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, a holiday favorite. We'll hear highlights, from a concert by Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony.
Episode Playlist
Hour 1
Johann Sebastian Bach: Allemande from Solo Cello Suite No. 1 in G, BWV 1007
Zuill Bailey, cello
Herbert Howells: A Spotless Rose
Chanticleer
Stanford Memorial Church, Stanford, California
Henryk Pachulski: Suite in Memory of Peter Tchaikovsky, Op. 13
The Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Lukasz Borowicz, conductor
Witold Lutoslawski Concert Studio, Warsaw, Poland
Stephen Paulus: Pilgrims' Hymn
The Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, Stephen Layton, director
Johannes Brahms: Wie Melodien, Op. 105, No. 1
Zuill Bailey, cello, Awadagin Pratt, piano
Edward Elgar: Fourth movement from Cello Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85
Zuill Bailey, cello, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Krzysztof Urbanski, conductor
Traditional (arranged by Arthur Harris and William Silvester): God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
The Dallas Wind Symphony, Jerry Junkin, conductor
Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas
Hour 2
Peter Tchaikovsky: December (Christmas-tide), from the Seasons, Op. 37a
The Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonid Grin, conductor
Manx Gaelic Carol (arranged by Jeannette Sorrell and Sylvain Bergeron): Oikan ayns Bethlehem (The Babe in Bethlehem)
Meredith Hall, soprano, Apollo's Fire, Apollo's Singers, Ensemble La Nef, Jeannette Sorrell, conductor and harpsichord
St. Paul's Church, Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Anonymous: Excerpts from the Vespers of St. Kentigern, Patron saint of Glasgow
Jesse Blumberg, baritone, Apollo's Fire, Apollo's Singers, Ensemble La Nef, Jeannette Sorrell, conductor and harpsichord
St. Paul's Church, Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Traditional (arranged by Jeannette Sorrell and Sylvain Bergeron): All Sons of Adam, Sing Nowell!
Apollo's Fire, Apollo's Singers, Ensemble La Nef, Jeannette Sorrell, conductor and harpsichord
St. Paul's Church, Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Peter Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Manfred Honeck, conductor
Fernand Lindsay Amphitheatre, Joliette, 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.
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