Non cheesy Music for Christmas ?

Posted by: warwick on 24 December 2011

Seasons greetings music lovers,

          I'm trying to work out a play list for Christmas day. Any suggestions ?

So far I've got:

Tchaikovsky's - The Nutcracker (complete) conducted by Valery Gergiev,

a Christmas baroque compilation (less obvious material) and Bach's Christmas Oratario ( a bit long and I'm not a church goer).


Somewhere at the back of a drawer I've got same choral music by Harry Christopher's 16. Plus several LP's by the Tallis Scholars. Alongside this I could play the cd Jan Garbarek did with the Hilliard Ensemble.


I don't want the list to be all classical (apologies to Quad Esl 57 owners). I just don't want to listen to cheesy shopping mall Christmas songs or the Christmas carols I heard  sung by a choir in a department store.


Now heading out to shops to get Christmas wine and mince pies.

Posted on: 24 December 2011 by Richard Dane

Handel's Messiah?

 

Blind Boys of Alabama sing Christmas songs (Go Tell it to the Mountain).

 

Posted on: 24 December 2011 by Skip

I like this one.

 

http://www.musicscotland.com/c...christmas-album.html

 

Also this one.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Ariel-Ra...uestra/dp/B000009IAZ

Posted on: 24 December 2011 by Derry
Originally Posted by warwick:

Seasons greetings music lovers,

          I'm trying to work out a play list for Christmas day. Any suggestions ?

 


Why would you play anything that you would not normally play?

Posted on: 24 December 2011 by Jono 13

 

http://www.discogs.com/Various...-Past/release/238435

 

Very cool early '80's compilation.

 

Jono

Posted on: 24 December 2011 by EJS

Warwick,

 

Realise you're not looking for all classical, but if you're still looking for traditional, I can recommend these "classical-light" recordings:

- "Christmas with the Academy" (Philips Classics) - Traditional carols by the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields on brilliant form

- "O come all ye faithful" (Decca) - Anglican carols performed by the King's College, with organ support

- "Once as I remember" (Philips Classics) - less well known songs by John Eliot Gardiner and The Monteverdi Choir with sparse instrumental support, a great record

- "Christmastide" - Jessye Norman singing traditional carols, with full orchestral and choral support. Great stuff, but with a thin layer of cheese

 

Cheers,

 

EJ

Posted on: 25 December 2011 by winkyincanada
Originally Posted by Derry:
Originally Posted by warwick:

Seasons greetings music lovers,

          I'm trying to work out a play list for Christmas day. Any suggestions ?

 


Why would you play anything that you would not normally play?

Good question. I guess to get onto the spirit of the season.

 

 

We're playing Sarah McLachlan's "Wintersong" this morning. Nice music. Recommended as  non-cheesey Xmas music. Well OK, a bit cheesey.

Posted on: 25 December 2011 by winkyincanada

 

And this is our other Xmas standard. The "Jingle Bells, Batman smells..." lyrics tend to amuse the kids.