Now, I know that when someone says Christmas music, our minds probably go straight to Michael Bublé's Christmas album, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, All I Want For Christmas and the like. But I thought, in case you might be sick of listening to the same old same old, that I would suggest a few alternatives! There is some absolutely wonderful Christmassy music in the Classical genre, that you might not have heard before, so maybe this is the year to give it a go and discover something new. At any rate, I wanted to share some music that I absolutely love with you all, so I hope you enjoy!
Bach's Christmas Oratorio
As Bach wrote most of his music for the church, there is a lot of it that could be counted as, and definitely sounds, Christmassy! However, I had to choose the monumental Christmas Oratorio for my selection, which actually contains both secular and church music. This is one work, written in 1734, divided into six parts and about three hours long in total! The work as a whole tells the Christmas story, taking us from the birth of Christ through the journey and adoration of the Magi. However, it wasn't intended to be performed all in one go. Each part of the work is meant to be performed on all the different days of Christmas; part one is for Christmas day, part two for boxing day, part three for the 27th, part four for New Year's Day, part five for the fist Sunday in January and part six for January 6th, or Epiphany. Once divided up like this it doesn't seem so long! I find the music of the Oratorio to be incredibly joyful and there is so much variation in it that you really can't get bored; each part, and each movement within each part, has a different combination of instruments and voices. The movements that I find particularly beautiful are the Chorales - they are slow and mesmerising, very touching. When this music was first published, it would have been performed during the feasts of each day mentioned above. I was thinking that it would be a cool idea for this Christmas, to listen to each part of the Christmas Oratorio during each dinner on the days that it was composed for! Anyone want to join me on that?!
John Eliot Gardiner conducts English Baroque Soloists & Monteverdi Choir. One of my favourite chorals takes place at about 14''50!
'La Bohème', Giovanni Puccini
This is one of my all-time favourite operas and, as it takes place in the cold of winter, I think Christmas time is the perfect time to listen to or watch it. If you are new to opera, or aren't yet a fan of it, this is also the perfect introduction - you can't help but fall in love with this music! It is the story of a group of poor bohemians living in the Latin Quarter of Paris in the 1840s. We follow an artist, a musician, a writer, a philosopher and an actor amongst others, as they live their lives in almost poverty and freezing cold (so cold that they resort using the manuscripts from the writer as kindling!) but yet still managing to find love and happiness. However, it is not a happy tale. This was also a time when consumption was extremely common, and the love story that develops between the characters turns tragic (don't worry, I will say no more). I will say that if anyone knew how to write a good tune, Puccini did! This opera is just full of intensely gorgeous melodies that linger in you head long after it's finished. Although the story is sad, the music is very uplifting. If you are interested in going to see an opera and you live in the UK, I would have a look at the ENO website - it's very accessible and not at all 'elite'. Actually, usually on Christmas Day in the UK, they show an opera in full on TV; a couple of years ago it was this one! I really recommend watching this opera or definitely checking out if there is one showing around Christmas. If you can watch it from the comfort from your own home - even better and a brilliant way to spend the afternoon!
Act 3, taken from the televised production, with sub-titles
One of my favourite arias from the opera, performed by my favourite soprano, Anna Netrebko!
'Fantasia On Christmas Carols', Ralph Vaughan Williams
I decided to put this one in, not just because I love it, but also because it is an excellent alternative to the bog standard carols that we usually hear. If you like Christmas carols and enjoy the tradition of listening to them at Christmas, but are also feeling a bit sick of the same ones over and over, why not give this short piece a listen! Here we have a fantasia (or sort-of medley) of some old-school, traditional English carols: 'The Truth Sent From Above', Come All You Worthy Gentlemen', and 'On Christmas Night All Christians Sing'. Before he wrote this piece in 1912, Vaughan Williams travelled around the South of England, collecting and writing down as many folk songs as he could find. These songs, at the time, only existed in people's heads - they had never been written down before - so we are actually very lucky that old Ralph gave this to us!
The way that he has combined these carols in this one piece is definitely rooted from this folk music. Written for choir and orchestra, the melodies are layered and weave in and out of each other, making a gorgeous sound, from the very first cello solo at the beginning. This is definitely a lovely one to have on in your living room at Christmas.
London Symphony Chorus and the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Richard Hickox