Magnificat

Bach wrote the Magnificat for his first Christmas in Leipzig, in 1723, in E flat and with four German and Latin Christmas hymns inserted between the movements — a local custom he was expected to observe. Around 1733 he revised it: the hymns came out, the key moved down to D major, which suits trumpets better, and the scoring was tightened. That second version, BWV 243, is the one performed today. At about half an hour it is far shorter than the Passions, and every movement is compressed almost to the point of abruptness.