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A day-long festival of Christmas and singing from across Europe and Canada in the European Broadcasting Union’s annual Christmas music day. In a year where singing in choirs has largely been curtailed due to the global pandemic, choirs and orchestras come together in socially distant performances of music that celebrates the joy of singing and the wonder of Christmas.

Presented by Hannah French.

9am
From Iceland, an Italian Baroque Christmas Concert with the Reykjavik Chamber Orchestra performing music by Pergolesi, Locatelli, Vivaldi and Veracini.

Pergolesi: Violin Concerto in B flat major
Locatelli: Concerti XI a quattro in C minor
Vivaldi: Cello concerto in G major RV 415
Veracini: Overture nr. 6 in Bb major

Laufey Jensdóttir, violin
Steiney Sigurðardóttir, cello
Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra

10am
"Motets in Advent -William Byrd, Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, Thomas Tallis & Robert White" - a Christmas concert with The Theatre of Voices and Paul Hillier, from Copenhagen. The program is a selection of the finest vocal and organ music of the Renaissance: praise, the proclamation, the mystery, the birth, the cradle of the child of Christ, and the light of God over man.

William Byrd: Laudibus in sanctis, from 'Cantiones Sacrae' (1589)
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck: Ons ist geboren een kindekijn
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck: Ecce virgo concipiet
Thomas Tallis: Clarifica me pater (II, I)
William Byrd: O magnum mysterium; Beata virgo; Ave Maria
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck: Hodie Christus natus est
William Byrd: A Voluntarie for my Ladye Nevell
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621) - In illo tempore
William Byrd: Lullaby, my sweet little baby; A Grounde, BK43
Robert White: Christe qui lux es et dies (IV, à 5)
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck: Toccata, primi toni; Gaudete omnes

Yngvild Ruud, organ
Theatre of Voices
Paul Hillier, conductor

11am
A Christmas Concert with the Early Music ensemble La Nef with sopranos Meredith Hall and Donna Kanerahtenha:wi Jacobs (from the First Nations Mohawk Community), from Montreal. A concert featuring Baroque and traditional Christmas music from Montreal’s five founding communities.

Traditional (First Nations Mohawk): Ok Skennen Ko Wa
Anonymous: Eesus ahatonnyah
Traditional (France): Nous voici dans la ville
Pierre Dandrieu: Or, nous dites, Marie
Traditional (Ireland): What Child is This? - My Lagan Love
Traditional (Isle of Man): Usheg Veg Ruy (Little Red Bird)
John Playford: The Cold Suite: On the Cold Ground; Drive the Cold Winter Away; Cold and Raw; My Lodging is on the Cold Ground
Traditional (Wales): Welsh Carol
Traditional (France): Entre le bœuf et l’âne gris
Louis-Claude Daquin: Suite de Noëls français
Traditional (Scotland): A Cogie of Ale and a Pickle Ait Meal
Traditional (Scotland): Scottish Reel
Tony O'Connell: Christmas in Kinsale (jig)
Tommy Coen: Christmas Eve Reel
Traditional (England): Gloucestershire Wassail
Traditional: Please to See the King
Traditional (Ireland): The Wren Song

Meredith Hall, soprano
Donna Kanerahtenha:wi Jacobs, soprano
La Nef
Sylvain Bergeron, artisitc director, archlute, Baroque guitar
Alex Kehler, violin (trad.), nyckelharpa
Robin Grenon, harps
Grégoire Jeay, recorders, traverso flute
Marie-Laurence Primeau, viola da gamba
Andrew Wells-Oberegger, percussion