It's Christmas Eve, and there's a big party. Young Clara gets a special present, a nutcracker. At midnight, the Christmas tree grows magically, the Nutcracker turns into a dashing prince, and takes Clara on a tour of his kingdom. It's "The Nutcracker," by Peter Tchaikovsky. We'll hear highlights, from a concert in Montreal.
Episode Playlist
Hour 1
Traditional (Arranged by Ludwig Bohme): O Tannenbaum
Calmus
Traditional (Arranged by Harald Banter): Leise rieselt der Schnee
Calmus
Gustav Holst: Jupiter, from the Planets
The Nashville Symphony, Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville
Traditional (Arranged by John Lenehan and Paul Marleyn): Chanukah Oy Chanukah
Paul Marleyn, cello, John Lenehan, piano
Perfchat with Calmus: Perfchat
Anonymous (Arranged by Bob Chilcott): Nova! Nova!
Calmus
Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, St. Paul
Traditional (Arranged by Max Reger): Macht Hoch die Tur
Calmus
Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, St. Paul
Johann Sebastian Bach: O Jesulein Suss
Calmus
Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, St. Paul
Traditional (Arranged by Ludwig Bohme): Maria durch ein Dornwald ging
Calmus
Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, St. Paul
Irving Berlin: White Christmas
Calmus
Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, St. Paul
James Lord Pierpont: Jingle Bells
Calmus
Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, St. Paul
Johann Sebastian Bach: O Puer Natus and In Dulci Jubilo
The Royal Opera House Brass Soloists, Eric Crees, conductor
Hour 2
Peter Tchaikovsky: December, from the Seasons Op. 37a
The Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonid Grin, conductor
Hugo C. Adler: Maoz Tzur (By the Waters)
The Zamir Chorale of Boston, Joshua Jacobson, director
Traditional (Arranged by Scott Robinson): Who Lit these Candles?
The Eaken Piano Trio
Dmitri Shostakovich: Valse Lyrique, from Suite for Variety Orchestra
The Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Nathan Brock, conductor
Wilfrid-Pelletier Hall, Montreal, Quebec
Traditional Welsh (Arranged by Lawrence Wiliford): Suo-Gan (Sleep my baby)
Chanticleer
Memorial Church, Stanford, California
Stephen Foster: Slumber My Darling
Alison Krauss, vocals, Mark O'Connor, violin, Yo-Yo Ma, cello, Edgar Meyer, bass
F. Melius Christiansen: Lullaby on Christmas Eve
The St. Olaf Combined Choirs, Sigrid Johnson, conductor
St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota
Traditional Scottish: Christ Child Lullaby
Ensemble Galilei
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Peter Tchaikovsky: Excerpts from the Nutcracker, Op. 71a
The Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Kent Nagano, conductor
Notre Dame Basilica, Montreal, Quebec
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American Public Media’s Performance Today® is America’s most popular classical music radio program and a winner of the 2014 Gabriel Award for artistic achievement. The show is broadcast on hundreds of public radio stations across the country, including at 1 p.m. central weekdays on Minnesota Public Radio. More information about our stations can be found at APM Distribution.
Hosted by Valerie Kahler, Performance Today® features live concert recordings that can’t be heard anywhere else, highlights from new album releases, and in-studio performances and interviews. Performance Today® is based at the APM studios in St. Paul, Minnesota, but is frequently on the road, with special programs broadcast from festivals and public radio stations around the country.
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