Classical Christmas Music
Welcome
At this time of year, there's always a lot of interest in Christmas music at the library. With that in mind, we've prepared a handy guide.
Seasons greetings from the classical team at Wellington City Libraries, and we wish you a safe and happy Christmas!
Carols on CD & DVD
Carols, whether traditional, contemporary, or secular, are all found as part of the Vocal area.
Search tips:
Type Carols CD in the search box and selecting Keyword will bring up a list of carol CDs that the Libraries own.
Or, use the Carols Quicksearch for even faster results
(It's not possible to search on the Web catalogue for all individual carols, although some of the CDs will list contents. Please ask if you're looking for a specific one.)
Note: Christmas songs (that aren't carols) such as Jingle bells, or I'm dreaming of a white Christmas are shelved separately in the Christmas section.
A selection of Carol CDs:
(Use the cover links to listen to samples.)
Essential Carols, The Very Best of King's College Choir, Cambridge.
Plum pudding, with Felicity Lott.
Christmas A Capella II,
Recorded Remuera, 2005.
John Rutter
Christmas album..
A selection of Carol DVDs:
Carols from King's, Choir of King's College, Cambridge ; Stephen Cleobury, director (2000 service) ; Boris Ord, director (1954 service).
Recorded in December, 2000, contents include Once In Royal David's City, O Little Town Of Bethlehem, While Shepherds Watched, Angels from the realms of glory; Silent night; The shepherd's carol; The angels and the shepherds; Riu, riu, chiu. Also includes a recording from 1954 of the first carol sevice from King's to be televised plus conversation between the only three directors of music at King's since 1957.
The three tenors : Christmas, performed by Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti,tenors ; Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen ; Children's Choir ; Vienna Symphony ; Steven Mercurio, conductor.
Christmas with the Tallis Scholars. Contains Mediaeval carols, chorales and chants for the Christmas season.
Romantic Christmas songs. Contains works by Reger, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy and others.
Music for Christmas. , by John Rutter.
Contains - Shepherd's pipe carol, Nativity carol, There is a flower (solo, Cecilia Osmond), Sans Day carol, What sweeter music, I wonder as I wander(solo, Robert Rice), The very best time of year, Away in a manger, Angel tidings, Christmas lullaby, Dormi Jesu, Love came down at Christmas, Star carol, Carol of the children, Mary's lullaby, Silent night, Angels' carol, Candlelight carol, Second Amen, Donkey carol
Performed by Polyphony ; City of London Sinfonia ; Stephen Layton, conductor.
Christmas inspired Classical music on CD & DVD
The Christmas festivities have inspired many works by classical composers over the centuries. Here are just a few CDs to get you started:
Compilations:
- Baroque Christmas Album
Compilation featuring Bach, Gabrieli and Corelli etc and The English Baroque Soloists.
(Ask at the Sound and Vision desk for this at Carols) - Christmas present, performed by Polyphone, with Stephen Layton.
(Ask at the Sound and Vision desk for this at Carols) - Christmas Baroque, performed by our own NZSO.
(Locate on the shelves at Orchestral - Baroque Christmas music
(Locate on the shelves at Orchestral) - Classical Christmas
(Locate at Orchestral) - O magnum mysterium, music for Christmas
A compilation set featuring works bvy Samuel Scheidt, Praetorius, Gabrieli, Poulenc and others.
Performed by Angus Davidson, counter-tenor (1st seven works) ; Simon Over, organ (Poulenc) ; Corydon Singers ; His Majesty's Sagbutts & Cornetts (1st seven works) ; Matthew Best, conductor.
Works:
- Christmas Oratorio(BWV 248), by Johann Sebastian Bach. The German title is Weihnachts-Ooratorium.
Performers: Monika Frimmer, soprano ; Yoshikazu Mera counter-tenor ; Gerd Turk, tenor ; Peter Kooij, bass ; Bach Collegium Japan ; Masaaki Suzuko, conductor. - Messiah. , by Georg Frideric Handel.
- Amahl and the night visitors. , by Gian Menotti.
- Nutcracker Suite (Shchelkunchik). , by Peter Tchaikovsky.
Scores
Carols:
Carols can be found shelved at 780.589.
Note the NZ carol book Carol our Christmas : a book of New Zealand carols.
Instrumental
Christmas compilations are found within the score area for the instrument. For example:
- Flute (781.11):
Christmas : instrumental solos : carols & traditional classics. - Piano (781.5):
Barenreiter Weihnachtsalbum fur klavier. - Organ (781.7):
Oxford book of Christmas organ music.
Books
Books about stories behind and history of carols are found at 784.75.
Christmas articles
- The secret behind the candy cane and five other holiday traditions, in Ignite your faith, Nov/Dec2007, Vol. 66 Issue 4, p32-33.
- The truth about Christmas, in Macleans, 22/12/2003, Vol. 116 Issue 51, p18-.
Discusses the historical celebration of Christmas. The roots stretch earlier than the birth of Christ. By 336, with the first clear reference to Christmas on Dec. 25, it became an official feast. - Tuning into Christmas, by Paul Baker, in Saturday Evening Post, Dec1979, Vol. 251 Issue 9, p82-85.
Provides information on music options for the festive season. - For these direct links to work you need to have logged on to mygateway.info recently. If you haven't, you will need to log onto www.mygateway.info with your library card number first, then access can be direct to the articles.
Carol lyrics
Carol lyrics can be found at: Christmas-carols.net (includes lyrics for Christmas carols and songs)