Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

The annual celebration of Christmas from all around Europe, with music from Saarbrucken, Gothenburg, Utrecht, Hamburg, Reykjavik and London, presented by Hannah French.

A day-long festival of Christmas music from across Europe, in the European Broadcasting Union鈥檚 annual Christmas music day, continues with concerts from Saarbrucken, Gothenburg, Utrecht, Hamburg, Reykjavik and London, presented by Hannah French.

1600: From Saarbrucken: Fairytale operas, touching arias and the first "Christmas Medley" in classical music history - it's Christmas time at the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie! The festive Christmas programme contains highlights of opera literature such as Humperdinck's "Abendsegen" and the subsequent "Traumpantomime", but also many other musical rarities such as the two lullabies by Reger and Strauss.

Humperdinck: Overture to 'H盲nsel und Gretel'
Richard Strauss: Wiegenlied, op. 41/1
Humperdinck: Festkl盲nge, from 'Dornr枚schen, orchestra suite'
Wilhelm Kienzl: Weihnacht, op. 74
Humperdinck: Evening Prayer and Pantomime, from 'H盲nsel and Gretel'
Tchaikovsky: March of the Tin Soldiers, from the ballet 'The Nutcracker'
Reger: Mari盲 Wiegenlied (Mary's Lullaby)
Richard Strauss: Ist ein Traum kann nicht wirklich sein, from 'Der Rosenkavalier'
Victor Hely-Hutchinson: A Carol Symphony

Elsa Benoit, soprano
Sarah Romberger, mezzo-soprano
German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra
Saarbr眉cken Kaiserslautern
Pietari Inkinen, conductor

1700: From Gothenburg: The G枚teborg Baroque perform music by Buxtehude and contemporaries.

Buxtehude: In dulci jubilo
Bach: Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her, BWV 700
Michael Praetorius: Es ist ein Ros entsprungen
Buxtehude: Jesu dulcis memoria
Christian Geist: Wie sch枚n leuchtet der Morgenstern
Johann Theile: Nun ich singe, Gott ich knie
Buxtehude: Das neugeborne Kindelein

Anna Jobrant, sop
Amanda Flodin, alto
Jorge Navarro Colorado, tenor
Karl Peter Eriksson, bass
G枚teborg Baroque
Magnus Kjellson, director

1800: From Utrecht: The Amsterdam Sinfonietta focuses on Mary, mother of Jesus. Composers of all times and currents have celebrated her, and tonight the combination of Mary's divine mission and her motherly love comes to life in a program with alternating radiant music and intimate sounds.

Telemann: Trumpet Concerto in D, TWV. 41
Bernhard Krol: Magnificat Variations, op. 40
Finzi: The Salutation, from 'Dies Natalis, op. 8'
Handel: Eternal Light, HWV 74 (Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne)
Reger: Mari盲 Wiegenlied
Traditional (Sweden) - Two traditional Christmas songs
Hugh Martin: Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Johanna Wallroth, soprano
H氓kan Hardenberger, trumpet
Amsterdam Sinfonietta
Tomo Keller, conductor

1900: From Hamburg: Diana Damrau sings arias by Bach, H盲ndel and Mozart as well as German Christmas Songs.

Diana Damrau, soprano
Matthias H枚fs, trumpet
NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra
Gianluca Capuano, conductor

2100: From Reykjavik: The theme of the concert is "The North" with program highlighting baroque music by composers who worked in northern Europe; from London, north to Potsdam and further north to Denmark, Norway and Sweeden. As western music did not reach the coasts of Iceland until the second half of the 19th century the members of the RCO will make up for it by playing their own baroque arrangements of icelandic traditional music and Christmas carols.

Traditional (Iceland) - H谩t铆冒 fer a冒 h枚ndum ein (A Festival Approaches), traditional folk song
Franz Benda: Flute Concerto in E minor, LeeB 2.4
Traditional (Iceland) - Oss barn er f忙tt 铆 Betlehem (A Child is born in Bethlehem)
Johan Daniel Berlin: Clarinet Symphony in D, K. D1
Buxtehude: Chaconne, from 'Trio Sonata No. 4 in B flat, op. 1/4, BuxWV 255'
Johan Helmich Roman: Excerpts from 'The Golovin Music, BeRI 1'
Sigvaldi Kaldal贸ns: J贸lakv忙冒i, Christmas Song

脕shildur Haraldsd贸ttir, flute
Reykjav铆k Chamber Orchestra

2200: From London: The 成人快手 Singers present a programme of music for the season of Advent, including the world premiere of a new setting by Judith Bingham of one of the Advent 鈥極 Antiphons鈥 鈥 the Magnificat antiphons used at vespers on the last seven days of Advent. Commissioned by the 成人快手 to mark Judith Bingham鈥檚 70th birthday, the programme predominately features music by women composers thematically linked to the season of advent.

Judith Weir: Drop down ye heavens
Byrd: Rorate caeli
Margaret Rizza: Ave Generosa
Joanna Marsh: In Winter鈥檚 House
Bob Chilcott: The Pear-Tree Carol
Kerensa Briggs: A tender shoot
Judith Bingham: O Oriens
Hildegard von Bingen: O Frondens virga
Owain Park: O magnum mysterium
Eriks E拧envalds: O Emmanuel
Alison Willis: There is no rose
Cecilia McDowall: Now may we singen

成人快手 Singers
Owain Park, conductor

6 hours, 58 minutes

Last on

Sun 18 Dec 2022 16:00

Music Played

  • John Rutter

    What sweeter music

    Performer: Timothy Noon. Choir: The Choir of Canterbury Cathedral. Director: David Flood.
    • A Canterbury Christmas.
    • York.
    • 18.
  • Bob Chilcott

    The Pear Tree Carol

    Ensemble: 成人快手 Singers. Conductor: Owain Park.
  • Kerensa Briggs

    A Tender Shoot

    Ensemble: 成人快手 Singers. Conductor: Owain Park.
  • Judith Bingham

    O Oriens

    Performer: Richard Pinel. Ensemble: 成人快手 Singers. Conductor: Owain Park.
  • Hildegard von Bingen

    O Frondens virga

    Ensemble: 成人快手 Singers. Conductor: Owain Park.
  • Owain Park

    O magnum mysterium

    Performer: Rebecca Lea. Ensemble: 成人快手 Singers. Conductor: Owain Park.
  • E虅riks Es虒envalds

    O Emmanuel

    Ensemble: 成人快手 Singers. Conductor: Owain Park.
  • Alison Willis

    There is no rose

    Performer: Clare Lloyd Griffiths. Ensemble: 成人快手 Singers. Conductor: Owain Park.
  • Cecilia McDowall

    Now may we singen

    Ensemble: 成人快手 Singers. Conductor: Owain Park.

Broadcast

  • Sun 18 Dec 2022 16:00

Seven unusual Christmas traditions from around Europe

Seven unusual Christmas traditions from around Europe

Be inspired by these quirky festive practices, from folklore to TV schedules.