On the way for Christmas, 2011, we'll bring you some of the best and brightest holiday performances from all over the globe. From the magnificent concert halls of Europe, to churches large and small, to a warm and inviting Irish pub, it's our annual tour of Christmas Around the World.
Episode Playlist
Hour 1
Louis Couperin: Les Carillons de Paris (The Bells of Paris)
Andrew Lawrence-King, Baroque harp
Thomas Robinson: Twenty Ways upon the Bells
Rolf Lislevand, lute, Arianna Savall, harp
Schwetzingen Festival, Schwetzingen, Germany
Anonymous 13th Century: Exultet hec Concio
Discantus, Brigitte Lesne, director
Grote Kerk, Enschede, the Netherlands
Jon Thorarinsson: Bright and Glorious
The Hamrahlid Choir, Thorgerdur Ingolfsdottir, director
Hateigs Church, Reykjavik, Iceland
Karl-Johan Ankarblom: Christmas Eve Medley
The Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Per Hammarstrom, conductor
Berwaldhallen, Stockholm, Sweden
Tomas Luis de Victoria: O Magnum Mysterium
Stile Antico
Flanders Festival, Bruges, Belgium
Traditional (Arranged by Michaelis Brouzos and Giorgos Bechlivanoglou): Variations on Greensleeves
The Animacorda Guitar Duo
Pythagorion Amphitheatre, Anixi-Athens, Greece
Traditional: The Parting Glass and Reel - Christmas Eve
The Danu Ensemble
The Local Pub, Dungarvan, Ireland
Peter Tchaikovsky: Waltz of the Flowers, from the Nutcracker, Op. 71
The French National Orchestra, Kurt Masur, conductor
Theatre des Champs-Elysees, Paris, France
Maurice Durufle: Ubi Caritas
The Trinity Choir, guest choirs, Thea Kano, director
Trinity Church Wall Street, New York City
Traditional Polish: Improvisation on Lulajze Jezuniu
Bolette Roed, recorder
Music in Paradise Festival, Paradyz, Poland
Traditional (Arranged by Steven Stucky): Lulajze, Jezuniu
Chanticleer
St. Vincent de Paul Church, Petaluma, California
Hour 2
Benjamin Britten: Excerpts from a Ceremony of Carols
The American Boychoir, Vincent Metallo, director
Hugo Adler: Hannerot Hallalu
The Carolina Chamber Chorale, Zhou Jin, piano, Timothy Koch, director
Giovanni Gastoldi: Balletti
The American Brass Quintet
Aspen Music Festival, Aspen, Colorado
Traditional (Arranged by Igor Kuljeric): Croatian Christmas Carols
The Croatian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, soloists, Tonci Bilic, conductor
Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Zagreb, Croatia
Traditional Scottish: Medley No. 1
The Chris Norman Ensemble
Beaches Fine Arts Series, Jacksonville Beach, Florida
Egil Hovland: Stay With Us (Captive and Free)
The St. Olaf Combined Choirs, St. Olaf Orchestra, Sigrid Johnson, conductor
St. Olaf Christmas Festival, Northfield, Minnesota
David Lovrien: Minor Alterations No. 2
The Dallas Wind Symphony, Jerry Junkin, conductor
Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas
Robert Sieving: O Stella de Bethlehem
VocalEssence Chorus and Ensemble Singers, Michael Dayton, English horn, Philip Brunelle, director
Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis
James Kallembach: The Yonge Child
VocalEssence Chorus and Ensemble Singers, Michael Dayton, English horn, Philip Brunelle, director
Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis
Traditional (Arranged by Anders Ohrwall): Away In a Manger
The Pro Arte Singers, Jacqui Kerrod, harp, Arthur Sjogren, director
New Canaan Presbyterian Church, New Canaan, Connecticut
Traditional: Joy to the World
Susan Graham, mezzo-soprano, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and Children's Chorus, Kent Nagano, conductor
Notre Dame Basilica, Montreal, Quebec
Mel Torme and Robert Wells: The Christmas Song
The Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Per Hammarstrom, conductor
Berwaldhallen, Stockholm, Sweden
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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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