Magnificat Wq 215

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach wrote his first great vocal composition, the Magnificat, in 1749 at the age of 35. It bears all the earmarks of 'audition music', i.e., a piece that organists and choir directors had to submit when applying for a new position. This feature is especially evident in its stylistic variety, which makes the work a rewarding and colorful challenge for all church choirs. Special attractions are the work's contrapuntal passages, which are very similar in sound and structure to those of J. S. Bach’s B minor Mass. The present arrangement for soloists, chorus, and organ is intended as a self-contained version accessible to a wide range of choirs, even those with limited financial means.