With Stephanie Hughes , including Scariatti Cantata: Pargoletto in Rozze Fasce
Rossana Bertini (mezzo), Concerto
Italiano, director Rinaldo Alessandrini
6.28 Tchaikovsky Suite: The Nutcracker BBC Symphony
Orchestra, conductor Andrew Davis
7.04 Torelli Concerto Grosso in G minor, Op 8 No 6 (Christmas
Concerto) Seattle Northwest Chamber Orchestra, Virginia Moore
(harpsichord), director Alun Francis
7.42 Prokofiev Suite: Lieutenant Kije Paris Conservatoire Orchestra, conductor Adrian Boult
8.05 Rimsky-Korsakov Koliadka
(Christmas Eve) Bolshoi Chorus and Symphony Orch/Alexander Lazarev
8.40 Bax Christmas Eve on the Mountains Malcolm Hicks (organ), LPO, conductor Bryden Thomson

With Peter Hobday.
Stanley Concerto in D, Op 2 No 1
Parley of Instruments/Roy Goodman
9.13 Praetorius Six Bransles
(Terpsichore)
New London Consort, director Philip Pickett
9.19 Brahms Song from Fingal
LSO Women's Chorus, Frank Lloyd and Stephen Sterling (horns), Rachel Masters (harp)
9.53 Strauss Also Sprach
Zarathustra Vienna Philharmonic, conductor Herbert von Karajan Discs

With Geraint Lewis.
Edward Arthur Tua Bethlem Dref
BBC National Chorus of Wales, conductor John Hugh Thomas
.10.04 Artists of the Week:
Netherlands Wind Ensemble
Bernstein Prelude, Fugue and Riffs for Solo Clarinet and Jazz Ensemble
Harmen de Boer (clarinet)
10.15 Britten Suite on English Folk Tunes
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
10.30 Gurney Sleep Ian Partridge (tenor),
Jennifer Partridge (piano)
10.35 Artists of the Week:
Netherlands Wind Ensemble
Mozart Adagio in B flat
10.45 Stephen Gibson Spirit of Youth BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conductor Lionel Friend
11.10 Artists of the Week:
Netherlands Wind Ensemble
Mozart Adagio in F, K580a 11.15 Warlock Bethlehem Down
BBC National Chorus of Wales
11.20 Elgar Cello Concerto in E minor Stephen Isserlis ,
BBC NOW, conductor David Atherton

John Toal devotes today's programme to the acknowledged master of light music, Eric Coates. Calling All Workers
BBC Concert Orchestra/Adrian Boult Orpheus with His Lute; Who Is
Sylvia?; It Was a Lover and His Lass Richard Edgar-Wilson (tenor), Eugene Asti (piano)
At the Dance (Summer Days) London Symphony Orchestra, conductor Charles Mackerras
First Meeting
Michael Ponder (viola), Eugene Asti (piano) Saxo-Rhapsody
Jack Brymer (saxophone),
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, conductor Charles Groves
Knightsbridge March (London Suite) London Philharmonic, conducted by the Composer
By the Sleeping Lagoon; The Three Bears
London Symphony Orchestra, conductor Charles Mackerras
Repeated New Year's Eve 10.45pm

From the Adrian Boult Hall ,
Birmingham Conservatoire.
Pianist Philip Martin plays Liszt's Weinachtsbaum.
ADMISSION: free - no ticket required Doors open at 12.30pm

Susan Sharpe presents more listeners' requests. Discs
ADDRESS: Midweek Choice. BBC Radio 3. Broadcasting House. London W1A 1AA FAX: (0171) [number removed]
E-MAIL: midweek.choice@. bbc.co.uk

Five programmes on nursery rhymes. 3: Hey Diddle Diddle
"The best-known nonsense verse in the language has had a considerable amount of nonsense written about it." according to one Victorian writer. David Holt investigates, with music by the Broadside Band.
Next programme tomorrow 3.40pm

The second of three programmes in which Malcolm Binns plays music by "the father of the pianoforte" and by the younger Beethoven, some of whose music was published in England. Stephen Plaistow talks to
Binns about the relationship between the two composers.
Clementi Piano Sonata in G minor,
Op 34 No 2
Beethoven Piano Sonata in C minor, Op 13 (Pathetique)
Next programme Monday 4pm

In the third of four programmes about comedy performers, Robert Cushman looks at Tony Hancock. Repeat

The third of five programmes in which singers talk to Rodney Milnes about their interpretations of particular operatic roles. Kurt Streit talks about Belmonte in Mozart's
Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, using the recording he made with Cheryl Studer and the Vienna Symphony
Orchestra, conducted by Bruno Weil. Repeat. See also tomorrow 7pm

Female Perspective
Gordon Stewart introduces
Schubert's musical response to the love poetry of two female authors, and the song Delphine, a woman's poignant plea to her young lover, sung by soprano Arleen Auger. Repeat

St Mary's, Rnedon, Northamptonshire In the third of five programmes,
Adrian Jack visits a mid-14th-century church with a remarkable library of very rare books. Guest organist
Martin Baker plays music from the organ's own 300-year history.

Messiah
Hillevi Martinpelto (soprano), Robin Blaze (countertenor), John Mark Ainsley (tenor), John Tomlinson
(bass), BBC National Chorus and Orchestra of Wales, conductor Nicholas Kraemer
Handel Messiah

Christmas Day
Paul and Frank settle down to lunch.
Paul Durcan continues reading his book-length poem that sets out a funny, poignant and often irreverent vision of Christmas.

Movements from Mozart's Serenade in E flat, K375, played by the Netherlands Wind Ensemble. discs

Penny Gore introduces a performance by Bernard d'Ascoli of one of the landmarks of the piano repertoire. Chopin Preludes, Op 28 Producer Nigel Wilkinson Repeated tomorrow 4pm

In the second of six programmes,
Jeremy Nicholas introduces listeners' requests for the finale of Mendelssohn's Piano Trio in C minor, played by Albert Sammons ,
Cedric Sharpe and William Murdoch ; and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf singing Handel's Sweet Bird.
SOUNDING THE CENTURY

Overture: The Storming of Kazan: Ivan's Plea to the Boyars; The
Banquet (Ivan the Terrible); Ballad of an Unknown Boy
Repated from last Wednesday

With Digby Fairweather. The Jacques Loussier Trio play Summer from
Vivaldi's Four Seasons, and music by Bach.

With Donald Macleod.
1.00 Gala Concert To celebrate
Vladimir Ashkenazy 's 60th birthday, with soloists Nigel Kennedy (violin) and Eva Mei (soprano). German
Symphony Orchestra Bach Partita No 3 in E for Solo Violin, BWV1006
(Prelude) Beethoven Violin Concerto in D Rossini Overture: William Tell ;
Fanny's Aria (II Cambiale di
Matrimonio) Donizetti In Questo
Semplice (Betly) Rossini Overture: The Italian Girl in Algiers Bellini Qui la Voce Sua Soave (I Puritani)
2.45 Handel II Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno Laure Aikin (soprano), Yvonne Naef (mezzo), Elisabeth von Magnus (contralto), Scott Weir (tenor), Vienna Concentus
Musicus/Nikolaus Harnoncourt
5.00 Sequence