Leroy Anderson’s A Christmas Festival offers a compilation of Christmas faves in just nine minutes.
Edward’s octo-part Christmas Collection…
I expect you’ve already got some Christmas YouTubery lined up, so I hope these suggestions aren’t superfluous.
“Gaudete” – Carol sung by the Clare College Cambridge Choir, Geoffrey Simon conducts …
“Ding-Dong Merrily on High” from the same Clare College CD above …
“A Christmas Suite” – Charles Gerhardt conductor / Peter Knight arranger – London Symphony Orchestra …
“Silent Night” – Carmen Dragon arranger / conductor – Hollywood Bowl Symphony …
Vivaldi “Winter” from ‘The Four Seasons’ – Hugh Bean violin / Stokowski conductor – New Philharmonia …
Stokowski had never conducted ‘The Four Seasons’ in his life before but the Decca producer wanted it in the Phase 4 Stereo catalogue, so LS at the age of 84 duly obliged!
I thought of Victor Hely-Hutchinson’s Carol Symphony but wasn’t sure if it was too long for the Column medley. Here it is anyway in the Naxos recording with Gavin Sutherland and the City of Prague Philharmonic, the uploader having supplied a nice selection of photos to go with the music …
I’m not familiar with Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols but YT has a wide variety of live performances, some with a boys’ choir, some with female singers only, and some with men as well as women. I’ve opted for one of the latter performances, given in Providence, Rhode Island, USA, in 2024 …
The ‘Troika’ from Prokofiev’s “Kije” music is played a lot at Christmas. Anatole Fistoulari’s Philharmonia Orchestra recording is very bright and cheerful …
An Anderson addendum…
An uncharacteristic if wholly original work (in various languages) by the much-missed Christopher Rouse, Karolju…
Philharmonia Chorus & BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by David ZInman. RCA Red Seal (2007).
In Twelve Days‘ time from and including today, it will be the Twenty-Fifth of December, aka Christmas Day.
Lovely choice, and what a good idea to include the splendid piece by the over-looked Christopher Rouse, a composer John much admired. Christmas wishes from me sent separately,
Monica