Music for Christmas Eve, from concerts across the country and around the world. Including what may be the most beautiful Christmas song of the 20th century, the Ave Maria, by Franz Biebl. The men of Chanticleer are in concert at Stanford University, in Palo Alto. Also, two contemplative settings of the ancient Latin text "O Magnum Mysterium." One from 1572 by Tomas Luis de Victoria, another from 1994 by American composer Morton Lauridsen. And...a choral curiosity. The Tokyo FM Boys Choir sings "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" in Japanese.
Episode Playlist
Hour 1
Francisco Guerrero: "Virgen Sancta"
Chanticleer
Traditional (Arranged by Jerzy Kurczewski): "They Hastened to Bethlehem"
The Polish Radio Chorus with conductor Wlodzimierz Siedlik
Witold Lutoslawski Concert Hall, Warsaw, Poland
Wilhelm Stenhammar: "Midwinter," Op. 24
The Swedish Radio Orchestra and Chorus with conductor Andreas Hanson
Berwaldhallen, Stockholm, Sweden
Juan de Araujo: "Los Coflades de la Estleya"
Seattle Pro Musica with conductor Karen P. Thomas
Town Hall, Seattle
Ernani Aguiar: "Ave Maria"
Seattle Pro Musica with conductor Karen P. Thomas
Town Hall, Seattle
Sigvaldi Kaldalons: "Ave Maria"
Pianist Vikingur Heidar Olafsson
University Cinema, Reykjavik, Iceland
Franz Xaver Biebl: "Ave Maria"
Chanticleer
Stanford University, Stanford, California
Adam Craig: "So Merry as We Have Been"
Fiddler Bonnie Rideout and friends
Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Athens, Georgia
Felix Mendelssohn: "Song Without Words"
Cellist Lynn Harrell and pianist Victor Santiago-Asuncion
Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Athens, Georgia
Traditional (Arranged by Terje Kvam): "Beautiful Savior"
The Oslo Philharmonic Chorus and Orchestra
Concert Hall, Oslo, Norway
Hour 2
Marc-Antoine Charpentier: Carols for Instruments
Les Violons du Roy with conductor Bernard Labadie
Traditional (Arranged by Matthew Nielsen): "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"
The Brigham Young University Singers with conductor Ronald Staheli
Harris Fine Arts Center, Provo, Utah
Tommie Connor: "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"
The Tokyo FM Boys Choir with pianist Megumi Yorita and conductor Etsuyo Tachikawa
Tokyo FM Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Gabriel Faure: Allegro from Barcarolle No. 6 in E-flat, Op. 70
Pianist Sally Pinkas
Rockport Chamber Music Festival, Rockport, Massachusetts
Joseph Canteloube: "Lullaby"
Mezzo-soprano Susan Graham and pianist Malcolm Martineau
Ordway Center, St. Paul
Anthony Holborne: "As it Fell on a Holie Eve"
Soprano Ellen Hargis and lutenist Paul O'Dette
Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, St. Paul
Edward Elgar: Chanson du Nuit, Op. 15, No. 1
The River Oaks Chamber Orchestra with conductor Scott Yoo
St. John the Divine Episcopal Church, Houston
Tomas Luis de Victoria: "O Magnum Mysterium"
The Helsinki Chamber Chorus with conductor Nils Schweckendiek
Kallio Church, Helsinki, Finland
Morten Lauridsen: "O Magnum Mysterium"
The Danish National Vocal Ensemble with conductor Michael Bojesen
Soborg Church, Northern Zealand, Denmark
Anonymous: Symphonia de Nativitate
Il Tempo with violinist and conductor Agata Sapiecha
Witold Lutoslawski Concert Hall, Warsaw, Poland
Giovanni Girolamo Kapsperger: Gagliarda Sesta
Chatham Baroque
Synod Hall, Oakland, Pennsylvania
Franz Xaver Gruber: "Glade Jul" ("Silent Night")
The Danish National Vocal Ensemble with conductor Michael Bojesen
Soborg Church, Northern Zealand, Denmark
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