The St. Olaf Christmas Festival has become one of the nation's most cherished holiday celebrations. This year's presentation, “Love Divine,” features more than 400 student musicians performing from the college in Northfield, Minn.
Started in 1912 by F. Melius Christiansen, founder of the St. Olaf College Music Department, the festival includes hymns, carols, choral works and orchestral selections celebrating the Nativity. It will feature the St. Olaf Choir, the St. Olaf Orchestra, the St. Olaf Cantorei, the St. Olaf Chapel Choir, the Manitou Singers and the Viking Chorus, performing as individual groups and as a massed ensemble.
Playlist
Edward Elgar: Nimrod (Enigma Variations) – Orchestra
Divinum Mysterium arr. Christopher Aspaas: In a Deep, Unbounded Darkness – Massed Choir & Orchestra
Besançon Carol Tune, arr. Philip R. Dietterich, orch. James Bobb: Carol of the Advent - Massed Choir & Orchestra
Cyril V. Taylor, arr. John Ferguson, adapt. Jeffrey O’Donnell: God is Love - Massed Choir & Orchestra with Katie Gunn, organ
Ludwig van Beethoven: Hallelujah (Christ on the Mount of Olives) – Massed Choir & Orchestra
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Bogoroditse Dévo (All-Night Vigil) – St. Olaf Choir
Michael Praetorious, arr. Archibald T. Davidson: Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming – Viking Chorus
Ramón Diaz, arr. Juan Tony Guzmán: Llega la Navidad! – Cantorei with Megan Hoffhines, guiro & Sarah Uttormark, congas
Steven Amundson: Holy Child – Manitou Singers & Orchestra
Franz Gruber, arr. Stephen Paulus, orch. Matthew Culloton: Silent Night – Chapel Choir & Orchestra
Dave Brubeck: God’s Love Made Visible - Massed Choirs & Orchestra
14th-cen. German, arr. Robert Scholz: Good Christian Friends, Rejoice - Massed Choirs & Orchestra
BREAK – Aaron Jay Kernis: Musica Celestis (excerpt)
Rosephanye Powell: Christus Natus Est – Massed Choirs & Orchestra
African-American Spiritual, arr. Rollo Dilworth: Go, Tell It on the Mountain - Manitou Singers with Elsa Buck, piano
Richard Lloyd: Love Came Down at Christmas: Cantorei
Trad. English, arr. Marques L.A. Garrett: God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen – Viking Chorus with Sophia Kushner, piano
Mitchell B. Southall: In Silent Night - St. Olaf Choir
Jester Hairston: Mary’s Little Boy Chile - St. Olaf Choir with vocalists Sophie Vogel, Cees Postema, Peter Hoffman; Kyle Dacon, piano; Grayson Broesh, bass; Eugene Sandel Jr, percussion
Jeffrey L. Ames: Gloria Fanfare – Chapel Choir & Orchestra w Oliver Steissberg, piano
John Rutter: Past Three A Clock - Massed Choirs & Orchestra
Steven Amundson: Angels’ Dance - St. Olaf Orchestra
Carols for Choirs, arr. John Ferguson – All choirs, all conductors
Cameroon Trad: He Came Down That We May Have Love
F. Seguin: Love Has Come
English Traditional: On Christmas Night
Alberto Taulé: Toda la tierra
Peter Knudson: Jeg er så glad
Franz Gruber: Stille Nacht
Trad. French, arr. Robert Scholz: Angels We Have Heard on High - Massed Choirs, Orchestra & Audience
Refer to the online program booklet for the live broadcast.
Sponsors
Audio produced in cooperation with Minnesota Public Radio and sponsored in part by Tad and Cindy Piper.
Video produced through the generosity and support of St. Olaf's sponsors:
The Tomson Family Foundation
The Mark and Laura Johnson Family
David and Cynthia Hill
An anonymous donor from the Class of 1970
Carlson Capital Management
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This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment‘s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.
