A perfect way to finish off a Christmas concert. Heribert Breuer, founder and conductor of the Berlin Bach Academy, conceived this four-minute piece as a final farewell to follow performances of the Christmas Oratorio. Alternatively it can easily be programmed together with other Christmas pieces with similar scoring.

The Sicilian folk tune O sanctissima gradually emerges from a sustained organ pedal point in the orchestra. This melody seems familiar to the listeners ... and then the mystery is solved: hidden in the alto part can be heard the first verse of the German carol O du fröhliche! The second verse is given over to the sopranos, and the audience is invited to sing along in the third verse. After a brief coda all the performers wish the audience “Merry Christmas!”
As an alternative to this orchestral version (Carus 10.214/00), choirs now also have the chance to perform this popular encore piece in a reduced version for choir and organ (Carus 10.214/45).