Christmas Around the World

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

Traditional: Lovely Vine and Joy to the World
The Boston Camerata, Joel Cohen, conductor

Anonymous: Exultemus et Laetemur
In Mulieribus, Anna Song, director
St. Mary's Cathedral, Portland, Oregon

Luca Marenzio: Scendi dal Paradise
The American Brass Quintet
Aspen Music Festival, Aspen, Colorado

Felix Mendelssohn: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
The Salt Lake Children's Choir, Kenneth Udy, organ, Ralph B. Woodward, director
Cathedral of the Madeleine, Salt Lake City

Anonymous: Vieni, Vieni (Come, Come) and Traditional Pastoral
The Toronto Consort, David Fallis, director
Town Hall, Seattle

Traditional French: Saltarello and Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella
Ensemble Galilei
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Philip Stopford: Lully, Lulla, Lullay
Kacee Cambron, soprano, the Utah State University Chamber Singers, Dr. Cory Evans, director
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Hyde Park, Utah

Leonard Bernstein: Waltz from Divertimento for Orchestra
The Los Angeles Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel, conductor
Barbican Hall, London, England

Hans Leo Hassler: Jubilate Deo
Conspirare, Craig Hella Johnson, director
Long Center for the Performing Arts, Austin, Texas

Johann Sebastian Bach: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Benjamin Moser, piano
Ramsey Concert Hall, Athens, Georgia

Felix Mendelssohn: A Star Shall Rise Up Out of Jacob
The Brigham Young University Combined Choirs and Philharmonic Orchestra, Rosalind Hall, conductor
deJong Concert Hall, Provo, Utah

Phillipp Nicolai: How Brightly Shines the Morning Star
The Brigham Young University Combined Choirs and Philharmonic Orchestra, Rosalind Hall, conductor
deJong Concert Hall, Provo, Utah

Traditional (Arranged by Darmon Meader): The First Noel
Chicago a cappella, Jonathan Miller, director
Wentz Concert Hall, Naperville Illinois

Edward Elgar: Finale from the Starlight Express
The Virginia Symphony Orchestra, JoAnn Falletta, conductor
Chrysler Hall, Norfolk, Virginia

Hour 2

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

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