Classical Music Playlist, December 25, 2025
Boy choir and sopranos singing in church with harp (AI generated image)
Along with holiday music throughout the day, today’s Midday Masterpiece is “A Ceremony of Carols” by English composer Benjamin Britten from 1942, a cantata for treble voices and harp based on medieval texts telling the story of the birth of Christ.
6:00 a.m.
Holiday Programming
Welcome Christmas PART 1
Bonnie North, host
6:32 a.m.
Holiday Programming
Welcome Christmas PART 2
Bonnie North, host
7:00 a.m.
James Beckel
A Christmas Fanfare
United States Coast Guard Band; Lt. Kenneth W. Megan, conductor
7:03 a.m.
Leroy Anderson
Christmas Festival
Boston Pops Orchestra; John Williams, conductor
7:13 a.m.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Christmas Oratorio: Sinfonia BWV 248
Bach Festival Orchestra (of Bethlehem, PA); Greg Funfgeld, conductor
7:19 a.m.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Sheep May Safely Graze BWV 208
Arturo Delmoni, violin; Nathaniel Rosen, cello
7:24 a.m.
TRADITIONAL
Deck the Halls
Empire Brass
7:28 a.m.
Gustav Holst
In the Bleak Midwinter
Chanticleer
7:33 a.m.
Katherine Kennicot Davis
Carol of the Drum
Boston Pops Orchestra; John Williams, conductor
7:38 a.m.
Jean Sibelius
Christmas Song (Julvisa)
La Pieta Angele Dubeau, violin
7:40 a.m.
TRADITIONAL
Ding Dong Merrily on High
; John Rutter, conductor Cambridge Singers
7:42 a.m.
Pietro A. Yon
Gesu Bambino
Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, conductor
7:48 a.m.
Raymond Warren
Wexford Bells (Suite on Old Irish Tunes for orchestra)
Royal Ballet Sinfonia; Gavin Sutherland, conductor
8:01 a.m.
Emile Waldteufel
The Skaters Waltz (Les Patineurs) Opus 183
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra; Kurt Redel, conductor
8:10 a.m.
Bruce Broughton
Miracle on 34th Street
United States Coast Guard Band; Lt. Kenneth W. Megan, conductor
8:16 a.m.
John Williams
Home Alone: Somewhere in My Memory
Studio Orchestra and Chorus; John Williams, conductor
8:22 a.m.
Alexander MacKenzie
The Cricket on the Hearth Overture
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra; Martyn Brabbins, conductor
8:35 a.m.
Cecil Sharp; Valerie Coleman, arr.
The Holly and the Ivy
Imani Winds
8:39 a.m.
TRADITIONAL; Jeff Scott, arr.
I Saw Three Ships
Imani Winds
8:41 a.m.
F. Heider
Christmas Chopsticks
Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra; Andre Kostelanetz, conductor
8:45 a.m.
Franco Cesarini
The Nativity
United States Coast Guard Band; Lt. Kenneth W. Megan, conductor
8:52 a.m.
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Nutcracker: Waltz of the Flowers Opus 71
Montreal Symphony Orchestra; Charles Dutoit, conductor
9:00 a.m.
Holiday Programming
Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
Michael Barone, host
11:00 a.m.
Franz Gruber, arr. Edwin Fissinger
Silent Night
RSVP- Reconciliation Singers Voices of Peace; Julie Adams, conductor
11:03 a.m.
Traditional French Carol, arr. Jennings and Oltman
Noel Nouvelet
RSVP- Reconciliation Singers Voices of Peace; Julie Adams, conductor
11:07 a.m.
Traditional, arr. Arriere-Cours
Patapan
Beverly Wessner-Hoehn, harp; Elizabeth Coronata, flute
11:09 a.m.
TRADITIONAL, arr. Charles Duncan
El Noi De La Mare
Beverly Wessner-Hoehn, harp; Elizabeth Coronata, flute
11:11 a.m.
TRADITIONAL
Three Carols
Beverly Wessner-Hoehn, harp; Elizabeth Coronata, flute
11:18 a.m.
John Rutter
Gloria
Sacramento Master Singers; Dr. Ralph Hughes, conductor Tina Harris; Mary Patt; Jenna Hamaker
11:39 a.m.
Traditional French Carol, arr. Steven Johnson
Tomorrow Will Be My Dancing Day
Steven Johnson, piano; Tom Levandowski, guitar; Scott Hall, sax; Ben Loorz, percussion
11:44 a.m.
Traditional French Carol, arr. Steven Johnson
Tomorrow Will Be My Dancing Day
Steven Johnson, piano; Tom Levandowski, guitar; Scott Hall, sax; Ben Loorz, percussion
11:50 a.m.
TRADITIONAL
In the Bleak Midwinter
Arturo Delmoni, violin; Nathaniel Rosen, cello; And various soloists
11:53 a.m.
TRADITIONAL
I Wonder As I Wander
Eaken Piano Trio
11:56 a.m.
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Nutcracker Overture Opus 71
Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, conductor
12:01 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
We Wish You A Merry Christmas and Pat-A-Pan
Salvatore Atti, tenor; Jennifer Reason, piano
12:05 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
We Wish You A Merry Christmas and Pat-A-Pan
Salvatore Atti, tenor; Jennifer Reason, piano
12:09 p.m.
Gregory Porter
Walking in a Winter Wonderland
The Table Omari Tau, baritone
12:15 p.m.
Gregory Porter
Walking in a Winter Wonderland
The Table Omari Tau, baritone
12:18 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
I Saw Three Ships
Brandon Yip, guitar
12:22 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
Greensleeves
Brandon Yip, guitar
12:27 p.m.
Franz Biebl
Ave Maria
Sacred Heart's Schola Cantorum; Dr. Donald Kendrick, conductor
12:34 p.m.
Mykola Leontovych Mykola Leontovych Mykola Leontovych
Carol of the Bells
Sacred Heart's Schola Cantorum; Dr. Donald Kendrick, conductor
12:35 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Sacred Heart's Schola Cantorum; Dr. Donald Kendrick, conductor
12:38 p.m.
John Williams
Air and Simple Gifts
Sandra McPherson, clarinet; Katherine McLin, violin; Susan Lamb Cook, cello; Andrew Campbell, piano
12:43 p.m.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
I Solisti Italiani
12:47 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
12:51 p.m.
Giovanni Legrenzi
O Mirandum Misterium
El Mundo Richard Savino, guitar; Jennifer Lane, mezzo-soprano
1:00 p.m.
Holiday Programming
The Christmas Connection PART 1
Stephen Peithman, host
1:31 p.m.
Holiday Programming
The Christmas Connection PART 2
Stephen Peithman, host
2:00 p.m.
Benjamin Britten
A Ceremony of Carols Opus 28
; Robert Shaw, conductor Robert Shaw Chamber Singers
2:23 p.m.
Johann Melchior Molter
Concerto Pastorale in G Major
La Pieta Angele Dubeau, violin
2:35 p.m.
Thomas Tallis
Missa Puer Natus est Nobis: Gloria
stile antico
2:44 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Voces8; Barnaby Smith, conductor Voces8 Foundation Orchestra; Voces8 Foundation Choir
2:50 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
Jesu Bambino
Eaken Piano Trio
2:55 p.m.
Adolphe Adam
O Holy Night Cantique de Noel
London Chamber Orchestra; Christopher Warren-Green, conductor
3:01 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
Many Moods of Christmas (Suite No. 4)
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; Robert Shaw, conductor Atlanta Symphony Chorus
3:14 p.m.
Frederick Delius
Sleigh Ride
Northern Sinfonia of England; Richard Hickox, conductor
3:20 p.m.
Leroy Anderson
Sleigh Ride
Boston Pops Orchestra; Keith Lockhart, conductor
3:24 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
The Holly and the Ivy
; Stephen Cleobury, conductor King's College Choir, Cambridge; And various soloists
3:27 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
Riu, riu, chiu
Chanticleer; Joseph Jennings, conductor And various soloists
3:29 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
I Saw Three Ships
The Wallace Collection; Simon Wright, conductor Trinity Boy's Choir; The Britten Singers
3:31 p.m.
Gloria Shayne Baker; Neol Regney
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Los Angeles Sinfonia; Paul Salamunovich, conductor Los Angeles Master Chorale
3:35 p.m.
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Nutcracker Suite Opus 71
Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Georg Solti, conductor
4:00 p.m.
Mykola Leontovych Mykola Leontovych Mykola Leontovych
Carol of the Bells
Rachel Van Voorhees, harp
4:01 p.m.
TRADITIONAL
Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
Yolanda Kondonassis, harp
4:04 p.m.
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Fantasia on Greensleeves
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic; Vernon Handley, conductor
4:09 p.m.
Victor Herbert
BABES IN TOYLAND: March of the Toys
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra; Leonard Slatkin, conductor
4:13 p.m.
Leopold Mozart
Toy Symphony in C major
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Neville Marriner, conductor
4:31 p.m.
Emile Waldteufel
The Skaters Waltz (Les Patineurs) Opus 183
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra; Kurt Redel, conductor
4:39 p.m.
Michel Corrette
Symphonie des noels No. 4 in D minor
Arion
4:49 p.m.
Katherine Kennicot Davis
Little Drummer Boy
Friends of Cally Cally Banham, double reed
4:54 p.m.
R. Carlos Nakai
Winter Solstice
R. Carlos Nakai, Native American flute
5:00 p.m.
Holiday Programming
Gaudete! Early Music for the Christmas Season PART 1
Sara Schneider, host
5:28 p.m.
Holiday Programming
Gaudete! Early Music for the Christmas Season PART 2
Sara Schneider, host
6:00 p.m.
Holiday Programming
Vince Guaraldi's Christmas Gift to Jazz PART 1
Jennifer Miller Hammel, host
6:20 p.m.
Holiday Programming
Vince Guaraldi's Christmas Gift to Jazz PART 2
Jennifer Miller Hammel, host
