# Your Favourite Christmas Classical Piece



## fireflyinjuly

I have had a number of small gatherings over Christmas – 4 people max, and have a Christmas play list played via the SONOS system throughout the house.

Every visitor has commented, and I agree, what a beautiful piece of music “L’Enfance du Christ” by Berlioz is.

Of all the religious Christmas music I played this is my favourite.

If you had to pick one piece what is your favourite classical Christmas music?


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## Tarneem

Anton Bruckner - Mass No. 2 in E minor


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## arpeggio

Norman Dello Joio: _Variants on a Medieval Tune_

Variations on "Good Christmas Men Rejoice".


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## Rogerx

Leontyne Price "Christmas-Album"
Wiener Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Must hear:angel:


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## agustis

It changes pretty much every Christmas but for this past one mine would have to be the finale from Praetorius - Lutheran Mass For Christmas Morning (Praetorius: Recessional: "In dulci jubilo" - Polyhymnia caduceatrix ). It's just so powerful and I've never heard brass featured so heavily for Christmas before. But it's so fitting for the incarnation.

Here is a link with the time stamp when the song starts.


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## Animal the Drummer

fireflyinjuly said:


> I have had a number of small gatherings over Christmas - 4 people max, and have a Christmas play list played via the SONOS system throughout the house.
> 
> Every visitor has commented, and I agree, what a beautiful piece of music "L'Enfance du Christ" by Berlioz is.
> 
> Of all the religious Christmas music I played this is my favourite.
> 
> If you had to pick one piece what is your favourite classical Christmas music?


Do you mean the whole of "L'Enfance" or just the Shepherds' Farewell?

My answer to your final question is Bach's Christmas Oratorio, especially but not only the opening chorus "Jauchzet, frohlocket".


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## Coach G

Favorite Christmas classics:

1. Corelli: _Christmas Concerto_
2. Rimsky-Korsakov: _Christmas Eve Suite_
3. Menotti: _Ahmal and the Night Visitors_
4. The first half of Handel's _Messiah_ (Though the second "Easter" part is just as good)
5. _Jessye Norman's Christmas Album_ The whole record is done without a break between songs almost like a Christmas cantata and Norman's falcon soprano juxtaposed to the orchestra and boys' choir takes one into a "Christmas in Outer Space".
6. _Luciano Pavarotti's Christmas album_ The fat man's rich tenor was in full form when Luciano made this record. It was my first introduction to Berlioz' beautiful _Sanctus_ from the _Requiem_ which Pavarotti sings as a stand alone. 
7, 8 & 9: The Christmas CDs I own of the King's Choir, St. John's Choir, and Cambridge Choirs. All are from England, and are quite reverent and beautiful. Though my ancestry is supposed to Italian-Mexican-Native American; I wonder if a DNA test will reveal just a few drops of English blood. 
10. Leonard Bernstein's Christmas album that he made with the New York Philharmonic and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir; when the swinging Broadway Bernstein meets up with the Mormons who hail from the heart of the American West it's over-the-top experience.

Honorable Mention: Mario Lanza singing _The First Noel_. Mario really puts his heart and soul into it, and one almost thinks that he must bust a gut on that final high note!


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## fireflyinjuly

Animal the Drummer said:


> Do you mean the whole of "L'Enfance" or just the Shepherds' Farewell?
> 
> My answer to your final question is Bach's Christmas Oratorio, especially but not only the opening chorus "Jauchzet, frohlocket".


Thank you.

Yes it was the Shepherds farewell - almost everybody commented on it - even though they have never heard it before or haven't particularly listened to much classical music in the past.

I hadn't realised it was part of an Oratoria - I will now buy the whole piece.

Do you recommend a recording?

Kind Regards,


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## Rogerx

fireflyinjuly said:


> Thank you.
> 
> Yes it was the Shepherds farewell - almost everybody commented on it - even though they have never heard it before or haven't particularly listened to much classical music in the past.
> 
> I hadn't realised it was part of an Oratoria - I will now buy the whole piece.
> 
> Do you recommend a recording?
> 
> Kind Regards,


Sir Andrew Davis made a recording not so long ago, stunning, I am always talking CD, try You Tube or a some streaming service. Good luck .


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## cjvinthechair

Only recently started posting again...& maybe this isn't the best time of year - but maybe someone will see it come December, & give it a try ! 
Christopher Rouse's Karolju - perhaps not entirely 'as it seems', but uplifting music on Christmas morning nonetheless.


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## haziz




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## Mister Meow

Here's one of my Christmastime favorites:


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## Bulldog

Handel's Messiah - long but worth the time.


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## Dulova Harps On

Agree with Coach G on 
1. Corelli: _Christmas Concerto_
2. Rimsky-Korsakov: _Christmas Eve Suite_ 
Play them every year or try to at least.


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## Rogerx

This one will be high on the list this year .


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## Chilham

Anon.: The Winchester Troper
Mary Berry, Schola Gregoriana Of Cambridge


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## PeterKC

fireflyinjuly said:


> I have had a number of small gatherings over Christmas – 4 people max, and have a Christmas play list played via the SONOS system throughout the house.
> 
> Every visitor has commented, and I agree, what a beautiful piece of music “L’Enfance du Christ” by Berlioz is.
> 
> Of all the religious Christmas music I played this is my favourite.
> 
> If you had to pick one piece what is your favourite classical Christmas music?


St. Saens: Christmas Oratorio
Perosi: Il Natale Del Redentore


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## Rogerx

Such a fine recording, almost everyone likes it.


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## Neo Romanza

I would say Britten's _A Ceremony of Carols_ is one of my favorite Christmas works. I also like _Christ's Nativity_ and _A Boy Was Born_ --- both early Britten masterpieces, IMHO.


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## j.frinzi14

Tebaldis Christmas Festival
Christmas at the Met
An old Fashioned Christmas Nimbus
Mario Lanza any of His
Martinelli Gesu Bambino
Caruso O Holy Night
Bergonzi or Domingo white Christmas w European accents is fun
Swartskoff or Shuman Heinz Silent Night in German
Gigli Sacred Songs
Corelli religious music Ave Maria Panis Angelicus
Firestone w Mckracken
even that Sutherland Tebaldi and Price Christmas album
throw in the Sinatra cd where he introduce General Reynolds in WW11
Finish w Gigli Silent Night in English
after all that your cards should be written and cookies baked


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