Classical Christmas Playlist

Edited: December 20, 2022, 1:26 PM · Might as well start with Corelli ... how many of us have NOT played this in our community orchestras?

Corelli: 12 Concerti Grossi, Op. 6, No. 8; Christmas Concerto - Musica Amphion - Classical Music HD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gy2PNewPcXM

December 20, 2022, 3:48 PM · Two vocal offerings: I hope you enjoy them Laurie!

December 20, 2022, 4:04 PM · Did a few of these with a community orchestra over the weekend:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_Esq8F7l-w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE9wU9LwkEQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmwYTI3fZy4&t=1334s

December 20, 2022, 4:24 PM · Just performed this one again a few weeks ago:

Ola Gjeilo - Luminous Night of the Soul

Edited: December 20, 2022, 5:06 PM · I haven't played the Corelli Christmas Concerto, but I've played a different baroque Christmas concerto grosso.

Manfredini, Concerto pastorale per il Santissimo Natale

Also on my Christmas classical playlist:

Barber, Die Natali
Chadwick, Noel from Symphonic Sketches
Coleridge-Taylor, Christmas Overture
Delius, Sleigh Ride
Nicolai, Christmas Overture
Rimsky-Korsakov, Christmas Eve Suite

December 20, 2022, 5:45 PM · Maybe a recently performed duet: Rockin' around the Christmas tree

December 21, 2022, 9:18 AM · Bach wrote a couple of Christmas-inspired cantatas, I listened to them this past weekend while preparing dinner! Cutting pumpkin in small blocks is a lot of work, so lots of time to listen to Bach :-) There is a very good recording, made in Belgium: Philippe Herreweghe & Collegium Vocale Gent, Christmas Cantatas from Leipzig

December 21, 2022, 9:33 AM · Jean, one of the best groups for Bach!

December 21, 2022, 1:04 PM · Add; Charpentier, (French Baroque) Noels. Strings + 2 flutes + optional organ.

Edited: December 22, 2022, 9:08 AM · There's also a Pastoral Symphony by Handel (and other movements from the Messiah)
Bach wrote an entire Christmas Oratorio, made up up of six cantatas BWV 248.
If you can bear the viola, Vaughan Williams's Christmas Suite (written for Tertis) is well up to his standard as a composer (Mike and I performed the Carol (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OHYrfVbvX0 - not us!) from it at a students' carol service; and also I had prepared the Christmas Dance for a Grade VIII I never took because I went back to studying violin for a UK mickey mouse diploma - yes, I do have the initials after my name, but that College's more professional diploma was the Licentiate, performing standard equivalent to that required for the old Royal Schools' teaching diplomas).

And Brahms wrote "Lullaby for the Christ Child" as a wedding present for a viola player named Joseph Joachim (This was one of Itzhak Perlman's choices on, I think, Desert Island Discs) https://open.spotify.com/track/39q74lUmZgDhKLnkngmiEQ.
Brahms also wrote a chorale prelude on "Es is ein Ros Entsprungen" (It's one of the few things I've ever been able to play on the organ - I don't know whether anyone has arranged it for other instruments), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lX9IzkLVbM,
plus the motet O Heiland, reiß die Himmel auf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiuBNDRYR2g.

Berlioz l'Enfance du Christ, including the Shepherds' Farewell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGBTNlbRbeM.

Honneger Christmas Cantata https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4shl6_lY3Q.

I did hear on the radio (on a sick bed) a Carol Symphony by Victor Hely-Hutchinson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPsOZUMB3NA.