Classical Music Playlist, December 22, 2023
Detail of the Portinari Altarpiece (c.1475) by Hugo van der Goes
Composed originally for Easter and premiered in April 1741, Handel's Messiah has since become a mainstay of Christmas celebrations as well. A Wikipedia article summarizes the oratorio: "Handel's Messiah has been described by the early-music scholar Richard Luckett as 'a commentary on [Jesus Christ's] Nativity, Passion, Resurrection and Ascension', beginning with God's promises as spoken by the prophets and ending with Christ's glorification in heaven."
Composed of text from the bible, Messiah is in three parts. Wikipedia:
In Part I, the Messiah's coming and the virgin birth are predicted by the Old Testament prophets. The annunciation to the shepherds of the birth of the Christ is represented in the words of Luke's gospel.
Part II covers Christ's passion and his death, his resurrection and ascension, the first spreading of the gospel through the world, and a definitive statement of God's glory summarized in the Hallelujah Chorus.
Part III begins with the promise of redemption, followed by a prediction of the day of judgment and the "general resurrection," ending with the final victory over sin and death and the acclamation of Christ.
Part I of Handel's Messiah, plus the Hallelujah Chorus that ends Part II, is today's Midday Masterpiece.
6:00 a.m.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in Bb major BWV 1051
Il Giardino Armonico; Giovanni Antonini, conductor
6:17 a.m.
Franz Liszt
Piano Sonata in B minor S 178
Krystian Zimerman, piano
6:48 a.m.
Connor Chee
Navajo Vocable No. 4
Angelica Hairston, harp
6:53 a.m.
Giovanni Gabrieli
Sonata on the 8th tone
Philadelphia Orchestra & Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass Ensembles
6:59 a.m.
Ernest Farrar
Rhapsody No. 1 "The Open Road" Opus 9
Philharmonia Orchestra; Alasdair Mitchell, conductor
7:10 a.m.
Gabriel Faure
Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor Opus 15
Emanuel Ax, piano; Isaac Stern, violin; Jaime Laredo, viola; Yo Yo Ma, cello
7:42 a.m.
TRADITIONAL
El la don don (Basque carol)
; Joseph Jennings, conductor And various soloists
7:44 a.m.
TRADITIONAL
Gaudete! (Rejoice!)
The Wallace Collection; Simon Wright, conductor Trinity Boy's Choir; The Britten Singers
7:46 a.m.
Antonin Dvorak
Scherzo capriccioso Opus 66
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; John Farrer, conductor
7:59 a.m.
Frederic Chopin
Concert Rondo "Krakowiak" (krak-KOH-vee-akk) in F major Opus 14
Slovak State Philharmonic, Kozice; Robert Stankovsky, conductor Idil Biret, piano
8:17 a.m.
Edward Elgar
Enigma Variations Opus 36
Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Georg Solti, conductor
8:46 a.m.
George Gershwin
Three Preludes: 1 & 2
Sharon Isbin, guitar
8:53 a.m.
Henry Purcell
Indian Queen: Symphony
Parley of Instruments
8:59 a.m.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Piano Concerto No. 18 in Bb major K 456
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Richard Goode, piano
9:29 a.m.
George Friederich Handel
Passacaille, Gigue, and Minuet
The English Concert; Trevor Pinnock, conductor
9:37 a.m.
Adolphus Hailstork
Three Spirituals
Virginia Symphony Orchestra; JoAnn Falletta, conductor
9:46 a.m.
Gustav Holst
St. Paul's Suite Opus 29/2
Guildhall String Ensemble; Robert Salter, conductor
10:00 a.m.
Antonin Dvorak
Symphony No. 6: III. Scherzo (Furiant) in D major Opus 60
Scottish National Orchestra; Neeme Jarvi, conductor
10:09 a.m.
Florence Price
Piano Concerto in One Movement
New York Youth Symphony; Michael Repper, conductor Michelle Cann, piano
10:27 a.m.
Franz Liszt
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 "Carnival in Pest" in D major
Budapest Symphony Orchestra; Andras Korodi, conductor
10:41 a.m.
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Phantasy Quintet
Medici String Quartet
10:58 a.m.
Aaron Copland
Outdoor Overture
Cincinnati Pops; Erich Kunzel, conductor
11:07 a.m.
Franz Schubert
Symphony No. 8 "Unfinished" in B minor D 759
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; Carlos Kleiber, conductor
11:33 a.m.
Lucas Ruiz de Ribayaz
El Gran Duque y Baylete
The Harp Consort
11:36 a.m.
Ludwig Van Beethoven
25 Scottish Songs: 2. Sunset Opus 108/2
Voces8; Eric Whitacre, conductor Gerald Finley, baritone; Nicola Benedetti, violin; Sheku Kanneh-Mason, cello; Benjamin Grosvenor, piano
11:42 a.m.
George Friederich Handel
Occasional Suite in D major
The English Concert; Trevor Pinnock, conductor
11:59 a.m.
Fanny Mendelssohn
Piano Trio: I. Allegro molto vivace in D minor
Nash Ensemble
12:10 p.m.
Zhou Tian
Concerto for Orchestra: III. Seeker's Scherzo
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra; Louis Langree, conductor
12:13 p.m.
Jean Sibelius
Karelia Suite: III. Alla Marcia Opus 11
Philharmonia Orchestra; Vladimir Ashkenazy, conductor
12:19 p.m.
Juan Arriaga
Symphony in D minor
Le Concert des Nations; Jordi Savall, conductor
12:49 p.m.
Thomas Tallis
Missa Puer Natus est Nobis: Gloria
stile antico
12:59 p.m.
Richard Strauss
Serenade in Eb major Opus 7
Stockholm Philharmonic (members of); Paavo Berglund, conductor
1:10 p.m.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Piano Concerto No. 27 in Bb major K 595
English Chamber Orchestra; Jeffrey Tate, conductor Mitsuko Uchida, piano
1:43 p.m.
Astor Piazzolla
Double Concerto: II. Milonga
A Far Cry Jason Vieaux, guitar; Julien Labro, bandoneon
1:50 p.m.
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Symphony No. 6 "Pathetique": III. Molto Vivace in B minor Opus 74
Kirov Orchestra; Valery Gergiev, conductor
2:00 p.m.
George Friederich Handel
Messiah: Part I HWV 56
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Neville Marriner, conductor Sylvia McNair, soprano; Anne Sofie von Otter, alto; Michael Chance, countertenor; Jerry Hadley, tenor; ASMF Chorus
2:51 p.m.
George Friederich Handel
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Neville Marriner, conductor
2:56 p.m.
Francesco Tristano
Toccata
Arctic Philharmonic; Christian Kluxen, conductor Francesco Tristano, piano
3:00 p.m.
Arcangelo Corelli
Concerto Grosso No. 12 in F major Opus 6
The English Concert; Trevor Pinnock, conductor
3:12 p.m.
Florence Price
Piano Quintet in A minor
Catalyst Quartet Michelle Cann, piano
3:39 p.m.
Marcel Grandjany
French Folk Song (Et ron ron, petit patapon)
Anne-Marguerite Michaud, harp
3:41 p.m.
Grace Williams
Carillons, for oboe and orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra; Sir Charles Groves, conductor Anthony Camden, oboe
3:52 p.m.
Franz Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 103 "Drum Roll": IV. Presto [finale]
Orchestra of the 18th Century; Frans Bruggen, conductor
3:59 p.m.
Aaron Copland
Fanfare for the Common Man
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra; Leonard Slatkin, conductor
4:03 p.m.
Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 9: IV. Ode to Joy in D minor Opus 125 "Choral"
Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus; George Szell, conductor Adele Addison, soprano; Richard Lewis, tenor; Donald Gramm, baritone
4:22 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
King's College Choir, Cambridge; David Willcocks, conductor Ian Hare, organ
4:25 p.m.
Adolphe Adam
O Holy Night Cantique de Noel
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; Herbert Von Karajan, conductor Leontyne Price, soprano
4:30 p.m.
John Rutter
Brother Heinrich's Christmas
London Sinfonia; John Rutter, conductor Cambridge Singers; Brian Kay, narrator
4:51 p.m.
Mykola Leontovych
Carol of the Bells
; Robert Shaw, conductor Robert Shaw Chorale
4:52 p.m.
Herbert Howells
A Spotless Rose
His Majestie's Clerkes
4:55 p.m.
George Friederich Handel
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
Academy of Saint Cecilia Orchestra; Myung Whun Chung, conductor
5:00 p.m.
Holiday Programming
St. Olaf Christmas Festival 2023 PART 1
6:03 p.m.
Holiday Programming
St. Olaf Christmas Festival 2023 PART 2
