On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 1914, German and British soldiers in Belgium had their own informal cease-fire, sang Christmas songs together, and even traded gifts. We'll remember the remarkable Christmas Truce of 1914, as the male vocal ensemble "Cantus" sings highlights from their show "All is Calm."
Episode Playlist
Hour 1
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Nocturne from Pan Voyevoda Suite for Orchestra
The Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra with conductor Evgeny Svetlanov
Richard Dirksen: "Christ, Mighty Savior"
The St. Olaf College Combined Choirs and Orchestra with conductor John Ferguson
St. Olaf Christmas Festival, Northfield, Minnesota
Jean-Philippe Rameau: Gavotte and Variations
The Brasil Guitar Duo
Spivey Hall, Morrow, Georgia
Heitor Villa-Lobos: Preludio from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4
The Sao Paulo State Symphony Orchestra with conductor Kazem Abdullah
Troy Music Hall, Troy, New York
Maurice Ravel: "Jeux d'Eau"
Pianist Adam Neiman
Scottsdale Center for the Arts, Scottsdale, Arizona
Peter Tchaikovsky: Suite from "The Nutcracker"
The Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra with conductor Michal Dworzynski
Berwaldhallen, Stockholm, Sweden
Hour 2
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Andante from Quartet in G, K. 285a
Flutist Lisa Beznosiuk, violinist Pavlo Beznosiuk, violist Tom Dunn, and cellist Richard Tunnicliffe
Mykola Leontovych: "Carol of the Bells"
The Empire Brass
Spivey Hall, Morrow, Georgia
Erik Lichte and Timothy Takach: Excerpts from "All is Calm"
Cantus
Johann Sebastian Bach: "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"
Organist David Higgs
Skaneateles Music Festival, Skaneateles, New York
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Flute Concerto No. 2 in D, K. 314
Flutist Lisa Beznosiuk with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and conductor Edward Gardner
Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, England
John Bennet: "All Creatures Now are Merry-Minded"
The King's Singers
Spivey Hall, Morrow, Georgia
Percy Grainger: "The Merry King"
The Dallas Wind Symphony with conductor Jerry Junkin
Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas
Traditional (Arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams): "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen"
Cantus
Washington Pavilion of Arts and Sciences, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Love the music?
Show your support by making a gift to YourClassical.
Each day, we’re here for you with thoughtful streams that set the tone for your day – not to mention the stories and programs that inspire you to new discovery and help you explore the music you love.
YourClassical is available for free, because we are listener-supported public media. Take a moment to make your gift today.
Your Donation
About Performance Today®
To find a station near you on our Stations Listings page, click here.
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.
How do I leave a comment?
Send us a comment here.
