Classical Music Playlist, December 23, 2025
Adoration of the Shepherds by Dutch painter Matthias Stomer, c. 1650
Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio consists of six cantatas, performed at six different times between Christmas Day and the feast of Epiphany (traditionally, January 6). The website Bach.org describes the first three parts:
1. On the First Day of the Festival of ChristmasAnnounces the birth of Christ, and reflects on the Holy Child.
2. On the Second Day of the Festival of ChristmasThe angel appears to the shepherds in the field.
3. On the Third Day of the Festival of ChristmasThe shepherds go to find Mary, Joseph, and the Baby Jesus; the shepherds return to their fields, glorifying God.
The remaining three parts are intended for performance from New Year's Day through Epiphany. The first three parts of Bach's Christmas Oratorio make up today's one hour and eighteen-minute Midday Masterpiece.
6:00 a.m.
Jacques Aubert
Concerto for 4 violins, cello and continuo in D major Opus 17/1
Collegium Musicum 90; Simon Standage, conductor
6:09 a.m.
Niels Gade
Symphony No. 1 in C minor Opus 5
Danish National Symphony Orchestra; Christopher Hogwood, conductor
6:41 a.m.
William Byrd
O Magnum Mysterium
Handel & Haydn Society Chorus; Grant LLewellyn, conductor
6:48 a.m.
Mel Bonis
Suite for Flute, Violin, and Piano Opus 59
Michael Faust, flute; Sandrine Cantoreggi, violin; Sheila Arnold, piano
7:00 a.m.
Antonin Dvorak
In Nature's Realm Overture Opus 91
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; John Farrer, conductor
7:14 a.m.
Ernst Eichner
Harp Concerto No. 1 in C major Opus 6
Kurpfalz Chamber Orchestra; Stefan Fraas, conductor Silke Aichhorn, harp
7:38 a.m.
Gloria Shayne Baker
Do You Hear What I Hear?
The Knights; Eric Jacobsen, conductor Wu Man, pipa
7:43 a.m.
George Friederich Handel
Concerto Grosso No. 11 in A major Opus 6/11 HWV 329
Academy of Ancient Music; Andrew Manze, conductor
8:00 a.m.
Jules Massenet
Suite No. 4 "Picturesque Scenes" (Scenes pittoresques)
Monte Carlo National Opera Orchestra; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
8:18 a.m.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik in G major K 525 (FROM THE RUSSELL KLETZING COLLECTION)
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Neville Marriner, conductor
8:36 a.m.
TRADITIONAL
Rocking (Czech Carol)
King's College Choir, Cambridge; David Willcocks, conductor
8:38 a.m.
Mateo Flecha
Riu, riu, chiu
stile antico
8:42 a.m.
Ottorino Respighi
Ancient Airs and Dances: Suite No. 1
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra; Hugh Wolff, conductor
8:59 a.m.
Jean Sibelius
Symphony No. 6 in D minor Opus 104
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; Robert Spano, conductor
9:28 a.m.
Ludwig Van Beethoven
String Quartet No. 14: V. Presto in C# minor Opus 131
Takacs Quartet
9:35 a.m.
Gaspar Sanz
Canarios
Chatham Baroque
9:38 a.m.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Cantata No. 29: Sinfonia BWV 29
Brandenburg Consort; Roy Goodman, conductor Paul Nicholson, organ
9:42 a.m.
George Gershwin
Rhapsody in Blue
Boston Pops Orchestra; Arthur Fiedler, conductor Earl Wild, piano
10:00 a.m.
Jan Dismas Zelenka
Ouverture a 7 concertanti in F major
Il Fondamento; Paul Dombrecht, conductor
10:20 a.m.
Erkki Melartin
Songs from Lake Ladoga (Suite) Opus 153
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra; Jorma Panula, conductor
10:30 a.m.
Mauro Giuliani
Guitar Concerto No. 1 in A major Opus 30
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Neville Marriner, conductor Pepe Romero, guitar
10:54 a.m.
Alessandro Scarlatti
Concerto Grosso No. 5 in D minor
Europa Galante; Fabio Biondi, conductor
11:00 a.m.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO Overture K 384
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Neville Marriner, conductor
11:07 a.m.
Robert Schumann
Symphony No. 3 "Rhenish" in Eb major Opus 97
Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
11:38 a.m.
Clara Schumann
Three Romances for Piano Opus 11
Isata Kanneh-Mason, piano
11:53 a.m.
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Nutcracker: Waltz of the Snowflakes Opus 71
London Symphony Orchestra; Charles Mackerras, conductor Tiffins Boy's Choir
12:00 p.m.
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Capriccio Espagnol Opus 34
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra; Neeme Jarvi, conductor
12:17 p.m.
Tomas Luis de Victoria
Alma Redemptoris mater
; Ann Heider, conductor His Majestie's Clerkes
12:24 p.m.
Louise Farrenc
Piano Trio No. 2 in D minor Opus 34
Linos Ensemble
12:52 p.m.
Jean Sibelius
Finlandia Opus 26
Helsinki Philharmonic; Paavo Berglund, conductor
1:00 p.m.
Florence Price
Dances in the Canebrakes
Chicago Sinfonietta; Mei-Ann Chen, conductor
1:11 p.m.
Johann Heinichen
Concerto in F major S 235
Musica Antiqua Koln; Reinhardt Goebel, conductor
1:29 p.m.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Piano Concerto No. 16 in D major K 451
English Baroque Soloists; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor Malcolm Bilson, fortepiano
1:53 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
Canadian Brass Eric Robertson, organ
1:55 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
Coventry Carol
Canadian Brass Eric Robertson, organ
2:00 p.m.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Christmas Oratorio: Part 1 BWV 248 Will...( die Zeit erschiene)
Orchestra of Collegium Vocale Ghent; Philippe Herreweghe, conductor Chorus of Collegium Vocale Ghent; Michael Chance, countertenor; Howard Crook, tenor; Peter Kooy, bass
2:26 p.m.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Christmas Oratorio: Part 2 BWV 248 Live...(dir zu Ehran leben)
Orchestra of Collegium Vocale Ghent; Philippe Herreweghe, conductor Chorus of Collegium Vocale Ghent; Barbara Schlick, soprano; Michael Chance, countertenor; Howard Crook, tenor; Peter Kooy, bass
2:54 p.m.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Christmas Oratorio: Part 3 BWV 248 My Saviour, does your name
Orchestra of Collegium Vocale Ghent; Philippe Herreweghe, conductor Chorus of Collegium Vocale Ghent; Barbara Schlick, soprano; Michael Chance, countertenor; Howard Crook, tenor; Peter Kooy, bass
3:19 p.m.
Robert Schumann
Concertpiece for 4 horns & orchestra: I. Lebhaft in F major Opus 86
Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor Members of...
3:27 p.m.
Franz Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 59 "Fire" in A major
The English Concert; Trevor Pinnock, conductor Trevor Pinnock, harpsichord
3:45 p.m.
John H. Hopkins
We Three Kings
Rachel Van Voorhees, harp
3:48 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
March of the Kings
Rachel Van Voorhees, harp
3:50 p.m.
Georges Bizet
L'Arlesienne Suite No. 1
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra; Jesus Lopez-Cobos, conductor
4:10 p.m.
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Symphony No. 6 "Pathetique": III. Molto Vivace in B minor Opus 74
Kirov Orchestra; Valery Gergiev, conductor
4:19 p.m.
Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 2 in D major Opus 36
German Chamber Philharmonic; Paavo Jarvi, conductor
4:52 p.m.
Tomas Luis de Victoria
O magnum mysterium
Seraphic Fire; Patrick Dupre Quigley, conductor
4:57 p.m.
Marc-Antoine Charpentier
Te Deum: Prelude
English Chamber Orchestra; Anthony Newman, conductor Wynton Marsalis, trumpet
5:00 p.m.
Wilhelm Stenhammar
Excelsior! Opus 13
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra; Neeme Jarvi, conductor
5:13 p.m.
Samuel Barber
Adagio for Strings Opus 11
Kronos Quartet
5:20 p.m.
Giovanni Gabrieli
Sonata on the 8th tone
Philadelphia Orchestra & Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass Ensembles
5:26 p.m.
Louis Spohr
Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in Eb major Opus 57
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Kenneth Sillito, conductor Julian Bliss, clarinet
5:51 p.m.
Alfredo Casella
Italia: IV. Finale (Allegro molto vivace...) Opus 11
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra; Gianandrea Noseda, conductor
6:00 p.m.
Holiday Programming
December Around the World
Jennifer Reason, host
