This is our second annual Special Christmas Edition of this feature on TBP.
It also marks our 100th posting. We’re very proud of that and we hope that you’ve enjoyed them.
We make this and our annual Anniversary Edition (the first Sunday of February) special by going all out and featuring anything that we want to post.
I try to keep the main feature Classical, but then we add anything that we want to add to our ‘shorts’ that follow.
So come and see us. Post your own favorite Christmas music in the comments section. It can be anything that you want. Jazz, Rock, Hard Rock, Classical, anything.
We want to take this time to wish everyone on TBP a very Merry Christmas.
Steve C.
A collaboration of: “The Classic Music Mafia”
nkit, and Steve C.
Every Sunday morning we present selections for our TBP family to enjoy.
We present symphonies, ensembles, quartets, octets, etc.
Not all of our music is strictly ‘classical’. We may stray a little, but we strive to make all of our selections ‘classy’.
We offer tips on proper ‘symphony etiquette’ and even some selections that are a bit light-hearted and fun aimed at a younger audience. Those pieces will be so designated, and might be a good way to introduce kids to a world of music that they might not have been exposed to or think of as old and ‘stuffy’.
A full symphony will run as long as it will. We don’t want to cut a symphony short. However, we also include some shorter pieces that we try to keep under fifteen minutes in length. You can sample each and hopefully find one or more that pleases you.
We hope that you enjoy our Sunday selections.
Best Classical Christmas Music
Over 2 hours of the best classical Christmas songs and carols. Listen to this Classical Christmas Music compilation to get in the warm Christmas spirit. With music from J.S. Bach, Vivaldi, Corelli, Monteverdi and many more.
Tracklist:
J.S. Bach: Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 1 played by Dresdner Kreuzchor, Dresdner Philharmonie and Martin Flämig:
0:00:00 I. Chorus. Jauchzet, frohlocket! (Chorus)
0:08:01 IX. Chorale. Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein (Chorus)
J.S. Bach: Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 2 played by Dresdner Kreuzchor, Dresdner Philharmonie and Martin Flämig:
0:09:22 I. Sinfonia
0:16:01 XII. Chorus. Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe (Chorus)
0:19:03 XIV. Chorale. Wir singen dir in deinem Heer (Chorus)
0:20:21 J.S. Bach: Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 3: XIII. Chorus, da capo. Herrscher des Himmels (Chorus) played by Dresdner Kreuzchor, Dresdner Philharmonie and Martin Flämig
0:22:45 J.S. Bach: Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Pt. 4: I. Chorus. Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben (Chorus) played by Dresdner Kreuzchor, Dresdner Philharmonie and Martin Flämig
Charpentier: Messe de minuit pour noël, H. 9 played by Aradia Ensemble and Kevin Mallon:
0:28:24 I. Kyrie
0:36:23 II. Gloria
0:40:52 III. Credo
0:50:00 IV. Noël. Laissez paître vor bêtes
0:51:41 V. Sanctus and Benedictus
0:54:52 VI. Agnus dei
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons No. 4 in F Minor, RV 297, Op. 8, “Winter” played by La Magnifica Comunità and Enrico Casazza:
0:57:12 I. Allegro non molto
1:00:28 II. Largo
1:02:33 III. Allegro
Corelli: Concerto No. 8 in G Minor, Fatto per la Notte di Natale (Christmas Concerto) played by Musica Amphion and Pieter-Jan Belder:
1:05:40 I. Vivace
1:05:53 II. Grave. Arcate, Sostenuto E Come Stà
1:07:09 III. Allegro
1:09:31 IV. Adagio – Allegro – Adagio
1:12:44 V. Vivace
1:13:55 VI. Allegro
1:16:06 VII. Pastorale. Largo
Monteverdi: Vespro della beata vergine, SV 206 played by Ensemble San Felice, La Pifarescha and Federico Bardazzi:
1:19:54 XIV. Magnificat
1:20:28 XIV. Et exultavit
1:21:36 XIV. Quia respexit
1:23:02 XIV. Quia fecit
1:24:03 XIV. Et Misericordia
1:25:59 XIV. Fecit potentiam
1:26:57 XIV. Deposuit potentes
1:29:10 XIV. Esurientes
1:30:41 XIV. Suscepit Israel
1:31:54 XIV. Sicut locutus
1:32:51 XIV. Gloria Patri
1:35:23 XIV. Sicut erat
Carols from Kings played by Choir of King’s College Cambridge and Stephen Cleobury:
1:37:16 Gauntlet: Once in Royal David’s City
1:41:57 Rejoice and Be Merry
1:43:27 Ding Dong, Merrily On High
1:45:35 Rutter: What Sweeter Music
1:49:53 O Little Town of Bethlehem
1:53:33 Howells: A Spotless Rose
1:56:41 Heer Jezus Heeft Een Hofken (Organ Variations)
2:04:00 King Jesus Hath a Garden
2:07:26 The Lamb
2:10:55 Bogoróditse Dyévo
2:12:11 Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
2:13:59 Weir: Illuminare, Jerusalem
2:16:28 While Shepherds Watched
2:19:10 Quittez, pasteurs
2:22:21 In Dulci Jubilo (Organ Prelude)
2:25:22 In Dulci Jubilo
2:28:02 The First Nowell
2:33:24 Coventry Carol
2:36:33 Personent Hodie
2:39:05 Wade: O Come All Ye Faithful
nkit
Back in June, we featured The Piano Guys. I’d like to play some of their Christmas music this year.
Angels We Have Heard on High (Christmas w/ 32 fingers and 8 thumbs)
So once again. I bring you pianist Jon Schmidt, cellist Steven Sharp Nelson, videographer Paul Anderson and music producer Al van der Beek.
Let’s start with a classic…
The Sweetest Gift
Next is a song that is very dear to pianist Jon Schmidt
O Holy Night / Ave Maria ft. Lexi Walker – The Piano Guys
On this next piece, The Piano Guys feature Lexi Walker.
I Saw Three Ships
Next up is a unique version of another old favorite.
Ode To Joy To The World (With Choir & Bell Ringers)
And some Ode to Joy To The World
Silent Night – ft. Plácido Domingo
Next, A beautiful song from a classic voice…
Where Are You Christmas? (ft. guest artist, Sarah Schmidt)
The young voice of Sara Schmidt’s voice adds a depth to this song that is surreal.
She is Jon Schmidt’s daughter…
Charlie Brown Medley
What’s Christmas without Charlie Brown?
Celtic Trio and Choir deliver Magical version of O Holy Night
I want to close this out by going a bit off script and playing one of my favorite pieces of Christmas music. This is Emer Barry and Affiniti playing O Holy Night.
Soprano – Emer Barry
Harpist – Aisling Ennis
Violinist – Mary McCague
They are joined by The Palestrina Boys Choir, The Carlow Choral Society and the Prague Filmharmonic Orchestra.
Enjoy, and have a Blessed Christmas.
Steve C.
Last year I featured the girls from the original ‘Celtic Woman’ in my Christmas ‘Shorts’.
This year I’d like to take the time to feature someone that is very special to me – Karen Carpenter.
The Carpenters appeared at a time when the world was exploding with the new ‘hard rock’ sound, but they brought a special clean-cut music ‘pop sound’ to light that had never been done before and they did it with a magnificence that cannot be underestimated.
Karen’s voice was surly a gift from God.
It’s hard for me to believe that this February 4th will mark the 39th anniversary of her passing at the tender age of just 32 years.
I will feature them again in our second anniversary edition on February 6th of next year, but for now please enjoy the beautiful sound of the voice that conquered the world some four decades ago – Karen Carpenter.
She was a star on earth. Now she’s a star in heaven.
How I miss her… Steve C.
This is my favorite picture of her…
The Carpenters Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
Original Airdate: Friday December 9, 1977 (ABC-TV)
Writers – Mel Tormé, Robert Wells
We start with this Christmas classic.
Walking in a Winter Wonderland, Silver Bells, & White Christmas
This one comes from their 1978 Christmas Special.
Karen sings my favorite Christmas song wonderfully.
Merry Christmas Darling
The original 1970 single version of “Merry Christmas, Darling.”
The single went to number one on Billboard’s Christmas singles chart in 1970 (and did so again in 1971 and 1973)
Written by – Richard Carpenter and Frank Pooler
No one could sing like Karen.
Silent Night
Producer: Richard Carpenter
Producer, Associate Producer: Karen Carpenter
Composer Lyricist: Franz Xaver Gruber
Composer Lyricist: Joseph Mohr – 1978
A beautiful rendition of this song.
Ave Maria
Released in 1978 this is a truly beautiful version of this beautiful song.
Originally entitled, “Ellen’s Third Song”, was composed by Franz Schubert in 1825 as part of his Op. 52. It is one of Schubert’s most popular works.
Christmas Waltz
Producer: Richard Carpenter
Producer, Associate Producer: Karen Carpenter
Author: Sammy Cahn
Composer: Jule Styne
Sleigh Ride
From their first Christmas Special in 1976.
Written by – Leroy Anderson and Mitchell Parish
I’ll be Home For Christmas’-1978
Another truly beautiful version of this somewhat sad Christmas song…
Written in 1943 by – Walter Kent and Kim Gannon
Originally written to honor soldiers overseas who longed to be home at Christmas time, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” has since gone on to become a Christmas standard.
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
The perfect Christmas song by one of the great voices of Christmas songs.
Written in 1943 by – Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane
This is definitive version of this song.
Merry Christmas everyone and have a Happy New Year.
The Classic Music Mafia – Adding some class to this joint one Sunday at a time.
Heaven help us…
Love this list- and thanks for the effort and time. I watched the Lexi Walker video just this week-almost makes you tear up. Also love the piano guys instrumental of O Come O Come Emmanuel.
Also while perusing Christmas instrumentals I ran across this song– the voice range of the singer is fantastic.. must watch for the fun of it..
What a wonderful gift you Mafia Fellers have given to us TPBers. Again. Gonna listen to every single selection!
The Karen Carpenter story …. just breaks my heart. I pretty much bought most of their albums when they were released. Still love their music to this day.
Merry Christmas, y’all!!
You’re very welcome Stucky.
We always try our best.
And you are right about Karen Carpenter. She was truly one in a trillion.
How I miss her… sigh…
Thanks for your comment.
Great selections Steve. Franz Gruber is the many times great uncle of one of my best friends whose surname is Mohr. The singer Rumer sounds 99.9% like Karen Carpenter and has done covers of many of her songs. Her own stuff is pretty good too. She is also on an episode of Daryl’s House.
Merry Christmas to all.
Post a YouTube of her singing.
I’ll try to get someone with tech skills to help me post one. One of her original hits was titled “Slow.” Her husband supposedly arranged songs by Hal David sung by Dionne Warwick. He must be somewhat older than her.
Here is a collection of their Christmas songs.
There are some repeats here, but also some new things.
It’s worth a listen.
In my early 70s now. There may have been a few men my age that weren’t secretly in love with Karen Carpenter at that period in time; but I’d wager there wern’t many.
One right here.
I am 69…
“Solitaire” still busts me up after I’ve had a few Smirnoffs. :>)
It’s Christmas Eve and I wanna thank Jim Quinn for his site and good efforts.
Thanks for what you do. Especially the nigger stories.
Merry Christmas to all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmx–WjeN7o
That girl can sing. It was quite beautiful.
Thank you.
I don’t know if you saw my response to you or not, but we are using your contribution as our feature next Sunday January 2nd.
It will be entered as:
And now by popular request:
This week’s feature comes to us thanks to Mygirl…maybe
W. A. Mozart – Requiem Kv 626 in D Minor [Arsys Bourgogne] HD
This is one of the best Requiem’s I have found…
I want to sincerely apologize to TBP community for my crass use of the “N Word” on Christmas Eve. By way of explanation and certainly not of excuse, I can get fairly ugly when I drink too much and I seem to be doing so more and more. Again, sorry about that and I’ll work on improving my behavior..
Me too. It made me so nostalgic I went looking for tributes for her.
I remember, as a kid, hearing of her “disorder” and wondering how someone gets addicted to not eating. Anorexia Nervosa sounds like a Harry Potter curse, doesn’t it?
So very, very tragic and sad.
But, as a very wise raccoon once said:
Am having lunch Monday with my mother. I am taking my neighbor Geneva along.
Geneva lost her husband to pancreatic cancer last year, Easter weekend, with all their children and grandchildren there. He’d called his son in Pennsylvania that Wednesday and told him Jesus was coming for him Saturday.
He died between 11 p.m. and midnight. I told that to the Mennonites building my barn extension that week (they don’t “celebrate” Easter) who responded solemnly.
“That man was exactly right with the Lord then.”
I’d never heard that expression but I knew immediately what it meant. And he was exactly right.
Geneva misses Bob terribly and even though her daughters are literally next door around the corner, it ain’t, as you know, the same. She confided to me last week that her sister-in-law told her she was ready for Jesus and John(her husband) and Bob (her brother and Geneva’s husband) to come get her. She is going to her sister-in-law’s funeral on Tuesday.
Then, she told me Wednesday that she’d had an MRI and she has two tumors in her brain: one pea-sized and one lime-sized.
We were in her living room: she’d called and asked me to come for coffee and I took a jar of apple butter because that’s my “standby” just in case someone gives me a gift. As soon as she told me, I asked her point blank what she’d said to her sister-in-law last week. She said she’d told her she was ready for Bob and Jesus to come get her too, but she wasn’t looking for John. We laughed a bit.
I promised her I won’t tell on her.
Geneva said she is praying for a miracle.
I think Geneva will get the miracle for which she prays.
I just returned from retrieving two unwanted rabbits (out of a dozen) from Rural King. I told the manager I’d do that for her since she’s on vacay until next Wednesday.
I seriously considered telling her to just set them free, it’s Christmas! But, I didn’t want to seem callous about the white rabbits no one wants these days, but if I have to take those white rabbits back to Larry I will probably end up with them frozen in a few weeks anyway so I’ll just skip the middle man.
I re-read my comment above and realized Bob died a whole year and a half ago the night before Easter. And I don’t want anyone to think I am not praying for Geneva’s miraculous recovery but if she’s not praying for the same thing I’m not fighting her over it. That’s for her daughters to do.
I’ll just leave this here:
Very nice Mista Ed.
Very nice…
No Christmas celebration here in a Buddhist country so this has been an emotional late night reminding of years past, many thanks
Thanks, Steve, that was great.
I help set this up every year and it takes about a week. The best part is there’s a street light out front that we have a laser pointer on the roof that points to the sensor on the street lamp and turns it off so the show can be better. People just drive up and tune their radio to 93.3 FM and listen to the music and lights.
Hope everyone has a great Christmas.
That was pretty spectacular StackingStock.
Ya did a good job…
Being a teen of the 70’s that is awesome lights!
I will say in misspent youth ,junior year in high school,a bunch of us ate ……./well…../small pieces of paper and had a sober driver who took us around to to see the light shows!
Driver when returned home given a bottle of Jack as a reward!
You didn’t listen to Joe Friday? “Marijuana’s the flame, heroin’s the fuse, and LSD is the bomb!”
We’ve had reports of a marijuana party in the valley…..
I love all the selections. I truly do.
Keep that in mind considering what I am about to say. My ex-wife, the mother of my two sons, was a really really really dedicated Holy Roller. As such, she insisted that ALL Christmas music be “Christ centered” and that everything that is not Christ centered — Jingle Bells, Oh Tannenbaum, etc etc — is demonic. And believe it or not, I mostly agreed with her back then. And even now, like today … I think people like that have a very valid point.
You do realize, of course, that ANY Scripture can be put to beautiful music. Well, most of it … putting children to death for dishonoring parents would be a little difficult, I think.
Take this passage for example from Psalm 137;
“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
Yeah, we wept, when we remembered Zion
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
Yeah, we wept, when we remembered Zion”
Can that be made into a beautiful melody? Sure it can!
In my little place in the world,one cannot have Christmas music without Jethro Tull,so,with that said here are a couple by the boys:
Or perhaps this:
Tis a tough season for me as me mum is while I type dying,that said,she also was a Tull fan(took her with my friends in the past to many concerts,she had a good time 70’s/90’s shows.)
Luv you mum,Merry Christmas to you and all here,see you on the other side.
James – Am just getting round to catching up on TBP and am greatly saddened to hear about your mum. I lost mine in ’99 and my dad 5 months later, just after Y2K. Let the tears flow for a while, but always remember the good things about her and every time you listen to Jethro, think about how much fun she had going with you to see him.
God’s blessing on you as you go down this path with her.
Stucky, I think your ex-wife’s attitude is all wrong.
Christmas should be something that can be celebrated by more than just Christians.
It’s a time for everyone to come together whatever their religious beliefs.
It’s a time for all of us to share in the goodness of life and to promise ourselves to do better in the future.
If that doesn’t work for you just remember that Christians stole the December 25 date from the Pagans. It was a part of their most holy day – December 21st – the day of the winter solstice, the celebration of which lasted until December 25th.
According to the Vatican, Christ was born sometime in March or April…
Jesus Christ was, actually, probably born in September. — (And yes, Karen Carpenter had a “one-of-a-kind” EXCELLENT Alto singing voice!)
A wonderful collection of music I’ll play while putting a feast on my, hmmm, countertop table.
Thanks so very much for doing this weekly, and I have noticed the place classening up a teensy bit this past year!
The Karen Carpenter collection was very special.
I watched a very touching tribute to her and will share it here.
Merry Christmas you Classy, Jazzy, Mafiassy!
Thanks Maggie. We do try.
The Karen Carpenter work is also very nice.
It was a very nice addition to our Christmas morning and feast.
Lee Ving and FEAR with an early Christmas classic. Punk rock.
Well I don’t believe in the sentiment. But saw Fear a few times and actually shook Lee Vings hand at one. More Beer!
I don’t care about you J Biden….
Thanks for this, esp Karen C. My boss let me go after 3 hrs of work today. Things were slow and he didn’t want to pay the 5 hrs overtime and keep things at 40hrs. But the time off is worth it listening to Christmas music. Also took wife to lunch at Doug’s Day Diner in FOCO. I had their burrito with red and green chili (Christmas, as we say here).
One little correction…as great as Karen Carpenter’s talent was, the definitive version of Merry Little Christmas was Judy Garland’s performance in Meet me in St.Louis, which is angelic in its perfection and nuance…
Ironic how Karen Carpenter sang such beautiful songs about a holiday we spend feasting.
The Carpenters, really, that’s just gross.
To each his or her own.
Post something that you like.
By the way, how old are you?
why? 61 tomorrow.
The Charlie Brown Medley .. The best
When we get back to fighting the covidiots, remember this one. Birthed in Russia
Glad that you enjoyed CBM…I’ve got a Rachmaninoff piece I have to send into The Don..Should come out in February..Merry Christmas.
A Holy Night it is…
Robert (QSLV)
I can’t imagine why this didn’t make your list.
MERRY CHRISTMAS all.
Thanks for the list guys.
Merry Christmas to all you and al the rest of the heathens here on this platform…
Thanks RiNS. That was an interesting selection.
And a Merry Christmas to a fellow ‘heathen…
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Mafia Men. What a beautiful collection of music on this special edition. Piano Guys was an instant favorite when you played them, so it is a gift to see them here now.
Thanks again for the sharing the gift of music all year round.
Peace be with you and the TBP readership.
Wow, thanks for putting that together. Christmas morning here and enjoying the selections.
Outside the traditional, my three favorites… Merry Christmas all.
Robert Earl Keene’s Merry Christmas from the Family
The Pogues – Fairytale Of New York
Dropkick Murphys – “The Season’s Upon Us”
Just a note of thanks to Steve and the Sunday Classics team. Also, congrats on the 100th post. I expect to hit my 200th post here soon; but it will have taken me over 5 1/2 years. Merry Christmas
Thanks Uncola.
This makes 133 in total for me.
This is from American Thinker today ….
Absolutely fantastic, thank you so much!! What a gift, thank you. Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas everyone. Thanks for the lovely music as always guys and grats on 100 SMC posts. Here is a little diddy by a metal singer to remind people that Metal Heads like Christmas too!
This cult-like album by Micheal Columbier features Lana Hall, Bill Medley, Herb Alpert, Paul Williams, and a complete symphony orchestra. A friend who blew sax in one of the big bands turned me onto it back in the late 70’s. It’s pretty amazing..one of those albums you should listen to from end to end.
https://truthpress.news/news/spectacular-jesus-ring-discovered-in-ancient-ship-wreck-off-of-israel/
Now that XMAS is over and this fabulous collection of the Carpenters has kicked started the memories,
here is 20 of their tunes for the rest of all time. Enjoy.