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Christmas Eve Live with Sarah Walker

Sarah Walker chooses three hours of attractive and uplifting music to complement your Christmas Eve, whether you鈥檙e decorating the Christmas tree or wrapping presents.

Sarah Walker celebrates Christmas Eve from her home with a hamper full of musical treats from around the world.

This evening, Sarah glimpses through the lighted windows of houses and apartments in France, Ukraine, Italy, Norway and beyond to discover the many ways Christmas Eve is marked. She鈥檚 curious about traditions like meat-free midnight feasts, festive breads, Christmas saunas and cooking carp. Guests join Sarah to tell us how they like to spend this magical evening, and Sarah shares favourite carols from some of their countries.

There鈥檚 also a feast of seasonal music to enjoy, including the merry finale from Bach鈥檚 Christmas Oratorio, a carol from 1964 that鈥檚 rapidly becoming a classic, and a jazzy interpretation of Mykola Leontovych鈥檚 Carol of the Bells.

A Tandem Production for 成人快手 Radio 3

3 hours

Last on

Christmas Eve 2022 15:00

Music Played

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen (Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Part VI)

    Ensemble: Septura. Conductor: Matthew Knight.
    • NAXOS.
  • Traditional Czech

    Pujdem spolu do Betlema (Let's go to Bethlehem together)

    Choir: Czech Philharmonic Choir. Ensemble: Czech Chamber Soloists.
    • ARCO DIVA.
  • Sandra Marteleur

    En gangar till kaffet (A gangar with your coffee)

    Performer: Sandra Marteleur. Performer: Gunnar Idenstam. Music Arranger: Gunnar Idenstam.
    • BIS.
  • Trad.

    Ding! Dong! Merrily on High

    Performer: Douglas Tang. Music Arranger: Mack Wilberg. Choir: Choir of King鈥檚 College, Cambridge. Conductor: Stephen Cleobury.
    • KING'S COLLEGE.
  • Anon.

    La dou莽ours

    Ensemble: The Dufay Collective.
    • CHANDOS.
  • Dieterich Buxtehude

    Das neugeborne Kindelein, BuxWV13

    Singer: Greta de Reyghere. Singer: Guy de Mey. Singer: Henri Ledroit. Singer: Max van Egmond. Ensemble: Ricercar Consort.
    • RICERCAR.
  • Frederick Delius

    Sleigh Ride (Winter Night)

    Orchestra: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Davis.
    • Delius in Norway.
    • CHANDOS.
    • 5.
  • Arnljot Hoyland

    Julekveldsvise (Christmas Eve Song)

    Lyricist: Alf Pr酶ysen. Singer: Alf Pr酶ysen. Ensemble: Willy Andresens Kvartett.
    • KIRKELIG KULTURVERKSTED.
  • Heinrich Sch眉tz

    Hodie Christus natus est, SWV 456

    Choir: Namur Chamber Choir. Ensemble: Ensemble La Fenice. Conductor: Jean Tub茅ry.
    • K617.
  • Pavel Josef Vejvanovsk媒

    Sonata Natalis in C major

    Performer: Mathias Schmutzler. Ensemble: Virtuosi Saxoniae. Conductor: Ludwig G眉ttler.
    • BERLIN CLASSICS.
  • Maurice Walters

    The Winter's Brightening

    Performer: Richard Pearce. Music Arranger: Alexander L鈥橢strange. Music Arranger: Joanna Forbes. Choir: 成人快手 Singers. Conductor: Nicholas Chalmers.
  • Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych

    Carol of the Bells

    Ensemble: Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra.
    • MCG JAZZ.
  • Claude Debussy

    The Snow is Dancing (Children's Corner, No. 4)

    Performer: Noriko Ogawa.
    • Debussy: The Solo Piano Works: Noriko Ogawa.
    • BIS.
    • 20.
  • Trad.

    Joulupuu on rakennettu (The christmas tree is being built)

    Choir: Candomino. Conductor: Tauno Satomaa.
    • FAZER RECORDS.
  • Trad.

    The Wexford Carol

    Performer: Sam Lakeman. Performer: Ben Nicholls. Performer: James Fagan. Performer: Niall Murphy. Music Arranger: Cara Dillon. Music Arranger: Sam Lakeman. Singer: Cara Dillon.
    • CHARCOAL RECORDS.
  • Gioachino Rossini

    La Cenerentola (Overture)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • DG.
  • Vasyl Zhdankin

    Narodyvysya Boh na sanyakh (Christ was born on a sleigh)

    Lyricist: Bohdan Ihor Antonych. Ensemble: ShockolaD.
    • SHOCKOLAD.
  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    The Nutcracker, Act 2, Sc. 3 (Le Chocolat; Danse Arabe; Trepak)

    Music Arranger: Matthias H枚fs. Ensemble: German Brass.
    • BERLIN CLASSICS.
  • Alessandro Scarlatti

    O di Betlemme, altera poverta ventu

    Singer: Emma Kirkby. Ensemble: London Baroque. Conductor: Charles Medlam.
    • BIS.
  • Giacomo Puccini

    Astro del cielo

    Lyricist: Angelo Meli. Music Arranger: Michael Kaye. Music Arranger: Eugene Kohn. Singer: Pl谩cido Domingo. Orchestra: Czech National Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Eugene Kohn.
    • SONY.
  • Trad.

    While Shepherds Watched (Lyngham)

    Composer: Thomas Jarman. Performer: Jon Boden.
    • NAVIGATOR.
  • Niels Wilhelm Gade

    Smaapigernes Dans (Bornenes Jul, Op. 36, No. 4)

    Performer: Anker Blyme.
    • DACAPO.
  • Vincent Guaraldi

    Christmas is Coming (A Charlie Brown Christmas)

    Ensemble: Vince Guaraldi Trio.
    • FANTASY.
  • Ariel Ram铆rez

    La Peregrinacion (The Pilgrimage)

    Performer: The King鈥檚 Singers. Music Arranger: Peter Knight.
    • SIGNUM.
  • Traditional Polish

    Oj maluski, maluski (O little one)

    Singer: Krystian Adam Krzeszowiak. Ensemble: Trio Con Passione.
    • WARNER.
  • Frank Bridge

    Sir Roger de Coverley

    Music Arranger: Gudrun Hinze. Ensemble: Quintessenz.
    • GENUIN.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme BWV 645

    Performer: Murray Perahia.
    • SONY.
  • Tom谩s Luis de Victoria

    Natus est nobis

    Ensemble: La Chambre du Roy Ren茅. Director: Stefano Somalvico.
    • TORCULUS RECORDS.
  • Gustaf Nordqvist

    Jul, jul, str氓lande jul (Christmas, Christmas, glorious Christmas)

    Lyricist: Edvard Evers. Ensemble: The Real Group.
    • VIRGIN.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Fantasia on Christmas Carols

    Singer: Roderick Williams. Choir: Joyful Company of Singers. Ensemble: City of London Sinfonia. Conductor: Richard Hickox.
    • CHANDOS.
  • Eurico Carrapatoso

    脫 Meu Menino (My little boy)

    Composer: Traditional Portuguese. Ensemble: Grupo Vocal Olisipo.
    • DIALOGOS.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Von Himmel hoch, da komm' ich her (Orgelb眉chlein, BWV 606)

    Performer: James Lancelot.
    • PRIORY RECORDS.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Von Himmel kam der Engel Schar (Orgelb眉chlein, BWV 607)

    Performer: James Lancelot.
    • PRIORY RECORDS.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    In dulci jubilo (Orgelb眉chlein, BWV 608)

    Performer: James Lancelot.
    • PRIORY RECORDS.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Wir Christenleut (Orgelb眉chlein, BWV 612)

    Performer: James Lancelot.
    • PRIORY RECORDS.
  • Walter Saul

    A Christmas Symphony (IV. Gloria)

    Orchestra: Ukraine National Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Theodore Kuchar.
    • NAXOS.

Broadcast

  • Christmas Eve 2022 15:00

Music, food, ice-swimming... Christmas Eve traditions around Europe

Music, food, ice-swimming... Christmas Eve traditions around Europe

Sarah Walker's invited guests talk about traditions in their own countries.