Classical Christmas at Music Hills.com

Music CD 1

No. 2. March
No. 4. Dance
No. 5. Scene and The Grandfather Dance
No. 6. Scene
No. 7. Scene
No. 8. Scene
No. 12 Divertissement
No. 13. Waltz of the Flowers
No. 14. Pas de deux
No. 15. Closing Waltz and Grand Finale

Music CD 2

Sonata Natalis in C
And the glory of the Lord
And He shall purify
For unto us a Child is born
Sinfonia in G major
All we like sheep have gone astray
Largo
Largo
Allegro
Hallelujah
Pastoral Symphony
Worthy is the Lamb
Allegro
Largo

Music CD 3

Wachet Auf, Ruft Uns die Stimme, chorale prelude for trumpet & organ
Wie schÃ¶n leuchtet uns der Morgenstern (I), chorale prelude for organ,
Jesus Christus, Gottes Sohn
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, chorale prelude for organ (SchÃ¼bler Ch
Kommst du nun, Jesu, vom Himmel herunter, chorale prelude for organ (Sc
In Dulci Jubilo, for organ
Wie schÃ¶n leuchtet der Morgenstern, chorale for corno da caccia & organ
Voluntary for organ & trumpet in D major
Allein Gott in der HÃ¶h sei Ehr (VII), chorale prelude for organ, BWV 71
Herzlich Lieb Hab Ich Dich, O Herr, chorale prelude for trumpet & organ
Vom himmel hoch, da komm ich her (I), canonic variations on the Christm
Concerto for trumpet, corno da caccia & organ in E flat major "NoÃ«l All

Music CD 4

TÃ¶net, ihr Pauken [From Cantata No. 214]
Sinfonia
In dulci jubilo, chorale setting for 4 voices, BWV 368 (BC F110)
GroÃ?er Herr, o starker KÃ¶nig [From Christmas Oratorio]
Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her, for chorus
Hallelujah [From Cantata No. 143]
Jesu, meines Herzens Freud', chorale setting for 4 voices, BWV 361 (BC
Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend, chorale prelude
Gloria in excelsis deo, for chorus
Wie wohl ist mir, O Freund der Seelen, aria for voice & continuo (AMN I
Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden, motet for chorus & organ, BWV 230 (BC C6)
Prelude and Fugue, for organ in G major, BWV 541 (BC J22)
Du FriedefÃ¼rst, Herr Jesu Christ [From Cantata No. 143]
Air
Sei Lob und Preis mit Ehren [From Cantata No. 51]
Freut euch und jubilieret, for chorus

Music CD 5

In dulci iubilo
Pastorale per la notte di natale, for orchestra in A major
Sonata per chiesa et camera
Jubilate Domino (from Musae Sioniae)
Concerto Grosso in G minor ("Christmas Concerto"), Op. 6/8
Sonata natalis
[Unspecified] Vom Himmel hoch
Air
Concerto Il riposo, concerto per il Santissimo Natale, for violin, stri
Tochter Zion
Concerto a 4 in forma di Pastorale per il Santissimo Natale, for 2 viol
Trumpet Tune and Air

Music reviews of Classical Christmas

Music Review: A joyful Christmas box of many rare musical jewels.
Rating: 4 Stars

The #1 disk is a solid performance of The Nutcracker Suite (also issued as a single disk by Laserlight) by Peter Wohlert conducting the Berlin Symphony (not to be confused with the Berlin Philharmonic). With that over-cooked chestnut out of the way, this compilation gets interesting.

We get some venerable excerpts of Bach cantatas, oratorios, motets & Lutheran hymns, performed by Fidicinia Capella, New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum, & the German Bach Soloists, all respectable ensembles. Edita Gruberova even joins in "Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen." Plus an earful of grand organ preludes.

Handel is represented by a happy section of "Water Music" & a piece for brass instruments from his oratorio, "Judas Maccabaeus." What, no "Halleluah Chorus?" Believe me, you don't need it! But it's here all the same.

Mozart checks in with the lovely, too brief, "Ave verum Corpus," motet for chorus, strings, & organ, K. 618. We also get snappy, dutiful baroque contributions from Vivaldi, Corelli & Purcell.

The remainder of the set is filled out with music from: Pavel Josef Vejvanovsky; Francesco Onofrio Manfredini; Johann Ludwig Krebs; George Friedrich Kauffmann; John the Elder Alcock; Michel Corrette; Michael Praetorius; Johann David Heinichen; Johann Heinrich Schmelzer; & Giuseppe Torelli. The inclusion of these marvelous obscurities pushes this bargain compilation over the top.

I give it four stars because the performances & sound quality vary considerably. But the compensation comes from hours of joyously felt Nativity music, a good deal of it unfamiliar yet beautiful all the same. Load all five into the CD changer, hit the random button, relax & enjoy your spiced eggnog with family & friends.

The five CDs are titled: 1. The Nutcracker 2. Classical Christmas 3. Christmas Music for Trumpet & Organ 4. Johann Sebastian Bach - Christmas Music 5. Baroque Christmas Music. They can be purchased individually.