evangelist. The soprano soloist makes a first appearance in the oratorio as the angel, and is followed by the choir representing the angels singing "Glory to God in the Highest". There are three chorales, one by Johann Rist and two by Paul Gerhardt, both using the melody of Luther's "Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her".
History
In 18th-century Leipzig, high holidays were celebrated on three consecutive days, with different prescribed readings and related music each day. Christmas, one of these high holidays, was celebrated from 25 to 27 December. For the principal churches, Thomaskirche and Nikolaikirche, the director musices determined which music was to be performed during the services on Sundays and feast days.
On the Second Day of Christmas, 26 December, Leipzig celebrated Christmas in even years and St. Stephen's Day in uneven years, with different readings. For even years, the epistle for Christmas was and the gospel was . The theme of the first reading is God's mercy appearing in Christ and that of the second the shepherds at the manger.
Bach in Leipzig
Bach had become director musices in Leipzig in 1723. Early in his tenure, he had composed these church cantatas for the Second Day of Christmas, which was held as St. Stephen's Day in uneven years: 1723: Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes, BWV 40, part of Bach's first cantata cycle 1724: Christum wir sollen loben schon, BWV 121, part of the chorale cantata cycle 1725: Selig ist der Mann, BWV 57, part of Bach's third cantata cycle
In 1733, Augustus III of Poland succeeded his father, Augustus the Strong, as Elector of Saxony and took residence in Dresden. Bach hoped to become court composer for the Catholic Elector, and dedicated a Latin Missa to him that year, the Kyrie–Gloria Mass in B minor, BWV 232 I. Several of Bach's secular cantatas celebrating the Saxonian prince-electoral family were performed in Leipzig, including these two cantatas first performed in 1733: Laßt uns sorgen, laßt uns wachen, BWV 213, also known as (Hercules at the Crossroads), on a libretto by Picander, was performed on , the 11th birthday of the son of the elector; A cantata for the elector's wife, Maria Josepha, to honour her 34th birthday on 8 December: (Resound, ye drums! Ring out, ye trumpets!). It is also known as "" (Congratulation cantata for the Queen's birthday), although Maria Josepha was not crowned Queen of Poland until January 1734.
Christmas season 1734–35
Bach composed his Christmas Oratorio for the Christmas season from Christmas Day on 25 December 1734 to Epiphany on 6 January 1735. , , for the Second Day of Christmas in 1734, is the second of six cantatas (or parts) constituting this oratorio. Its first cantata, Jauchzet, frohlocket! Auf, preiset die Tage, BWV 248 I, had been performed the previous day.
While Part I of the oratorio covers the birth of Jesus, Part II is focused on the annunciation to the shepherds. The story is told following the Gospel of Luke, interspersed with reflecting recitatives, arias and chorales. Deviating from the prescribed reading, the text of the cantata covers exclusively the announcement, while the itinerary to Bethlehem and adoration are topics of Part III, Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen, BWV 248 III, first performed on the Third Day of Christmas, 27 December 1734.