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.<br>
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Special attractions are the work's contrapuntal passages, which are very similiar 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.<br>