# Classical Christmas Music



## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

A simple, light-hearted, festive question for you all, which hopefully even the serially vicious among you won't take issue with.

If I want to listen to Christmas music, but I don't want traditional carols or pop songs, which composers and which works should I turn to?



EDIT: Although our other little Spotify project was a bit too much for our informal forum to handle, I'll keep a published list of classical Christmas music updated based on the suggestions in this thread.


----------



## Dodecaplex (Oct 14, 2011)

For obvious reasons.


----------



## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

*Corelli *- _Concerto Grosso #8,_ aka _Christmas Concerto_

*Ariel Ramirez *- _Navidad Nuestra_

*Berlioz *- _L'enfance du Christ_


----------



## TrazomGangflow (Sep 9, 2011)

I love Mozart's German Dance K605 no.3 Sleigh Ride. Even though it's not really considered Christmas music it still has a Christmas sound to it with the bells.


----------



## TrazomGangflow (Sep 9, 2011)

Then of course there's always the Nutcracker.


----------



## Dodecaplex (Oct 14, 2011)

The third movement of Mozart's 39th also has a Christmas feeling to it.


----------



## waldvogel (Jul 10, 2011)

Tafelmusik in Toronto did a wonderful re-creation of a Lutheran Christmas service from the early 1600's, featuring the music of Michael Praetorius. It was a mix of lovely Lutheran chorales and more secular music for period instruments.

This seems to be the closest thing that I can find to the concert that I heard:

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1191563/a/Praetorius:+Mass+For+Christmas+Morning.htm


----------



## Klavierspieler (Jul 16, 2011)

Oh, Holy Night.


----------



## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Jean Sibelius made 5 Christmas Songs op. 1, and they are all just gorgeous. They're quite personal to me since I've grown up hearing them for a long time (I'm of Finnish/Swedish heritage as many of you may already know).

If you want to see the translation for the Finnish go to the youtube link itself:


----------



## science (Oct 14, 2010)

Schutz: The Christmas Story
Britten: A Ceremony of Carols 
Praetorius: Lutheran Mass for Christmas Morning


----------



## Meaghan (Jul 31, 2010)

Britten's Ceremony of Carols mentioned above is good. So is his St. Nicholas, which is a very cool, very dramatic cantata. It's not very Christmasy, but you can excuse it by saying it's about Santa. 

And there's Rimsky-Korsakov's Christmas Eve Suite, which _is_ Christmasy (some movements, anyway), and quite lovely.


----------



## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)




----------



## bassClef (Oct 29, 2006)

Here in the Czech Republic, Jakub Jan Ryba's Czech Christmas Mass is very popular - with everyone, not only classical enthusiasts.


----------



## jalex (Aug 21, 2011)




----------



## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Two others, these from two important c20th composers of the *USA* -

*Ch. Ives *- _Little Star of Bethlehem _- a Christmas song he wrote for his children, quite a heartfelt and moving piece, reflecting on the innocence of the season
*
A. Hovhaness* - _Sym. #22, City of Light _- the second movement, titled _Angel of Light_, is based on his childhood memories of Christmas & it's a bit schmaltzy but good light relief from the much longer and heavier outer movements. HERE it is on youtube, followed by the next (inner) third movement of the work. The composer conducts.


----------



## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

Thank you all for your suggestions - keep them coming! Such a great selection of music across periods (surprisingly, I think it's the Classical period that we're a bit lacking on!), and I've managed to find everything you've suggested on Spotify with the sole exception of Ives' _Little Star of Bethlehem_.

Through the Britten suggestions, I was led to his Op. 3, Choral Variations on a 'A Boy is Born' which looks interesting, and I also came across Busoni's _Nuit de Noel_.


----------



## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

The Ceremony of Carols and Bach's Christ Oratorio being already taken I will opt for the Berlioz L'Infance du Christ which is marvelous.


----------



## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

GoneBaroque said:


> The Ceremony of Carols and Bach's Christ Oratorio being already taken I will opt for the Berlioz L'Infance du Christ which is marvelous.


Already mentioned - you lose.


----------



## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)




----------



## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)

Schoenberg's _Weihnachtsmusik _(2 violins, cello, harmonium, piano, 1921) is a fantasia on Praetorius's _Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen_ with _Silent night _charmingly entering around 3:00 as counterpoint. C major through and through!


----------



## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)

And we can't forget Messiaen's _Vingt regards sur l'Enfant Jesus_. This performance of the first movement (of twenty) isn't "extremely slow" as requested by the composer, but the otherwise excellent Pierre-Laurent Aimard is faster still here (though worth seeking out on Youtube)






Or Messiaen's _La nativite du Seigneur_, nine meditations for organ - this one on the angels who brought the Good News


----------



## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Polednice said:


> ...I've managed to find everything you've suggested on Spotify with the sole exception of Ives' _Little Star of Bethlehem_..


Sorry, I think I got the title wrong, or gave it's alternative title.

This piece by Ives is also called _Christmas Carol_.

I have it on THIS disc, if that helps. This performance by Marni Nixon is particularly good, all of the songs on this disc sung by her are very well done, she has a modern approach to this music, she doesn't do it in the old, boring style...


----------



## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

Sid James said:


> Sorry, I think I got the title wrong, or gave it's alternative title.
> 
> This piece by Ives is also called _Christmas Carol_.
> 
> I have it on THIS disc, if that helps. This performance by Marni Nixon is particularly good, all of the songs on this disc sung by her are very well done, she has a modern approach to this music, she doesn't do it in the old, boring style...


Ah good! I've found that one and will add it in the morning.


----------



## Klavierspieler (Jul 16, 2011)

It may have been mentioned already, but I enjoy Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Christmas Carols.


----------



## Dodecaplex (Oct 14, 2011)

Just found this. Pretty amazing, if you ask me.


----------



## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

I forgot to mention *Penderecki's* _Symphony #2 "Christmas," _which I don't remember hearing, but I have read it's a good piece but quite gloomy.

But all other things I have listed here I am familiar with, I have heard those pieces, in most cases have recordings of them...


----------



## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

I'm not sure if its really Christmas music, but Corelli's Concerto Grossi-the Christmas Concerto in G minor. Great piece.

Lyapunov also wrote some Russian sounding christmas piano music. Its hard to find though. See this link 



 Fete de Noel.


----------



## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

I have heard this on radio before, great music - A. Scarlatti - Music for Christmas Night (1705)...


----------



## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

If you want something out of the ordinary (maybe bordering on the corny in places), Fry's Santa Claus Symphony is unique, though it ends with O Come All Ye Faithful. But to balance it out, in the middle, some poor soul wanders in the cold and dies.

Charpentier's Messe de Minuit is made up of French Christmas carols.


----------



## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Jeremy Marchant said:


> Schoenberg's _Weihnachtsmusik _(2 violins, cello, harmonium, piano, 1921) is a fantasia on Praetorius's _Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen_ with _Silent night _charmingly entering around 3:00 as counterpoint. C major through and through!


 _
Arnold_ Schoenberg? Wow, what a find! Thanks!


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

Polednice said:


> A simple, light-hearted, festive question for you all, which hopefully even the serially vicious among you won't take issue with.
> 
> If I want to listen to Christmas music, but I don't want traditional carols or pop songs, which composers and which works should I turn to?
> 
> ...


----------



## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Another one is* Giancarlo Menotti's* _Amahl and the Night Visitors_, a mid c20th opera, the first TV opera. I don't know fully your opinion on opera, Polednice, but it's one that is apparently quite approachable and tuneful or whatever, I am aiming to get it on disc myself, I have heard good things about it, but not heard it, I think. Menotti was USA composer Samuel Barber's partner...


----------



## itywltmt (May 29, 2011)

My contribution to this topic:
http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/437-christmas-classics.html


----------



## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

When I used to programme for one of London's major chamber orchestras, I was keen to inject some new life into its annual series of Christmas concerts and sought-out a swathe of interesting pieces that went-down very well with audiences. Goodness, one of our Christmas concerts actually attracted a review in the press (almost unheard of!). Some of the pieces which appeared over the years included:

*Thomas Adès* - The Fayrfax Carol
*JS Bach* - Cantata No 57 (_Selig ist der Mann_)
*JS Bach* - Cantata No 62 (K_omm, der heiden Heiland_)
*JS Bach* - Cantata No 191 (_Gloria in excelsis Deo_)
*Frank Bridge* - Sir Roger de Coverley (A Christmas Dance)
*Caldara* - Christmas cantata: _Amarilli vezzosa_ (first performance in modern times)
*Caldara* - Christmas cantata: _Vaticine di pace_
_Caplet_ - Le miroir de Jésus
*Charpentier* - Messe de minuit pour Noël
*Collan* - Sylvian joulu laulu
*Arnold Freed* - 3 Christmas Carols
*Howells* - Tryste Noël
*Locatelli* - Concerto Grosso in F minor, Op 1 No 8 (Christmas Concerto)
*Nielsen* - Carol: Forunderligt at sige
*Poulenc* - Quatre motets pour le temps de Noël
*Alessandro Scarlatti* - Cantata pastorale per la nascità di Nostro Signore
*Saint-Saëns* - Christmas Oratorio, Op 12
*Sibelius* - 5 Christmas Songs, Op 1
*Tavener* - God is With Us (Christmas Proclamation)
*Torelli* - Concerto a quattro in G minor in forma di pastorale, per il santo natale di Nostro Jesu, Op 8 No 6
*Valentini* - Sinfonia a tre, per il Santissimo Natale
*Villa-Lobos* - Praesepe
*Vivaldi* - Violin Concerto in E major per il Santissimo Natale, RV 270
*Walton* - What Cheer?
*Warlock* - Bethlehem Down
*Warlock* - The First Mercy
*John Woolrich* - Spring in Winter

Other, more popular works for Christmas would be:

*Bach* - Christmas Oratorio (and its six constituent cantatas)
*Britten* - St Nicolas
*Handel* - Messiah (of course!)
*Finzi* - Dies natalis
*Finzi* - In terra pax
*Holst* - Christmas Day
*Mathias* - Ave Rex
*Schütz* - Christmas Story
*Vaughan Williams* - Fantasia on Christmas Carols
*Vaughan Williams* - Hodie (This Day)
*Vivaldi* - Nulla in mundo pax sincera


----------



## itywltmt (May 29, 2011)

Sid James said:


> Another one is* Giancarlo Menotti's* _Amahl and the Night Visitors_, a mid c20th opera, the first TV opera. I don't know fully your opinion on opera, Polednice, but it's one that is apparently quite approachable and tuneful or whatever, I am aiming to get it on disc myself, I have heard good things about it, but not heard it, I think. Menotti was USA composer Samuel Barber's partner...


I will have more to say on _Amahl _this coming Christmas Eve. Stay tuned...


----------



## NightHawk (Nov 3, 2011)

Just to clarify: you are looking for actual Christmas music, or secular music that sounds Christmasy? How do you feel about Latin?



Polednice said:


> A simple, light-hearted, festive question for you all, which hopefully even the serially vicious among you won't take issue with.
> 
> If I want to listen to Christmas music, but I don't want traditional carols or pop songs, which composers and which works should I turn to?
> 
> ...


----------



## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

NightHawk said:


> Just to clarify: you are looking for actual Christmas music, or secular music that sounds Christmasy? How do you feel about Latin?


Things that sound Christmasy, which are actually about Christmas as a bonus.


----------



## Hector (Dec 23, 2011)

Sid James said:


> *Ch. Ives *- _Little Star of Bethlehem _- a Christmas song he wrote for his children, quite a heartfelt and moving piece, reflecting on the innocence of the season.


There's a piece called "A Chistmas Carol" by Ives recorded by John Williams and the Boston Pops, could it be the same?

*EDIT*:
Just read your other post confirming this.


----------



## Hector (Dec 23, 2011)

By the way, I haven't been able to find this work othere than here:


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

William Henry Fry's Santa Claus Symphony. I have it - not great music, but fun.

Amazon link.


----------

