Baroque Christmas: Sanctus
[ Alto / CD - released 3/Dec/2021 ] "this is a studiously well-curated programme (by Jeffrey Skidmore) of music for the Nativity, almost all from the baroque period. In our view It provides a superior and enjoyable listening experience for Christmas-time" (MusicalMerit) "Recommended... |
Christmas Poetry & Prose: Read by Great Voices
[ Alto / CD - released 3/Dec/2021 ] "Few things capture Christmas as well as poetry, and many have become standard, including ones whose verses became carols too" Readers include: Alec Guinness, Robert Donat, Richard Burton, Dulcie Gray, Dylan Thomas Robert Frost, Annette... |
TRADITIONAL
Christmas with the Academy Academy & Chorus of St Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner [ Decca Australian Eloquence / CD - released 1/Nov/2012 ] The story of the birth of Jesus more than two thousand years ago has been the source of inspiration for countless poets and musicians, as well as practitioners of other forms of art. The infant, born of a virgin in a lowly cattle shed, because there... |
Alfred Deller
Christmas Carols & Motets [ Musical Concepts / 4 CD - released 17/Nov/2008 ] Musical Concepts is pleased to announce the third release in one of the most ambitious early music reissue projects of all time - Alfred Deller: The Complete Vanguard Recordings. The series brings together every recording made by Alfred Deller - as... |
André Rieu
Silver Bells [ Polydor / 2 CD/DVD - released 18/Nov/2022 ] It's the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas trees are warming, treats are the sweetest and anyone under the mistletoe gets a kiss. But the holiday season wouldn't be perfect without the delightful music of André Rieu! The CD & Bonus DVD is... |
Andre Rieu
The Christmas I Love [ Universal / CD - released 17/Dec/2012 ] The Christmas I Love is a lovely collection of standard Christmas carols and holiday-themed classical pieces performed by "the Waltz King of PBS," Andre Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra. It's an understated and enchanting collection of holiday... |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Jolly Holiday [CD/DVD] Andre Rieu [ Universal / CD/DVD - released 13/Nov/2020 ] It has long been a dream of André Reu to perform a Christmas concert in his hometown. And that dream came true! |
TRADITIONAL
A Family Christmas Andrea Bocelli, Matteo Bocelli, Virginia Bocelli [ Classics & Jazz UK / CD - released 21/Oct/2022 ] This holiday season, internationally renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli is teaming up with his 24-year-old son Matteo Bocelli and 10-year-old daughter Virginia Bocelli for their first ever album together, A Family Christmas. A Family Christmas... |
GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel: Messiah (Complete oratorio) Andreas Scholl, Barbara Schlick, Sandrine Piau, Mark Padmore, Nathan Berg / Les Arts Florissants / William Christie [ Harmonia Mundi / 2 CD - released 6/Dec/2019 ] |
Angelika Kirchschlager
Sings Christmas Carols [ Sony Classical / CD - released 3/Nov/2008 ] |
TRADITIONAL
On Yoolis Night: Medieval Carols & Motets for Christmas Anonymous 4 [ Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 12/Nov/2012 ] "A truly superior recording…a sound of uncommon purity and beauty." CD Review |
TRADITIONAL
Sacrum Mysterium: A Celtic Christmas Vespers [CD & DVD] Jeannette Sorrell (harpsichord & conductor) & Meredith Hall (soprano) / Apollo's Fire [ Avie / 2 CD/DVD - released 5/Nov/2012 ] "This type of fusion is increasingly popular, and Apollo's Fire do it enthusiastically, if perhaps without the final degree of finessed musicality that other ensembles bring to this type of project" (BBC Music) |
CHARPENTIER
Noels and Christmas Motets Aradia Ensemble / Kevin Mallon [ Naxos / CD - released 18/Oct/2009 ] "The Canadian vocal and instrumental Aradia Ensemble, under its director Kevin Mallon, performs stylishly and with sensibility." - Classic FM, Jan 2000 |
J.S. BACH
Weihnachtskantaten (Christmas Cantatas) Arleen Auger (soprano) Ortrun Wenkel (contralto) Peter Schreier (ten) Siegfried Lorenz (bass) / Thomanerchor Leipzig Neues / Bachisches Collegium [ Berlin Classics Basics / CD - released 10/Mar/2008 ] "This disc enters a very crowded and competitive field. However, unless you're allergic to Bach played on modern instruments these well-turned performances under one of Bach's successors at St. Thomas's, Leipzig are well worth considering, especially... |
J. S. BACH
Bach, (J.S.) - Music for Christmas Vol 1 Arleen Auger (soprano), Annelies Burmeister (alto), Peter Schreier (tenor), Theo Adam (bass) Ruth Holton (sop) Sytse Buwalda (alto) Marcel Beekman (te [ Brilliant Classics / 11 CD Box Set - released 1/Oct/2018 ] Brilliant Classics have updated their popular Christmas-time collection of music by J.S. Bach for a new decade, adding a timeless recording of the Christmas Oratorio from Dresden, with such star-calibre soloists as Arleen Augér, Peter Schreier and... |
TRADITIONAL
Classical Christmas [3 CD set] Roberto Alagna, Maurice Andre, Natalie Desssay, Thomas Hampson, Kiri te Kanawa, King's College Choir, etc [ Warner Classics / 3 CD Box Set - released 28/Nov/2014 ] A collection of carols and heartwarming Christmas favourites for the whole family to cherish. Yuletide classics performed by the leading lights of opera and choral music: Kiri Te Kanawa, Chanticleer, Libera, Natalie Dessay, Barbara Hendricks, Rolando... |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Verbum caro factum est - a Christmas Greeting Bach Collegium Japan Chorus / Masaaki Suzuki (direction), Masato Suzuki (organ) [ BIS SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 10/Oct/2018 ] "The performances are typically classy, and punctuated by a selection of Daquin's 'Noels' for solo organ, played with peppery registrations by Suzuki" BBC Music |
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS
Saint-Saens: Oratorio de Noel - Christmas Oratorio Bachchor & Bachorchester Mainz [ Profil / CD - released 1/Jan/2005 ] |
J.S. BACH
Sacred Works: Masses BWV 232-236 / Christmas Oratorio, BWV248 Soloists / Collegium Vocale, Ghent, Philippe Herreweghe [ Virgin Classics / 6 CD Box Set - released 20/Oct/2011 ] "the four Lutheran Masses have been absurdly undervalued because they were largely revamped from earlier cantatas. But who could resist the singing of Gerard Lesne, the invigorating Kyrie of the F major Mass, the G major's tenor aria with oboe... |
ANONYMOUS
A Medieval Christmas - Hodie Christus Natus Est Boston Camerata, Anne Azema [ Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 14/Sep/2021 ] Drawing on a wide variety of sources, mingling liturgical Latin with French, English, Italian and Iberian vernaculars, these magnificent songs, hymns and processionals show the multitude of ways in which the birth of Christ was celebrated in medieval... |