Classical Christmas
Various Artists
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- The Basics
Classical music will fit your Christmas celebrations like a cold hand in a warm mitten. When Clement Moore wrote about children nestled "while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads," you can bet Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker: Act 2: Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy" was dancing through his head. And if you're looking for something a little less dainty, join the Hong Kong Philharmonic and the Winchester College Chapel Choir as they tear it up with "Joy to the World." Our classical celebration of Christmas continues in Next Steps.
$43.75 The Basics
Total: 25 Songs - Next Steps
One way to pep up a Xmas playlist is to blend in foreign-language versions of songs that are longtime favourites, and so restore any lustre that may have been lost by repetition over the years. "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" sends out a whole new flower as "Es Ist Ein' Ros' Entsprungen" and, with "Stille Nacht Heilige Nacht," the popular carol "Silent Night" is heard in the language of its composition (by priest Father Josef Mohr and Franz X. Gruber) in the early 19th century. Operatic legends (Pavarotti, Kiri Te Kanawa) are sprinkled among the non-vocal works, in Deep Cuts.
$37.18 Next StepsTotal: 22 Songs - Deep Cuts
Don't overlook the instrumental arrangements when sequencing your playlist — just like in real life, it's good to give the voices a rest on occasion. Victory Hely-Hutchinson's "A Carol Symphony: I. Allegro energico" sweeps majestically into a classical mega-mix of some of the season's most beloved tunes, and film score legend John Williams grabs the Christmas spirit by the reins with his main title for the seasonal movie Home Alone.
$40.87 Deep CutsName Artist Time Price 1 A Carol Symphony: I. Allegro energico Gavin Sutherland & The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra 4:11 $1.69 View In iTunes 2 Cantata No. 147, 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben' BWV147: Choral: Jesu Bleibet Meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring) Andrew Parrott, Taverner Choir & Taverner Players 2:15 $2.19 View In iTunes 3 Up! Good Christen Folk, and Listen - Tune from Piae Cantiones Choir of King's College, Cambridge, David Briggs & Stephen Cleobury 1:20 $1.69 View In iTunes 4 Musicalisches Gesangbuch von G. C. Schemelli Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Simon Preston & Sir David Willcocks 2:57 $1.69 View In iTunes 5 The Nutcracker, Op. 71: No. 9 Scene and Waltz of the Snowflakes Antal Doráti, Haarle Boys Choir Of St. Bavo Cathedral & Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra 6:44 $1.69 View In iTunes 6 See, Amid the Winter's Snow St. Paul's Cathedral Choir & Aleksander Santi 4:41 $1.69 View In iTunes 7 Shepherd's Pipe Carol John Rutter & The Cambridge Singers 2:59 $1.69 View In iTunes 8 Somewhere In My Memory (From "Home Alone") [Voice] John Williams 4:54 $1.69 View In iTunes 9 Lieutenant Kijé Suite, Op. 60 (Symphonic Suite for Orchestra): IV. Troika: Moderato - Allegro Con Brio (Instrumental) Cleveland Orchestra 2:45 $1.69 View In iTunes 10 The Nutcracker, Op. 71: Overture St Petersburg Kirov Orchestra & Valery Gergiev 3:16 $1.69 View In iTunes 11 The Nutcracker, Op. 71: I. The Christmas Tree St Petersburg Kirov Orchestra & Valery Gergiev 3:44 $1.69 View In iTunes 12 The Nutcracker, Op. 71: XIId. Character Dances: Trépak (Russian Dance) St Petersburg Kirov Orchestra & Valery Gergiev 1:00 $1.69 View In iTunes 13 When Christ Was Born of Mary Free St. Martin's Chamber Choir 2:41 $1.69 View In iTunes 14 Three German Dances, K. 605: No. 3 in C, Trio "Die Schlittenfahrt" Wiener Mozart Ensemble & Willi Boskovsky 2:52 $1.69 View In iTunes 15 The Lute-book Lullaby, 'Sweet Was the Song the Virgin Sang' Carol - Arr. G. Shaw Choir of King's College, Cambridge & Sir David Willcocks 2:00 $1.69 View In iTunes 16 The Sussex Carol The Choir of St. Paul's Cathedral 1:52 $2.19 View In iTunes 17 I Saw Three Ships Windsor Choir of St. George's Chapel 1:31 $2.19 View In iTunes 18 Angels from the Realms of Glory Plácido Domingo & Sarah Brightman 2:11 $1.69 View In iTunes 19 Zither Carol James Lancelot, Martin Neary & Winchester Cathedral Choir 2:00 $1.69 View In iTunes 20 In the Bleak Midwinter Academy of St. Martin In the Fields, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chorus, Ian Bostridge, Rosemary Joshua & Sir Neville Marriner 4:27 $1.69 View In iTunes 21 The Coventry Carol The Swingle Singers 3:10 $2.19 View In iTunes 22 Deck the Halls The Choir of St. Peter's 1:28 $1.69 View In iTunes 23 Noël, Nouvelet Joemy Wilson 2:01 $1.69 View In iTunes Total: 23 Songs - Complete Set
The majesty and splendor of Christ's birthday celebration is a quantum leap more majestic and splendiferous when it's being accompanied by, oh, say a 75-piece orchestra and a 100-voice choir. When those crisply enunciated tones of Handel's "Messiah: 42. Chorus: Hallelujah" ring out against a backdrop of brass and strings and even more voices, it's like the hand Michelangelo painted so long ago is reaching down from the heavens to touch you. This Classical Christmas Essentials list will lift the most dampened of holiday spirits, elevating them up like angels on high. Hallelujah!
$121.80 Complete SetTotal: 70 Songs
