Poster St. Nicholas
Saint Nicholas depicted in a 14th-century English 'Book of Hours' (ca. 1390).
via Wikimedia Commons
Performance Today®

Music for St. Nicholas Day

St. Nicholas Day, celebrated on December 6th, commemorates the life of Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop known for his generosity and kindness. The holiday is the traditional start of the Christmas season in many countries, including a few pockets of the United States. We'll commemorate St. Nicholas Day on this episode of Performance Today.

Episode Playlist

Hour 1

Edvard Grieg arr. M. Jense: Holberg Suite, Op. 40 Movement 5: Rigaudon
Signum Saxophone Quartet
Album: Debut
Ars Produktion

Edvard Grieg: Violin Sonata in C Minor No. 3, Op. 45
Alexander Sitkovetsky, violin | Wu Qian, piano
String Theory @HOME (virtual event), Online

Piano Puzzler
Contestant: Jonathan Jager calling from Los Angeles, CA

Peter Aston: Deck the Hall
Judy Mason, piano | Spivey Hall Children's Choir | Martha Shaw, conductor
Spivey Hall, Spivey Hall, Morrow State University, Morrow, GA

Nathan Hofheins: Christmas Fanfare
Brigham Young University Philharmonic Orchestra | Kory Katseanes, conductor
de Jong Concert Hall, Harris Fine Arts Center, Provo, UT

Traditional arr. Joey Hoelscher: Still, Still, Still
Brigham Young University Singers | Ronald Staheli, conductor
de Jong Concert Hall, Harris Fine Arts Center, Provo, UT

Hour 2

Johannes Brahms: Clarinet Quintet in B Minor, Op. 115 III. Andantino - Presto non assai, ma con sentimento
Anthony McGill, clarinet | Pacifica Quartet
Album: Mozart & Brahms: Clarinet Quintets
Cedille Records

Benjamin Britten: Saint Nicolas: His Piety and Marvellous Works
BBC Concert Orchestra and Crouch End Festival Chorus | David Temple, conductor
Album: Saint Nicolas & A Ceremony of Carols
Signum

Franz Liszt: Mephisto Waltz No. 1, S.514 The Dance in the Village Inn
Adam Golka, piano
Tippet Rise, The Olivier Music Barn, Fishtail, MT

Johannes Brahms: Cello Sonata No. 2 in F Major, Op. 99: Movements 1-3
Efe Baltacigil, cello | Anton Nel, piano
Seattle Chamber Music Society, The Center for Chamber Music, Seattle, WA

Traditional German, arr. Andreas Nikolai Tarkmann: O du frohliche, o du selige
WDR Radio Orchestra and WDR Radio Choir with live audience | Gordon Hamilton, conductor
Klaus von Bismarck Hall, WDR Broadcasting House, Cologne, Germany

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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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