Heinrich von Herzogenberg (1843-1900) was a singular composer for the 19th Century. He found inspiration in the music of Wagner and Schumann, but was also the founder of the Bach Society and championed works of older composers such as Schütz as well as a personal friend of Brahms. While attracted to the music of the Lutheran church, he was a devout, life-long Catholic.
Herzogenberg's oratorio "The Birth of Christ" was quite extraordinary for its time. Large-scale religious music was no longer fashionable, and even most "Masses" were written for the concert hall rather than the Church. Herzongenberg's Die Geburt Christi is scored for a large orchestra, choir, children's chorus, soloists and organ and deftly combines the countrapuntal textures of Bach with the late Romantic harmonic language of Brahms. The result is a serene and oddly moving score, achieving some of its most touching moments with the simplest of forces (a lovely setting of Jesu, Lieber Jesu Mein" for solo voice and cello is just one highlight).
