Today we'll celebrate the start of winter after yesterday's solstice. It's also the first full day of Hannukah, and Christmas is just a few days away. We'll have lots of great programming in honor of this most festive season of the year, featuring great performances from all over the world.
Episode Playlist
Hour 1
Michael Praetorius: "Dances from Terpsichore," from "Christmas Vespers"
Apollo's Fire with conductor Jeannette Sorrell
Stephen Bulla: "Rhapsody on Hannukah"
The United States Marine Band with conductor Lieutenant Michelle Rakers
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, Vienna, Virginia
Traditional (Arranged by Mark Summer): "Channukah, O Channukah"
The Turtle Island String Quartet
MPR Studios, St. Paul, Minnesota
William Beckstrand: "Winter Solstice Carol"
The National Lutheran Choir and Bell of the Lakes Handbell Choir with conductor David Cherwien
Basilica of St. Mary, Minneapolis
Antonio Vivaldi: "Winter" from "The Seasons," Op. 8, No. 4
Violinist Cynthia Roberts with Apollo's Fire and harpsichordist and conductor Jeannette Sorrell
St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Archangelo Corelli: Concerto Grosso in G Minor, Op. 6, No. 8 ("Christmas Concerto")
Musicians from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
New York Society for Ethical Culture, New York City
Rene Clausen: "Nunc Dimittis"
The St. Olaf Orchestra and Choirs with conductor Sigrid Johnson
Skoglund Auditorium, Northfield, Minnesota
Hour 2
Giacomo Puccini: "Un Bel di Vedremo" from "Madama Butterfly"
Cynthia Miller, ondes martenot, with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and conductor Neville Marriner
Steve Barnett: "For the Miracles"
The Dale Warland Singers with conductor Jerry Rubino
Wooddale Church, Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Max Bruch: Andante con moto from "Eight Pieces for Clarinet, Viola, and Piano," Op. 83
Clarinetist Todd Palmer, violist Hsin-Yun Huang, and pianist Stephen Prutsman
Spoleto Chamber Music Festival, Charleston, South Carolina
Giacomo Puccini: "Chrysanthemums" for String Quartet
Violinists Gary Levinson and Stefan Milenkovich, violist Nokuthula Ngwenyama, and cellist Ani Aznavoorian
Bravo! Vail Valley Festival, Beaver Creek, Colorado
Leroy Anderson: "Sleigh Ride"
The Spivey Hall Children's Choir with conductor Martha Shaw and pianist Judy Mason
Spivey Hall, Morrow, Georgia
Josef Suk: "Meditations on 'Saint Wenceslas'" for String Quartet
Violinists James Ehnes and Martin Beaver, violist Kirsten Johnson, and cellist Clive Greensmith
Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival, Bridgehampton, New York
Peter Tchaikovsky: Selections from "The Snow Maiden," Op. 12
The State Symphony Orchestra of Russia with conductor Mark Gorenstein
Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, West Palm Beach, Florida
Michael Praetorius: "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming"
Trio Medieval
Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, Minnesota
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American Public Media’s Performance Today® is America’s most popular classical music radio program and a winner of the 2014 Gabriel Award for artistic achievement. The show is broadcast on hundreds of public radio stations across the country, including at 1 p.m. central weekdays on Minnesota Public Radio. More information about our stations can be found at APM Distribution.
Performance Today® features live concert recordings that can’t be heard anywhere else, highlights from new album releases, and in-studio performances and interviews. Performance Today® is based at the APM studios in St. Paul, Minnesota, but is frequently on the road, with special programs broadcast from festivals and public radio stations around the country. Also, each Wednesday, composer Bruce Adolphe joins host Fred Child for a classical musical game and listener favorite: the Piano Puzzler.
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