Christmas favourites

[Nick Armstrong]

There is (for me) one moment in the piece that seems to sum up all of Finzi. It's the final, very quiet, choral entry - 'On the earth peace, goodwill toward men'. Such a simple phrase, but it says so much. It was the last music of his that he heard live.

Seasons greetings to everyone.

Likewise, seasons greetings to all hereabouts!!

I will look out for the phrase next time it spins this weekend...

But is there any piece that sums up the spirit of Christmas better than the first of the Vaughan Williams Winter Folk Songs, the Children's Christmas Song? Wonderful stuff, it's put me right in the mood!

[PatrickOD]

I'm pleased to report that the previously referred to Praetorius Mass has found a new home where it will be appreciated.

[Chris Newman]

A wonderful new Christmas discovery for me was used as a filler after Monday night's lovely Wigmore Hall Czech concert with the Skampa Quartet and Stephen Hough.

Imagine a mixture of Mozart's The Magic Flute and Carl Nielsen's Springtime in Funen written as a Czech Christmas Mass. Jakub Jan Ryba, a Czech contemporary of Beethoven, certainly gave us the goods in this gorgeous little 40 minute Oratorio.

Missa pastoralis bohemica
Gabriela Ibanova (sop)
Magdalena Kozena (mezzo)
Jaroslav Brezina (ten)
Mikail Pesckuva (bass)
Capella Regia Musicali
Robert Hugo (conductor)

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/DG%2BArchiv/4778365

This recording came out twelve years ago, has been a platinum disc in central Europe, but has only just been issued in the UK. It certainly goes to the top of my personal list of Christmas music.

You can hear it on iPlayer at 1 hr 46 mins into this link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b0186d9v

[Serial_Apologist]

Finally got my Xmas music list together, and have started listening.

In chronological order::

Handel - The Messiah, Part 1
Reger - Weinachten, for organ
Vaughan Williams - A Christmas Cantata
Busoni - Piano Sonatina No 4 In Diem Nativitatis Christi MCMXVII
Dupre - Variations sur Noel, for organ
Hindemith - Das Marienleben
Jolivet - Trio for flute, viola and harp "Pastorales de Noel"
Langlais - La Nativite, for organ
Messiaen - La Nativite du Seigneur, for organ
Britten - A Boy Was Born
Messiaen - Vingt Regards sur L'Enfant Jesus
Alan Bush - A Winter Journey
Honegger - Christmas Cantata
Vaughan Williams - Hodie
Roland Kirk - We Free Kings
Rubbra - Advent Cantata "Natum Maria Virgine"
Britten - Cantata: The Journey of the Magi
Hoddinott - Hymn to the Virgin, from Sinfonia Fidei
Henry Lowther's Still Waters - In The Bleak Midwinter - Holst/arr Julian Arguelles

S-A

[jean]

...a Czech Christmas Mass...

Another neglected (by us) Czech composter, Zelenka, provided two Christmas masses in last week's R3 Christmas mussic day.

The first is abut three hours in, here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0185bdf/Christmas_Around_Europe_2011_Part_1/

[cloughie]

Christmas morning for me is:

Hely-Hutchinson: Carol Sym
Harry Mortimer's All star Brass playing Carols (An old MFP transferred to CD)
James Galway's Christmas Carol
Phil Spector's Christmas Album

accompanying opening of presents.

[Frances_iom]

Jakub Jan Ryba, a Czech contemporary of Beethoven, certainly gave us the goods in this gorgeous little 40 minute Oratorio.

Missa pastoralis bohemica

also available (has been for many years as recording dates 1998) on Naxos - 2 Xmas masses 'Hail Master' + Missa Pastoralis - Naxos 8.554428 - the cd liner notes state 1st is a staple of Czech Xmas - 2nd was 1st recording - extemely pleasant + enjoyable

[MickyD]

A long standing favourite of mine is the little In Nativitatem D.N.J.C. Canticum, H414 by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, in a beautiful tender recording from 1982 by Les Arts Florissant and William Christie. A real gem!

[PatrickOD]

I've just heard Aled Jones suggest that I might be fed up with Silent Night and Once in Royal David's City.
Well. I'm not!

[Rosie55]

Growing Hoddinott fan in the past few years. His Sinfonia Fidei is a first class work!

Finally got my Xmas music list together, and have started listening.

In chronological order::

Handel - The Messiah, Part 1
Reger - Weinachten, for organ
Vaughan Williams - A Christmas Cantata
Busoni - Piano Sonatina No 4 In Diem Nativitatis Christi MCMXVII
Dupre - Variations sur Noel, for organ
Hindemith - Das Marienleben
Jolivet - Trio for flute, viola and harp "Pastorales de Noel"
Langlais - La Nativite, for organ
Messiaen - La Nativite du Seigneur, for organ
Britten - A Boy Was Born
Messiaen - Vingt Regards sur L'Enfant Jesus
Alan Bush - A Winter Journey
Honegger - Christmas Cantata
Vaughan Williams - Hodie
Roland Kirk - We Free Kings
Rubbra - Advent Cantata "Natum Maria Virgine"
Britten - Cantata: The Journey of the Magi
Hoddinott - Hymn to the Virgin, from Sinfonia Fidei
Henry Lowther's Still Waters - In The Bleak Midwinter - Holst/arr Julian Arguelles

S-A