# Favorite Christmas Music- Arcangelo Corelli Christmas Concerto, Op. 6 No. 8



## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

This has always been one of my favorite Christmas pieces, and I think more people should know it. It is Arcangelo Corelli's Concerto Grosso, Op. 6, No. 8, also known as the Christmas Concerto.

Here is a nice video of Ton Koopman conducting it with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia.

Wishing you all Merry Christmas! On a personal note, this Christmas is hard for me as my dear Mom (more than 98 years old) has pneumonia again and may be failing. Having her for such a long time, with a totally clear mind and mostly good health, has been a real blessing. But one is never ready to let go.

What are some of your favorite classical Christmas pieces?






:tiphat:

Kind regards,

George


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

The lovely Sinfonia from Bach's Christmas Oratorio.

The beauty of this music can only be given full justice by a modern ensemble, so the AoSMiTF it is!


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

​One of the finest Christmas records, conducted by Eugene Ormandy.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Francis Poulenc Quem vidistis pastores.

So lovely.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Pifa from part one, Handel's Messiah.

Again to communicate the peace and loveliness of this music, I prefer a modern band, here, the Toronto Symphony led by Andrew Davis.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

*Leontyne Price "Christmas" *


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## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

hpowders said:


> Francis Poulenc Quem vidistis pastores.
> 
> So lovely.


Very nice but too short!

:tiphat:

Kind regards,

George


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## ralphii (Dec 24, 2016)

I dare some self-promotion...


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## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

*Morton Lauridsen-O Magnum Mysterium*

We sang this in my church choir a couple of years ago for our Christmas Eve service and it was incredibly moving. I hope this piece blesses you, no matter your religious affiliation (or lack thereof).






Here are the Latin text and translation:

O magnum mysterium,
et admirabile sacramentum,
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,
jacentem in praesepio!
Beata Virgo, cujus viscera
meruerunt portare
Dominum Jesum Christum.
Alleluia!

English translation

O great mystery,
and wonderful sacrament,
that animals should see the new-born Lord,
lying in a manger!
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb
was worthy to bear
our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Alleluia!

:tiphat:

Kind regards,

George


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

Gets stuck in your head sometimes at Christmas...from a TV film I grew up with.
I always like to hear Harry Belafontes "Mary's Boy Child", other than that as much renaissance and baroque as my wife can händel


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## Richard8655 (Feb 19, 2016)

The Corelli Christmas Concerto sounds wonderful. I'm a big fan of Baroque sacred works such as this. You've inspired me to seek it out. Along these lines, Bach's Christmas Oratorio is also a favorite here. I think the Messiah is played out too much in mind, so the Corelli is refreshing.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

hpowders said:


> The lovely Sinfonia from Bach's Christmas Oratorio.
> 
> The beauty of this music can only be given full justice by a modern ensemble, so the AoSMiTF it is!


Full justice for me would require a period instrument band.:tiphat:


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## bioluminescentsquid (Jul 22, 2016)

A bit of Sweelinck, of course! Variations on the carol "Unto Us is Born a Son"


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Bulldog said:


> Full justice for me would require a period instrument band.:tiphat:


There are certain works, so beautiful, by Bach, that I'd rather hear them with Marriner/AoSMiTF, even though I myself am an enthusiastic proponent of HIP.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Before I forget, there's the lovely "Shepherd's Farewell" from The Childhood of Christ by Berlioz.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

And also, here's a wonderful cantata by Respighi:

Lauda per la Nativitá del Signore.

Don't underestimate Respighi. He was a terrific composer, as is well-demonstrated from this superb composition.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Giuseppe Torelli "Christmas concerto" I Musici 
Wonderful on Christmas morning.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Yes the Correlli Christmas Concerto is quite special.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Gustav Holst: Christmas Day.

Ensemble Corund


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## Bruckner Anton (Mar 10, 2016)

Many good works from Baroque era fit the topic.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Bruckner Anton said:


> Many good works from Baroque era fit the topic.


Totally agree with you.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

And if you want to start there and head out into a surreal exfoliation based on the slow miovment's theme, try Tippett's Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli.


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## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

And in the spirit of the season, not a piece of music, but an interesting blog post...

https://lflank.wordpress.com/2016/12/24/the-1916-christmas-truce/


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## verandai (Dec 10, 2021)

Not exactly a christmas music, but I find it really beautiful and the performance by Elina always gets me in the right mood for the Advent time (which is maybe a German "thing" before Christmas). It was also conducted as an "Advent concert":


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## Ariasexta (Jul 3, 2010)

Te Deum of course, By MarcAntoine Charpentier.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Is Te Deum particularly for Christmas? There is the Messe de minuit with christmas tunes inserted and another nativity music by Charpentier. (Maybe it was Christie's recording but I didn't like the latter that much when I listened to it a week ago or so.)


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## composingmusic (Dec 16, 2021)

*Olivier Messiaen (*1908)*: _Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus (1944)_


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Camille Saint-Saëns ∙ Oratorio de Noël (Weihnachtsoratorium)
für Soli, Chor, Streicher, Harfe und Orgel op. 12

Deutsche Radio Philharmonie
Dirigent: Christoph Poppen
Ruth Ziesak, Sopran
Anja Schlosser, Mezzosopran (Alt)
Claudia Mahnke, Mezzosopran
James Taylor, Tenor
Nikolay Borchev, Bariton
Konzertchor Darmstadt (Einstudierung: Wolfgang Seeliger)


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