J.S. Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio” holds a central place in the Bach Choir of Bethlehem canon.

The “Christmas Oratorio” has been presented at the Bach Festival in Bethlehem in 1903, 1904, 1916, 1925, 1934, 1946, 1950, 1955, 1965, 1973 and 1998.

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem presents the “Christmas Oratorio,” Parts 4, 5 and 6, in its annual “Christmas Concerts,” 8 p.m. Dec. 10, First Presbyterian Church of Allentown, Cedar Crest Boulevard and Tilghman Street, Allentown, and 4 p.m. Dec. 11, First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, 2344 Center St., Bethlehem.

Greg Funfgeld, Bach Choir of Bethlehem Artistic Director, conducts The Bach Choir of Bethlehem and Bach Festival Orchestra, accompanied by distinguished soloists Ellen McAteer, soprano; Laura Atkinson, mezzo-soprano; Benjamin Butterfield, tenor, and David Newman, bass-baritone.

“At the Christmas concert, we do a 90-minute program, so that’s why we split it into two parts. At the festival, we do both parts,” says Funfgeld. “We don’t do it every year. We’ve kind of split it up at the Christmas concerts and we’ve performed the complete work at the festival.”

Funfgeld explains why the “Christmas Oratorio” deserves to be regarded right up there with J.S. Bach’s monumental “Mass in B Minor,” which the Bach Choir of Bethlehem performs annually at its festival in May:

“It is really extraordinary music. The level of creativity and variety is unbelievable. He has some arias that are accompanied by the full orchestra, but others that are accompanied two oboes d’amore and two violins.

“And then there’s this gem that’s called the ‘Echo Aria,’ for soprano and oboe accompanied by one cello and organ. There’s a second soprano, who echoes the voice of the soprano soloist, who is hidden away in the organ chambers.

“You get this sort of disembodied angelic voice singing in response to the soloist on stage. And it feels like a voice coming from the heavens. It’s another example of Bach’s endless creativity.”

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem gave the United States’ premiere of Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio” in 1901 in Bethlehem and recorded the work on the Dorian label in 1999. The Bach Choir of Bethlehem is the oldest American Bach Choir, having given the first complete American performance of Bach’s “Mass in B Minor” in 1900 following its founding in 1898.

Funfgeld extols the gems that shine throughout the ”Christmas Oratorio”:

“The choral movements in the piece also are wonderfully varied. The opening chorus of Cantata 4 is accompanied by French horns in addition to the oboes and strings. And so you get this warm, burnished brass sound.

“The chorus that opens Cantata 5 is accompanied by the oboes d’amore and strings. And it’s toe-tapping, syncopated, perpetual rhythm, exuberant dance. We always say this is joy set to music.

“The chorus that opens the sixth Cantata is accompanied by trumpets and tympani. So, he sort of ends as he begins, sort of with all the guns blazing.”

In Parts 4, 5 and 6, which recounts the story of the birth of Jesus from the New Testament of the Bible, the audience travels with the kings, led by the star in the east, and warned in a dream to escape the wrath of Herod. The Choir and soloists lend their voices to the narrative in powerful arias and tender chorales with “I stand before thy cradle here, O Jesus-child.”

As part of the Bach “Christmas Concerts” tradition, Funfgeld will invite the audience to join the choir in singing several well-known carols at the conclusion of the program at each concert.

Funfgeld feels the “Christmas Oratorio,” as with Bach’s other choral works, is relevant for contemporary audiences:

“When you come back to a piece like this, I feel that Bach speaks to the 21st century, to our human condition, with a message of hope, peace, faith and love that we need to hear more than ever.

“In a world where division and dissension is everywhere in evidence, and where peace seems to be everywhere at risk, we need this message. We need to hear his voice. We need the light for our path that he offers.

“If you have ears to hear, hear. I think Bach is still pointing the way for us.”

Tickets: bach.org, 610-866-4382, ext. 15 or 10