It’s that time of the year again. So here I am, trying to find some acceptable Christmas music.
I’m not really into schlager music or Bing Crosby, so I decided that I should make an effort to find something else to listen to during the festive season.
So far I have the following works on my shortlist:
Arcangelo Corelli
Concerto grosso in G minor, Op. 6, No. 8, published in 1714.
Recording: Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, 1982. Conductor: János Rolla.
[S]
Johann Sebastian Bach
Weihnachts-Oratorium, 1734 [Christmas Oratorio]
Recording: Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin & Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, 2012. Conductor: Peter Dijkstra.
[S]
Georg Friedrich Händel
Messiah, 1741
Recording: Academy of Ancient Music & Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, 1980. Conductor: Christopher Hogwood.
[S]
Camille Saint-Saëns
Oratorio de Noël, 1858 [Christmas Oratorio]
Recording: Le Madrigal de Lyon & Orchestre de Chambre de Lyon, 1981. Conductor: Sylvain Cambreling.
[S]
Franz Liszt
Weihnachtsbaum, 1873–76 [Christmas Tree]
Recording: Roland Pöntinen – Evening Bells, 2000 [review]
[S]
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Nóch péred Rozhdestvóm, 1895 [Christmas Eve]
Recording: Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, 1997. Conductor: Michail Jurowski.
[S]
Usually I don’t listen all that much to classical music, but during this season I definitely find it appropriate to do so.
So far I’ve listened to Oratorio de Noël and Weihnachts-Oratorium. They’re quite pleasant. I’ll try to acquaint myself with the other works. Feel free to do likewise – I hope you’ll find something you like!
If you follow the above links marked [S] you can enjoy the music right away in Spotify.