EBU Christmas Around Europe

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Christmas around Europe: Part 3

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Part 3 Christmas around Europe

BBC Radio 3 - Christmas around Europe, Part 3

A day of concerts from the European Broadcasting Union to celebrate Christmas.

The annual celebration of Christmas from all around Europe continues with music from 
Reykjavik, Copenhagen and Munich. Presented by Hannah French.

A day-long festival of Christmas music and singing from across Europe and Canada in the European Broadcasting Union’s annual Christmas music day. Choirs and ensembles come together to celebrate the wonder of Christmas. In this part, we travel to Reykjavík for a programme by Nordic Affect, then to Copenhagen and the Danish National Vocal Ensemble, and then to Munich for a jamboree of Christmas film music. Later in the evening, concerts from Paris, Helsinki, Lisbon and Sofia. 

Presented by Hannah French and Andrew McGregor.

16.00: Reykjavík: Christmas concert: The Light Comes with Nordic Affect, including music by Holborne and Purcell, performed by Nordic Affect.

Eyjólfur Eyjólfsson, vocals, angelica flute (fadno) and Icelandic drone zither
Ian Wilson, recorders
Halla Steinunn Stefánsdóttir, baroque violin
Hanna Loftsdóttir, viola da gamba
Gudrún Óskarsdóttir, harpsichord


17.00: Copenhagen: The Danish National Vocal Ensemble with Christmas music.

Povl Hamburger: Der er ingenting i verden så stille som sne 
(There is nothing in the world as quiet as snow)
Trad, arr Jim Clements: Gabriel’s Message
Trad, arr. Stefan Claas: Maria gennem torne går
(Mary through thorns walks)
Trad, arr. Nigel Short: Quem pastores laudavere
Niels Gade: Barn Jesus i en krybbe lå
(Infant Jesus in a manger lay)
Jacob Meidell: Dejlig er den himmel blå
(Lovely is the sky so blue)
Niels la Cour: Hodie Christus natus est
Bára Gisladottir: NĀT
Nielsen: Mit hjerte altid vanker
(My heart always wanders)
	
Bach: In dulci jubilo, BWV 608
Praetorius: In dulci jubilo
Bach: In dulci jubilo, BWV 729
Bo Holten: First Snow
	
Trad: Dejlig er jorden
(Lovely is the earth)
Danish National Vocal Ensemble

Mads Høck, organ
Bára Gísladóttir, double bass
Phillip Faber, conductor
https://www.phillipfaber.dk/


18.00: Munich: Christmas Classics at the Movies with the Bavarian Radio Chorus and Munich Radio Orchestra under the baton of Gavin Sutherland.

Favourite soundtracks from cinema classics of the Christmas season including James Horner's music from How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Carl Davis's Christmas Carol Suite.

19.00: Paris - Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker from Orchestre National de France conducted by Fabien Gabel.

Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, op. 71, ballet in two acts
Orchestre National de France
Petr Popelka, conductor

On Christmas Eve, young Clara receives a nutcracker that turns into a prince, while the toys come to life and everyone flies off to the kingdom of candy. On this thin plot, Tchaikovsky pours treasures of melodies, up to the audacious use of the celesta in the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, which makes the salt of the second act. No doubt, Christmas is coming.


20.35: Helsinki - Christmas Dinner at the Brodsky's with violinists Minna Pensola and Antti Tikkanen, including music by Brahms, Grieg and Tchaikovsky.

Minna Pensola, violin
Antti Tikkanen, violin

Counted among the most influential figures in the music world of the late 19th century, the violinist Adolph Brodsky had close relations with many of the musical superstars of the age. We know, for instance, that Brahms and Tchaikovsky were only on very frosty, formal terms. At Christmas 1887, Brodsky took the considerable risk of inviting both composers to dine at the same table. Tchaikovsky was shocked when he saw Brahms, who was visiting Brodsky for a rehearsal of his piano trio. The atmosphere was charged because both composers were on the record as saying they found the other’s music unpleasant. To keep the peace over Christmas dinner, Tchaikovsky nonetheless refrained from commenting upon his colleague’s playing, and the atmosphere lightened further once Edvard Grieg and his wife Nina joined the assembled guests.
In this concert, familiar pieces of chamber music by Brahms, Grieg and Tchaikovsky meet new arrangements of popular Finnish Christmas carols.


21.30: Lisbon - Portuguese Sacred Music with soprano Mariana Castello-Branco and the Avres Serva ensemble.

Manuel Rodrigues Coelho: Verses on the 2nd tone, from 'Magnificat'	
Frei Jerónimo da Madre de Deus: In Sabatho Sancto: Lectio 8a ‘Et ideo novi testamenti’	
Domenico Gabrielli: Sonata No. 1
Ricercari, canone e sonate per violoncello	
Frei Francisco do Carmo: Organ Verses on the 6th tone, according to the prayer of the psalm from the Royal Choir at the Monastery of Arouca	
Policarpo José António da Silva: Lisam Primeyra da 5a Feira
Francisco de São Boaventura: Toccata	
João José Baldi: Calendar for Christmas Eve	
António da Silva Leite: Feria V in Coena Domini Lectio VI
	
Mariana Castello-Branco, soprano
Pedro Massarrão, cello
Avres Serva Ensemble
Nuno Oliveira, organ, director


22:30: Sofia - Cantanti DAI MONTI VERDI with madrigals, villancicos and Orthodox songs. 

Cantanti DAI MONTI VERDI

Italian madrigals by Franco-Flemish composers, alongside Spanish villancicos and Orthodox strochny and demestvenny part-singing.

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

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