Anthony Burton introduces a celebration of Christmas organised by the European Broadcasting Union. This year's festivities come from nine different countries and cover
Christmas music old and new.
1.00 Czech Republic
Schola Gregoriana Pragensis , director David Eben , sing a Christmas service as it would have been heard in the Cathedral of St Vitus, Prague, with liturgy and music from the 14th-century reign of Bohemia's king and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV.
2.00 Ireland
From the National Concert
Hall in Dublin, a sequence of Christmas choral music sung by the National Chamber Choir of Ireland, director Colin Mawby , and Irish harp music performed by Ann-Marie O'Farrell. Including motets by Sweellnck, Poulenc and Palestrina.
3.00 Russia
A selection of choral music from
Russian Orthodox Christmas services down the ages, starting at the turn of the 18th century. The Moscow-based male choir Chorovaya Akademia is directed by Alexander Sadov.
4.00 Germany
From the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul in llbenstadt, three cantatas and a selection of Christmas motets performed by the Frankfurt Radio Figuralchor, director Alois Ickstadt. Including
Lubeck Cantata: Willkomen, Süsser
Brautigam
Schelle Cantata: Vom Himmel Kam der Engel Schar
Mendelssohn Cantata: Vom Himmel
Hoch
Reger Sacred Songs
5.00 Poland
From Warsaw, Charpentier's Messe de Minuit pour Noel - a Christmas favourite - is paired with the world premiere of a Magnificat by the 18th-century Polish composer Szymon Lechleitner. Soloists,
Concerto Polacco, Bratislava Cantores
Minores, conductor Marek Toporowski
6.00 Austria
From Vienna, another world premiere. The Cappella della
Pieta de Turchini, directed by Antonio Florio , perform La Fuga in Egitto, an oratorio by the 17th-century emperor Leopold I, who was a highly accomplished composer.
7.30 United Kingdom
From St Giles's, Cripplegate, London, the BBC's own contribution to this international celebration of the nativity.
Bach Christmas Oratorio, BWV248
(Parts 1-3)
Emma Kirkby (soprano),
James Bowman (countertenor), Ian Bostridge (tenor),
David Wilson-Johnson (bass),
Polyphony, Brandenburg Consort, director Stephen Layton
Christmas across the World continues at
11.30pm