On Christmas Day, join us for a musical journey around the world. On Friday's Performance Today, we'll sample musical highlights from concert halls, churches, and museums around the globe as part of our annual Christmas celebration.
Episode Playlist
Hour 1
Traditional Irish: A Merry Christmas
Quadriga Consort
Winter's Delight: Early Christmas Music and Carols From The British Isles
DHM 7572
Charles Ives: A Christmas Carol
Chanticleer
Sing We Christmas
Teldec 94563
Michael Praetorius: From heaven on high (Vom Himmel hoch)
Lahti Symphony Orchestra; Osmo Vanska, conductor
Christmas Music From Finland
Bis 947
Various: Christmas around the World
Dallas Brass; LaVilla School of the Arts Band; Mike Levine, conductor
Beaches fine Arts Series, St. Paul's by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, Jacksonville, FL
Mel Torme & Robert Wells (arr. Giovanni De Chiaro): The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Giovanni De Chiaro, guitar
The Sounds Of Christmas On Guitar
Centaur 2262
Traditional (arr. Vince Guaraldi): O Tannenbaum
Canadian Brass
USNYPR, The Green Space, New York, NY
Anonymous (arr. Brian Kay): Gaudete
Chicago A Cappella; Anne Heider, conductor
Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago, IL
American Spiritual (arr. Rollo Dilworth): Sistah Mary
Chicago A Cappella; Anne Heider, conductor
Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago, IL
American Spiritual (arr. R. Isaac): Behold That Star
Chicago A Cappella; Anne Heider, conductor
Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago, IL
Traditional: Thirteenth-century plainsong: Divinum Mysterium, Scottish Gaelic Carol: Taladh ar Slanaigheir (Christ Child Lullabye)
Ensemble Galilei; Carolyn Surrick, conductor
National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
Traditional: Carol-ballad (arr. Kentucky 1917): The Cherry Tree, 15th century
Anonymous 4
Music Before 1800, Corpus Christi Church, New York
Johann Sebastian Bach: Christmas Oratorio: Rejoice
Douglas Major, organ; Empire Brass
A Bach Festival
EMI 47395
Traditional: The Twelve Days of Christmas
Pittsburgh Symphony Brass
A Christmas Concert
Four Winds 3017
Traditional: We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Pittsburgh Symphony Brass
A Christmas Concert
Four Winds 3017
Hour 2
Traditional (arr. John Clark): O Holy Night
Imani Winds
This Christmas with Imani Winds
Koch 7748
Steven Amundson: With Joyful Hearts
The St. Olaf Orchestra; Steven Amundson, conductor
St. Olaf Christmas Festival, Skoglund Center Auditorium, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
Randall Thompson & Fenno Heath (arr. Rosalind Hall): Nowell
BYU Men's Chorus; Rosalind Hall, conductor
De Jong Concert Hall, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
Richard Kountz: The Sleigh (A la Russe)
Mitchell Drury, violin; Tom Dziekonski, violin; Gary Gibson, percussion; Andrew Seifert, piano; Northwest Girlchoir; Sara Boos, conductor
Classical KING FM 98.1, KING FM Studios, Seattle, WA
Peter Tchaikovsky: Russian Dance (Trepak)
BYU Philharmonic; Kory Katseanes, conductor
De Jong Concert Hall, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
John Williams: Somewhere in My Memory
Crouch End Festival Chorus and The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra; David Temple, conductor
The Greatest Christmas Choral Classics
Silva Classics 6049
English Carol (arr. Mack Wilberg): I Saw Three Ships
Massed Choirs of St. Olaf College; St. Olaf Orchestra; James Bobb, conductor
St. Olaf Christmas Festival, Skoglund Center Auditorium, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
Philipp Nicolai/Johann Sebastian Bach (arr. Ann Cameron Pearce): How Brightly Shines the Morning Star
The National Flute Choir; Amy Rice Blumenthal, conductor
Here We Come a'FLUTING
ALRY 27
James Pierpont (arr. David J. Elliott): Jingle Bell Swing
Judy Mason, piano; Spivey Hall Children's Choir; Martha Shaw, conductor
Spivey Hall, Clayton State University, Morrow, GA
Traditional (arr. Valerie Coleman): Go Tell It On The Mountain
Imani Winds
This Christmas with Imani Winds
Koch 7748
Liberian Folk Song (arr. Andre Thomas): African Noel
William Arnold, percussion; Sedrick Spradling, percussion; Viking Chorus; Christopher Aspaas, conductor
St. Olaf Christmas Festival, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
John Rutter: Angel's Carol
Adagio Trio
Winter Gift
Adagio Trio 2
Traditional (arr. F. Melius Christiansen): Beautiful Savior
Massed Choirs of St. Olaf; Anton Armstrong, conductor
St. Olaf Christmas Festival, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
Traditional: Wexford Carol/ Il Est Ne le Divin Enfant/ Christmas Eve Reel
Kirkmount: Alex Bigney, harp and bones; Samuel Bigney, fiddle; Simeon Bigney, cello and bodhran
Mittens for Christmas
Dorian 93236
Lowell Mason (arr. Mack Wilberg): Joy To The World
Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra; Craig Jessop, conductor
The Wonder of Christmas
Mormon Tabernacle 4964380
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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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