Classical Music Playlist, December 18, 2025
Photo by Liviu C. on Unsplash
"Christmas Tree" is Franz Liszt's suite of 12 short pieces for solo piano based on Christmas carols such as O Holy Night!, In dulci jubilo, Adeste fideles, an Old Provençal Christmas Song, and more. It's today's Midday Masterpiece.
6:00 a.m.
Franz Joseph Haydn
Concerto for flute and oboe in F major HOB 7/2
Cologne Chamber Orchestra; Helmut Muller-Bruhl, conductor Benoit Fromanger, flute; Christian Hommel, oboe
6:15 a.m.
Reynaldo Hahn
Quintet for strings and piano in F# minor
Parisii Quartet Alexandre Tharaud, piano
6:42 a.m.
Thomas Tallis
Missa Puer Natus est Nobis: Gloria
stile antico
6:53 a.m.
Gioachino Rossini
LA SCALA DI SETA (The Silken Ladder): Overture
Philharmonia Orchestra; Riccardo Muti, conductor
7:00 a.m.
Antonio Vivaldi
Oboe Concerto No. 12 in C major RV 449
The English Concert; Trevor Pinnock, conductor Paul Goodwin, oboe
7:10 a.m.
Jan Kalliwoda
Symphony No. 4 in C major Opus 60
Cologne Academy; Michael Alexander Willens, conductor
7:44 a.m.
TRADITIONAL
I Saw Three Ships
The Wallace Collection; Simon Wright, conductor Trinity Boy's Choir; The Britten Singers
7:46 a.m.
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Nutcracker: March Opus 71
Cincinnati Pops; Erich Kunzel, conductor
7:50 a.m.
Paul Hindemith
Symphony "Mathis der Maler" (Matthias the Painter): I. Engelkonzert Angel concert
San Francisco Symphony; Herbert Blomstedt, conductor
7:59 a.m.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Concerto for oboe and violin in C minor BWV 1060
Academy of Ancient Music; Christopher Hogwood, conductor Stephen Hammer, oboe; Catherine Mackintosh, violin
8:14 a.m.
Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 in C minor Opus 67
German Chamber Philharmonic; Paavo Jarvi, conductor
8:46 a.m.
Francesco Tristano
Toccata
Arctic Philharmonic; Christian Kluxen, conductor Francesco Tristano, piano
8:53 a.m.
Adolphe Adam
O Holy Night (Cantique de Noel)
City of London Sinfonia; John Rutter, conductor Cambridge Singers
8:59 a.m.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphony No. 36 "Linz" in C major K 425
Prague Chamber Orchestra; Charles Mackerras, conductor
9:32 a.m.
Franz Schubert
Piano Sonata No. 20: IV. Rondo in A major D 959
Paul Lewis, piano
9:47 a.m.
George Friederich Handel
Organ Concerto No. 2 in Bb major Opus 4
Academy of Ancient Music; Richard Egarr, conductor Richard Egarr, organ
9:57 a.m.
Morley Calvert
Suite from the Monteregian Hills: IV.
Center City Brass Quintet
10:00 a.m.
Antonio Vivaldi
Guitar (or Mandolin) Concerto in D major RV 93
Venice Baroque Orchestra Avi Avital, mandolin
10:10 a.m.
Henriette Renie
Contemplation
Xavier de Maistre, harp
10:15 a.m.
Ethel Smyth
Piano Trio in D minor
Neave Trio
10:48 a.m.
Carl Maria Von Weber
Andante and Hungarian Rondo Opus 35
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Neville Marriner, conductor Klaus Thunemann, bassoon
10:59 a.m.
Alexander Borodin
Symphony No. 2 in B minor
Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, conductor
11:27 a.m.
Frederic Chopin
Piano Concerto No. 1: III. Rondo in E minor Opus 11
Mahler Chamber Orchestra; Mikhail Pletnev, conductor Daniil Trifonov, piano
11:38 a.m.
Felix Mendelssohn
Fair Melusina Overture Opus 32
London Symphony Orchestra; Claudio Abbado, conductor
11:49 a.m.
Leroy Anderson
Christmas Festival
Boston Pops Orchestra; John Williams, conductor
12:00 p.m.
Ottorino Respighi
Pines of Rome
Philadelphia Orchestra; Riccardo Muti, conductor
12:23 p.m.
Gabriel Olafs
Fantasia for cello and orchestra
Reykjavik Orchestra; Viktor Orri Arnason, conductor Steiney Sigur�ardottir, cello; Gabriel Olafs, piano
12:29 p.m.
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Opus 43
Dallas Symphony Orchestra; Andrew Litton, conductor Stephen Hough, piano
12:54 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
The Wexford Carol
London Chamber Orchestra; Christopher Warren-Green, conductor
12:56 p.m.
Jose Pacheco
Moita Festa
London Chamber Orchestra; Christopher Warren-Green, conductor
1:01 p.m.
Giuseppe Verdi
LA FORZA DEL DESTINO Overture
Dallas Symphony Orchestra; Andrew Litton, conductor
1:09 p.m.
Alberic Magnard
Symphony No. 3 in Bb minor Opus 11
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra; Jean-Yves Ossonce, conductor
1:48 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
Personent hodie
London Sinfonia; John Rutter, conductor Cambridge Singers
1:50 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
My Dancing Day
; John Rutter, conductor Cambridge Singers
1:53 p.m.
Richard Strauss
Horn Concerto No. 2: III. Rondo in Eb major
London Symphony Orchestra; Istvan Kertesz, conductor Barry Tuckwell, horn
2:00 p.m.
Franz Liszt
Christmas Tree (Weihnachtsbaum)
Leslie Howard, piano
2:34 p.m.
John Williams
HOME ALONE: Holiday Flight
Studio Orchestra; John Williams, conductor
2:35 p.m.
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Nutcracker: Trepak Russian Dance Opus 71
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic; Vasily Petrenko, conductor
2:37 p.m.
Antonin Dvorak
Scherzo capriccioso Opus 66
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra; Charles Mackerras, conductor
2:53 p.m.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
DON GIOVANNI Overture K 527
Norwegian National Opera Orchestra; Rinaldo Alessandrini, conductor
3:00 p.m.
Franz Schubert
Symphony No. 5 in Bb major D 485
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Neville Marriner, conductor
3:29 p.m.
Eric Ewazen
Pastorale (from Ballade, Pastorale and Dance)
Eric Ewazen, piano; Baerli Nugent, flute; David Wakefield, french horn
3:38 p.m.
Henri-Joseph Rigel
Symphony No. 10 in D minor
Concerto Koln
3:54 p.m.
Reinhold Gliere
The Red Poppy: Russian Sailor's Dance
New Jersey Symphony; Zdenek Macal, conductor
3:59 p.m.
Carl Maria Von Weber
Concertpiece for piano and orchestra in F minor Opus 79 (Konzertstuck)
Scottish Chamber Orchestra; Charles Mackerras, conductor Nikolai Demidenko, piano
4:16 p.m.
Hamilton Harty
In Ireland
Ulster Orchestra; Bryden Thomson, conductor Colin Fleming, flute; Denise Kelly, harp
4:27 p.m.
Franz Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 104 "London" in D major
Collegium Musicum 90; Richard Hickox, conductor
4:55 p.m.
Rafael Antonio Castellanos
Pastoras Alegres joyful shepherds
El Mundo; Richard Savino, director, conductor Jennifer Ellis Kampani, soprano; Nell Snaidas, soprano; Ryland Angel, tenor
5:00 p.m.
Claude Debussy
Petite Suite
Philharmonia Orchestra; Geoffrey Simon, conductor
5:13 p.m.
Edward MacDowell
Piano Concerto No. 2 in D minor Opus 23
Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Walter Hendl, conductor Van Cliburn, piano
5:41 p.m.
John Rutter
Candlelight Carol
City of London Sinfonia; John Rutter, conductor Cambridge Singers
5:47 p.m.
Alexander MacKenzie
The Cricket on the Hearth Overture
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra; Martyn Brabbins, conductor
6:00 p.m.
Holiday Programming
Carols, Customs, & Candlelight: A Celtic Christmas Celebration PART 1
Andrea Blain, host
6:26 p.m.
Holiday Programming
Carols, Customs, & Candlelight: A Celtic Christmas Celebration PART 2
Andrea Blain, host
