YourClassical MPR’s live broadcast of 'A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols' from King's College, Cambridge, with host Michael Barone, has ended and on-demand audio is no longer available. Join us on Christmas Eve 2025 for another unforgettable service.

You may still download the Order of Service for the 2024 program below.

Since 1918, A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols has offered listeners an opportunity to share in a live, worldwide Christmas Eve broadcast of a service of biblical readings, carols and related seasonal classical music. This special event is presented by the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, one of the world’s foremost choirs of men and boys, and performed in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue, the college’s 500-year-old chapel.

This year's national broadcast of A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is made possible by generous support from the Hognander Family Foundation.

Program

Here is the Order of Service for this year’s program, including this PDF booklet.

PDF: A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 2024 - Order of Service

Order of Service

• Processional: “Once in Royal David's City”

• Bidding Prayer (read by the dean)

• Sussex Carol (arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams)

• First lesson: Genesis 3, vv. 8-19 (read by a chorister)

• “Adam Lay Ybounden” (Matthew Martin)

• Second lesson: Genesis 22, vv. 15-19 (read by a college student)

• “Nowell, Nowell, Nowell” (Elizabeth Maconchy)

• Third lesson: Isaiah 9, vv. 2, 6-7 (read by a member of college staff)

• “A Great and Mighty Wonder” (arr. James Whitbourn)

• “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear”

• Fourth lesson: Isaiah 11, vv. 1-9 (read by the master over the choristers)

• “The Lamb” (John Tavener)

• “Gabriel’s Message” (arr. David Willcocks)

• Fifth lesson: Luke 1, vv. 26-38 (read by a fellow)

• “Ave Regina Caelorum” (Orlandus Lassus)

• “Nativity Carol” (John Rutter)

• Sixth lesson: Luke 2, vv. 1-7 (read by the mayor of Cambridge)

• “Hereford Carol” (arr. Christopher Robinson)

• “While Shepherds Watched”

• Seventh lesson: Luke 2, vv. 8-20 (read by the director of music)

• “Three Points of Light” (Grayston Ives) - 2024 commission *

• “I Saw Three Ships” (Simon Preston)

• Eighth lesson: Matthew 2, vv. 1-12 (read by the vice-provost)

• “Lullay, Dear Jesus” (arr. Arnold Bax)

• “Benedicamus Domino” (Peter Warlock)

• Ninth lesson: John 1, vv. 1-14 (read by the provost)

• “O Come, All Ye Faithful” (arr. Willcocks/Daniel Hyde)

• Blessing

• “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” (Felix Mendelssohn, arr. Willcocks)

Organ voluntaries

• In Dulci Jubilo (Johann Sebastian Bach)

• Finale from Symphony No. 6 (Louis Vierne)

Credits

• Rev. Stephen Cherry, dean

• Daniel Hyde, director of music

• Rev. Mary Kells, chaplain

• Harrison Cole, assisting organist

* A new work has been commissioned for the Christmas Eve service every year since 1983, and this year Grayston Ives has set a poem by Peter Cairns, a choral scholar at King's in the 1960s — “Three Points of Light.” The composer says: “The Star in the East is well known as an integral part of the Christmas story. But the poem extends that idea of light: the shepherd's fire and the glow from the inn. It conjures a compelling picture of the birth of Jesus, viewed from an unusual angle. The music aims to reflect the atmosphere of that scene: the cold, the stillness, the drama and the joy.”

Enjoy seasonal favorites and a variety of Christmas and Hanukkah programs. Here is a day-by-day guide to all of our special holiday programming for the 2024 season, from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve.

Seasonal specials are presented on YourClassical MPR's stations and stream.

Programs — on-air and online

Listen to these programs on YourClassical MPR stations and online at the following times. Linked titles go to more information and on-demand audio (when available) to listen to the program at any time.

This listing will be updated regularly throughout the season with links and audio as they become available, so check back often.

All times are central.

Nov. 27, 6 p.m. — Every Good Thing: Giving thanks and celebrating the gift of music. Hosted by Andrea Blain.

Nov. 27, 7 p.m. — Songs of Thanks: The acclaimed octet Cantus weaves together stories and songs celebrating gratitude and community.

Nov. 28, 10 a.m. — Songs of Thanks (encore; see Nov. 27).

Nov. 28, 11 a.m. — Every Good Thing (encore; see Nov. 27).

Dec. 1, 6 p.m. — All Is Bright: An hourlong program of contemplative choral and solo vocal music of the season. Hosted by Lynne Warfel.

Dec. 3, 7 p.m. — Welcome Christmas: VocalEssence, one of the world's premier choral ensembles, presents traditional carols and new discoveries, including the world premiere of three Latvian carols by composer Ēriks Ešenvalds. Hosted by Bonnie North.

Dec. 4, 7 p.m. — Christmas at Luther: Love, the Rose, Is on the Way: Each December, the Center for Faith and Life at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, rings out with the sacred and the exuberant sounds of the Christmas season. Enjoy this 2023 program.

Dec. 8, 3 p.m. — St. Olaf Christmas Festival (live): The college in Northfield, Minnesota, presents one of the nation's most treasured holiday celebrations. This year’s event, Our Hope for Years to Come, will be livestreamed on YourClassical.org and aired on YourClassical MPR. Hosted by Valerie Kahler.

Dec. 9, 7 p.m. — St. Olaf Christmas Festival: Celebrating 150 Years of St. Olaf College: For one and a half centuries, St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, has been a hub of connections, knowledge and growth. And for more than a century, the St. Olaf Christmas Festival has been a cherished part of that history. Join us as we celebrate that legacy. Hosted by Valerie Kahler.

Dec. 10, 7 p.m. — Carols, Customs and Candlelight: A Celtic Christmas Celebration: Many Christmas songs and carols come from places like Ireland, Scotland, Brittany and other Celtic nations. Explore music and customs that have roots in ancient winter celebrations and traditional Christmas festivals. Hosted by Andrea Blain.

Dec. 11, 7 p.m. — Chanticleer Christmas: Holiday favorites presented live by the superb 12-man ensemble known as "an orchestra of voices," with a centuries-spanning program ranging from Renaissance masterworks to roof-raising spirituals. (Encore from 2023.) Hosted by Steve Staruch.

Dec. 12, 7 p.m. — Carols as Home: A holiday special featuring the Grammy-nominated quintet Imani Winds. Hosted by members of Imani Winds.

Dec. 16, 7 p.m. — Welcome Christmas (encore; see Dec. 3).

Dec. 17, 7 p.m. — Christmas with Cantus: The vocal ensemble Cantus weaves together three holiday stories with time-honored carols and new classics. Hosted by Melissa Ousley.

Dec 18, 7 p.m. — Carols, Customs and Candlelight: A Celtic Christmas Celebration (encore; see Dec. 10).

Dec. 19, 7 p.m. — YourClassical Christmas Favorites: Listen to the top Christmas songs, as ranked by listeners. Hosted by Tom Crann and Valerie Kahler.

Dec. 20, 7 p.m. — In Winter’s Glow: A special featuring music to celebrate the winter solstice, with a program chosen especially to complement the chilly, starry nights of the season. Hosted by Steve Seel.

Dec. 21, 7 p.m. — St. Olaf Christmas Festival: Celebrating 150 Years of St. Olaf College (encore; see Dec. 9).

Dec. 22, 2 p.m. — St. Paul Chamber Orchestra Performs Messiah (live): The SPCO will be joined by an all-star roster of vocal soloists and renowned vocal ensemble the Singers in what is sure to be a wonderful performance of Handel’s master work. Hosted by Steve Seel. On-demand audio will not be available for this program.

Dec. 23, 7 p.m. — Christmas with Cantus (encore; see Dec. 17).

Dec. 24, 9 a.m. — A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols: A time-honored service of biblical readings, carols and seasonal classical music, from King's College, Cambridge, England. The live broadcast is followed by an encore on Christmas Eve, with on-demand audio available here for 30 days afterward. Hosted by Michael Barone.

Dec. 24, 7 p.m. — A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols (encore).

Dec. 25, noon — YourClassical Christmas Favorites (encore; see Dec. 19).

Dec. 26, 7 p.m. — Candles Burning Brightly: A one-hour celebration of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, which runs Dec. 25-Jan. 2. Hosted by Mindy Ratner.

Dec. 29, 7 p.m. — Candles Burning Brightly (encore; see Dec. 26).

Dec. 30, 7 p.m. — In Winter’s Glow (encore; see Dec. 20).

Jan. 1, 2 p.m. — New Year’s Celebration with the Minnesota Orchestra (live): Swing into 2025 with William Eddins and the Minnesota Orchestra, as they perform George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and George Antheil’s Jazz Symphony, along with the brilliant pianist Jon Kimura Parker. Hosted by Melissa Ousley.

Jan. 1, 4 p.m. — Vienna New Year’s Day Special: Usher in the new year with conductor Riccardo Muti and the world-famous Vienna Philharmonic. Listen live at 4 p.m. on Jan. 1 on YourClassical MPR. On-demand audio will not be available for this program.

Programs — online

Enjoy encore presentations of these popular holiday specials from the past now, with on-demand audio.

Anticipation and Celebration: Advent With the Montserrat Boy Choir: One of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious boys’ choirs is captured live in its Midwest premiere at the majestic Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis. Hosted by Steve Staruch.

Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square: A celebration featuring a 360-voice choir, a 150-piece orchestra and a 32-member bell choir.

Echoes of Christmas – A Dale Warland Special: A holiday program featuring the legendary choir leader. Hosted by Steve Staruch.

Giving Thanks: A 25th-anniversary, contemporary celebration of spirit of gratitude. Hosted by John Birge.

Hollywood Holiday: A musical retrospective of our most-cherished Christmas-themed movies.

Hygge Holiday: A mix of wintry and nostalgic classical pieces designed to accompany listeners as they enjoy cozy wintertime activities. Hosted by Elena See.

A Soulful Christmas: An uplifting holiday special that features Black music and composers.

We Stand on Top of the Mountain: A Kwanzaa Celebration: A musical tribute to the Dec. 26-Jan. 1 holiday in which we celebrate African-American culture. Hosted by Jeffrey Yelverton.

We have a variety of Christmas and other classical specials for the holiday season, from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day. Listen to them any time that's convenient using this comprehensive listing.

Holiday specials are posted throughout the season, so bookmark this page and keep checking back to see if your favorite is listed. Looking for the holiday programming schedule or for more information about these programs? Click below.

Thanksgiving

LISTEN — Every Good Thing

LISTEN — Song of Thanks with Cantus

LISTEN — Giving Thanks 25th Anniversary

Hanukkah

LISTEN — Candles Burning Brightly

Christmas

LISTEN — A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

LISTEN — All is Bright

LISTEN — Welcome Christmas

LISTEN — Christmas at Luther: Love, the Rose, Is on the Way

LISTEN — St. Olaf Christmas Festival: Celebrating 150 Years of St. Olaf College

LISTEN — Carols, Customs and Candlelight: A Celtic Christmas Celebration

LISTEN — Chanticleer Christmas

LISTEN — Carols as Home with the Imani Winds

LISTEN — Tales of Christmas with Cantus

LISTEN — Anticipation and Celebration: Advent With the Montserrat Boy Choir

LISTEN — Christmas at Luther: Love, the Rose, Is on the Way

LISTEN — Christmas With Cantus

LISTEN — Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

LISTEN — Echoes of Christmas – A Dale Warland Special

LISTEN — Hollywood Holiday

LISTEN — Hygge Holiday

LISTEN — In Winter’s Glow – A Solstice Special

LISTEN — A Soulful Christmas

LISTEN — St. Olaf Christmas Festival 2023

Kwanzaa

LISTEN — We Stand on Top of the Mountain: A Kwanzaa Celebration

You ranked your favorite holiday tunes. Now, they’ve been compiled into YourClassical Christmas Favorites, hosted by Tom Crann and Valerie Kahler. Listen now!

Support for YourClassical Christmas Favorites is provided by Bachman’s Holiday Headquarters and Crooners Supper Club.

Playlist

Traditional: “O Come All Ye Faithful“ (David Cherwien, org./cond.; National Lutheran Choir )

Guaraldi: “Christmas Time Is Here“ (Vince Guaraldi Trio)

Susa: “Carols and Lullabies“ (VocalEssence; Philip Brunelle, cond.)

Adam: “O Holy Night“ (Choir of King's College, Cambridge; Stephen Cleobury, cond.)

Traditional: “O Come, O Come Emmanuel“ (Robert Shaw Chamber Singers; Robert Shaw, cond.)

Gruber: “Silent Night“ (Bryn Terfel, bass; Welsh National Opera Orchestra; Tecwyn Evans, cond.)

Handel: “Joy to the World“ (Voces8; Voces8 Foundation Choir; Voces8 Foundation Orchestra; Barnaby Smith, cond.)

Lauridsen: “O Magnum Mysterium“ (Los Angeles Master Chorale; Paul Salamunovich, cond.)

Praetorius: (arr. Sandstrom; orch. Amundson): “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming“ (St. Olaf Orchestra; Chung Park, cond.)

Holst: “In the Bleak Midwinter“ (MDR Radio Chorus Leipzig; Philipp Ahmann, cond.)

Berger: “Brazilian Psalm“ (St. Olaf Choir; Anton Armstrong, cond.)

Mendelssohn: “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing“ (Christopher Herrick, organ; Westminster Choir; Simon Preston, cond.

Traditional: “Coventry Carol“ (Pro Arte Singers; Paul Hillier, cond.)

Leontovich: “Carol of the Bells“ (the Sixteen; Harry Christophers, cond.)

Editor's note: On-demand audio for this year’s St. Olaf Christmas Festival, which was aired live on Dec. 8, is not available. On-demand audio for YourClassical MPR’s 150th-anniversary celebration of St. Olaf College, along with a playlist, is expected to be added Dec. 9.

For one and a half centuries, St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, has been a hub of connections, knowledge and growth. And for more than a century, the St. Olaf Christmas Festival has been a cherished part of that history. Join us as we celebrate their legacy.

Started in 1912 by F. Melius Christiansen, founder of the St. Olaf College Music Department, the St. Olaf Christmas Festival includes hymns, carols, choral works and orchestral selections celebrating the Nativity. It has grown over the years to feature the St. Olaf Choir, the St. Olaf Orchestra, the St. Olaf Cantorei, the St. Olaf Chapel Choir, the Manitou Singers and the Viking Chorus, performing as individual groups and as a massed ensemble.

Sponsors

Radio broadcasts of the St. Olaf Christmas Festival are made possible as a gift to the community by Tad and Cindy Piper.

Video is produced through the generosity and support of St. Olaf's sponsors:

Paul and Margot Grangaard

David and Cynthia Hill

The Mark and Laura Johnson Family

Tim and Jan Maudlin with gratitude for the Lutheran Center for Faith, Values and Community

The Tomson Family Foundation

A new, delightful hour for everyone to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Lights! Hosted by Mindy Ratner, Candles Burning Brightly features lots of music from Jewish communities worldwide, a hilarious lesson on preparing a classic Hanukkah dish, and a timeless and touching holiday story that brings light into every home.

Playlist

• Judith Clurman and David Chase: Chanukah Joy and Peace (Hebrew/English) — Essential Voices USA; Judith Clurman, conductor; Alan Kay, clarinet; Eliana Razzino Yang, cello; Jack Coen, piano

• Solomon Golub, arr. Zalmen Mlotek: Borukh Ate zingt der Tate (Yiddish) — Essential Voices USA; Judith Clurman, conductor

• Traditional, arr. Ger van Leeuwen: Hadlokas Haneir (Blessings for Kindling the Light) (Hebrew) — Cantor Hans Bloemendal; Choir of Netherlands Jewish Main Synagogue Amsterdam; Ger van Leeuwen, conductor

• Theodore Bikel reads The Lost Menorah by Howard Schwartz from Adam’s Soul: The Collected Tales of Howard Schwartz (published 1992 by Jason Aronson; now out of print); used with the kind permission of the author

• Traditional, arr. Zavel Zilberts: Haneros Haluli — The Knights; Eric Jacobsen, conductor

• Traditional: Haneyros Halalu — Lissa Schneckenburger, violin; Hankus Netsky, piano

• Robert Applebaum: Haneirot Halalu (Hebrew/English) — Chicago a cappella; John William Trotter, conductor

• Jay Ungar: Lights of Chanukah (English) — The Jay Ungar & Molly Mason Family Band; University of Mary Washington Philharmonic Orchestra; Kevin P. Bartram, conductor

• Flory Jagoda, arr. Steve Barnett: Ocho Candelikas (Ladino) — Chanticleer and Chanticleer Holiday Orchestra; Joseph Jennings, conductor

Break

• Traditional: Kitaltas (Ladino) — Theodore Bikel; Elizabeth Parvin; George Kirby; members of the New England Conservatory Jewish Music Ensemble; Hankus Netsky, conductor

• Chasia Segal: Latke Cooking Demonstration

• Flory Jagoda: Hanuka (Ladino) — Voice of the Turtle

• Traditional, arr. Ger van Leeuwen: Moôs Tzur (Hebrew) — Cantor Hans Bloemendal; Choir and Instrumental Ensemble of Netherlands Jewish Main Synagogue Amsterdam; Ger van Leeuwen, conductor

• Traditional (Italian): Maoz Tzur (Hebrew) — Zamir Chorale of Boston; Joshua Jacobson, conductor

• Traditional, arr. Benedetto Marcello: Maoz Tzur (Hebrew) — Zamir Chorale of Boston; Joshua Jacobson, conductor

• Hugo C Adler: Maoz Tzur (Hebrew) — Zamir Chorale of Boston; Joshua Jacobson, cond

• Traditional, arr. Steve Barnett: S’vivon (Hebrew) — New England Conservatory Chorus; Tamara Brooks, conductor

• Abe Ellstein and Moishe Oysher, arr. Abe Ellstein, Joshua Jacobson and Hankus Netsky: Drey Dreydele (Yiddish) — Cantor Morton Shames; New England Conservatory Chorus; New England Conservatory Jewish Music Ensemble

• Traditional, arr. Zavel Zilberts: Haneros Haluli — The Knights; Eric Jacobsen, conductor

Menorahs/Chanukiot (Hebrew)

The candelabrum is a central object in the observance of Chanukah because the holiday is all about light! But what this item is called can be the source of friendly debate. It's common in the United States to refer to the candelabrum used at Chanukah as a menorah. Technically, it is... but a menorah can have any number of branches, while the menorah used at Chanukah – called a chanukia (plural: chanukiot) – has branches for eight candles, plus one for the shamash, the "helper” that is used to light the rest of the candles. The candles should never be extinguished, but should be allowed to burn down by themselves.

Mindy writes about a special menorah

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Dreidels

The dreidel is a four-sided spinning top used for a little low-level gambling game played at Hanukkah.

The sides of the dreidel show the Hebrew letters נ (nun), ℷ (gimel), ה (hei) and ש (shin), which stand for the words "nes gadol haya sham" — meaning, "A great miracle happened there."

So what's at stake? Pennies, or nuts-in-the-shell, or small pieces of chocolate.

Learn how to play.

See more on dreidels in the photos below.

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More music for Hanukkah

Enjoy these additional features and stories to enhance your experience of Candles Burning Brightly®.

1. 8 songs for 8 nights: Music for Hanukkah

2. Harpist Sunita Staneslow plays 'Ocho Candelikas'

3. Itzhak Perlman's Chanukah Radio Party

In Christmas With Cantus, the vocal ensemble weaves together holiday stories with time-honored carols and new classics. Blending narration and song, the program features Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and Christine Lê’s The Hawai’i Snowman, alongside Mark Twain’s A Letter from Santa Claus, offering an opportunity to reflect on the meaning and joy of the holiday season.

Playlist

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

• God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen arranged by Sandra Eithun

• The Mirthful Heart by Abbie Betinis

• Threads of Joy by Dale Trumbore

• Wassail arranged by Erick Lichte

• Love Came Down at Christmas by David Dickau 

• Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Hugh Martin; arranged by Stacey V. Gibbs

• Salve Regina (Hail, Holy Queen) by Cesar Carrillo

• Joy to the World by George Frideric Handel; arranged by Reginald Bowens

• Thankful Heart by Paul Williams

A Letter from Santa Claus by Mark Twain

• Man in the Moon by Chris Foss

Short Excerpt from The Hawai’i Snowman by Christine Lê

• Mele Kalikimaka by R. Alex Anderson

Comedy and tragedy intertwine in this St. Paul Chamber Orchestra program of theatrical music including Ludwig van Beethoven’s dramatic Coriolan Overture and Felix Mendelssohn’s lighthearted music for William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Also on the program, Haydn’s Il Distratto Symphony repurposes music from a comedic play about a gentleman so absent-minded he nearly forgets his own wedding! Listen to the concert now.

Program

St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
Andrew Brady, creative lead
Cassie Pilgrim, English horn *

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN: Coriolan Overture
FELIX MENDELSSOHN: Nocturne and Scherzo from A Midsummer Night's Dream
JEAN SIBELIUS (ARR. JONATHAN POSTHUMA): “The Swan of Tuonela” No. 2 from Legends *
JOSEPH HAYDN: Symphony No. 60 (Il Distratto)

For more information regarding this concert, please visit the official website.

During Kwanzaa, which runs Dec. 26-Jan. 1, we celebrate African-American culture with composers that have imbued the essence of the Seven Principles in their timeless and joyous music hosted by Jeffrey Yelverton.

Program

Fela Sowande — Music from African Suite for String Orchestra: II. Nostalgia and V. Akinla 

Billy Childs — Two Elements: I. Water performed by The American Brass Quintet

Leonard Brown — “Smile” performed by The Aeolians

Jeffrey Mumford — eight aspects of appreciation performed by The Mann Duo: Nicholas Mann, violin; Robert Mann, viola

Hamza El Din — Escalay: “Waterwheel” performed by Kronos Quartet

Black Violin — Vivaldi: Spring

Jessie Montgomery — Voodoo Dolls

George Walker — Music for Brass, Sacred and Profane: Invokation performed by American Brass Quintet

Each December, the Center for Faith and Life at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, rings out with the sacred and the exuberant: the sounds of the Christmas season. Enjoy the 2023 program, Love, the Rose, Is on the Way.

Playlist

• Taylor Scott Davis: Magnificat anima mea

• Boyd Bacon: Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

• James R. Day: A Spotless Rose

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Regina Coeli K. 276

• Libby Larsen: Natus Est Emmanue

• Emile Desamours: Noél Ayisyen (A Haitian Noël)

• Dave Matthews Arr. Joshua Shank: Christmas Song

• B.E. Boykin: Coventry Carol

• Ulrike Emanuelsson: Arctic Yule

• Zachary J. Moore: Hope

• Elaine Hagenberg: All Praise To Thee

• Traditional Arr. by Dan Forrest: Angels We Have Heard on High

• Ivan Trevino: Make a Joyful Noise

Carols as Home features a modern take on classic Christmas carols, hosted by Imani Winds founding oboist, Toyin Spellman-Diaz. Toyin coaxes intimate stories of Christmas memories from the members of the ensemble, and why these classic carols are still essential today. You’ll hear many of your favorite carols updated with the ensembles’ own imaginative take. Join Imani Winds for an hour of holiday wind instrumental music, including compositions such as Jingle Bells, Let it Snow and Silent Night.

Playlist

• Traditional: Jingle Bells

• Jule Styne: Let it Snow

• Hans Gruber: Silent Night

• Adolphe Adam: Oh Holy Night

• Donny Hathaway: This Christmas

• Mel Torme: The Christmas Song

• Traditional: I Saw Three Ships

• Traditional: Go Tell It On the Mountain

• Vince Guaraldi: Christmas Time is Here

• Mykola Leontovych: Carol of the Bells

• Ralph Blane/Hugh Martin: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Editor’s note: On-demand audio for this program is expected to be added Dec. 3 or soon after.

Celebrate the season with song! Steve Staruch hosts this one-hour program of holiday favorites, new and old, presented live in concert by Chanticleer, the two-time Grammy winning 12-man ensemble known as “an orchestra of voices.” Enjoy this encore of Chanticleer’s 2023 Christmas program.

Playlist

• Gustav Holst Arr. Joseph Jenning: In the Bleak Midwinter

• Arvo Pärt: O Adonai from Sieben Magnificat-Antiphonen

• William Byrd: Vigilate

• John Tavene: Village Wedding

• Henry Gauntlett Arr. Jared Gravele: Once in Royal David’s City

• Traditional French Arr. Adam Brett Ward: Ding Dong! Merrily on High

• Josquin Desprez: O Virgo Virginum

• Vince Guaraldi Arr. Graveley: Skating

• Irving Berlin Arr. Cedric Den: Snow (Arrangement commissioned by Chanticleer in 2023)

• Traditional: Medley of Christmas Spirituals Arr. Joseph H. Jenning:

- Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow

- Behold That Star

- Oh, What a Pretty Little Baby

- Go, Tell It on the Mountain

• Franz Biebl: Ave Maria

In Winter's Glow is a winter solstice program, hosted by Steve Seel. It presents modern classical sounds for the longest night of the year, chosen especially to complement the chilly, starry nights of the season.

Playlist

Jane Antonia Cornish: Sky (excerpt, played under introduction)
Vicky Chow, piano

Traditional: Fastan
Danish String Quartet

Eriks Esenvalds: "Stars"
Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge; Stephen Layton, cond.

Traditional: "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"
Gaelynn Lea, violin

Eydis Evensen: Wandering II
Eydis Evensen, piano

Errollyn Wallen: "Peace on Earth"
Choir of King's College Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury, cond.

Arvo Part: Spiegel im Spiegel
Angele Dubeau, La Pieta

Joanna Marsh: In Winter's House
Tenebrae, Nigel Short, cond.

Jane Antonia Cornish: Lux

Glenn Buhr: Winter Poems: I. Tranquillo"
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Bramwell Tovey, cond.

This year’s annual residency by the Voces8 U.S. Scholars at Minnesota Public Radio attained new heights thanks to a special appearance by Lyyra, a new women’s ensemble. They joined forces to sing the holiday classic “Ding Dong Merrily on High.” Then the Scholars, the U.S.-based training ensemble of the Voces8 Foundation, went solo for a delightful rendition of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentleman.” Watch now!

All Is Bright, with host Lynne Warfel, offers an hour of gorgeous, contemplative choral music that tells the traditional Christmas story with songs about angels, the star and the manger scene. Featured artists include Chanticleer, The Dale Warland Singers, Bryn Terfel, Emma Kirkby, Jessye Norman, and a variety of choirs.

Playlist

• Traditional: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - Robert Shaw Chamber Singers

• Anonymous: Angelus ad Virginem - Voces 8

• Traditional: The Angel Gabriel - Apollo 5

• Arvo Pärt: Magnificat - The Dale Warland Singers

• Michael Praetorius: Quem pastores laudavere (He whom the shepherds praised) – Clare

College Singers

• Francis Poulenc: Quem vidistis pastores dicite (Shepherds, whom did you see) – The Sixteen

• Arr. Stephen Paulus: The Angels and The Shepherds – The Dale Warland Singers

• Traditional: Huron Carol (‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime) – Chanticleer

• John Jacob Niles: I Wonder as I Wander - Emma Kirkby, soprano

• Morten Lauridsen: O Magnum Mysterium - Chamber Choir of Europe

• Christina Rossetti Arr. Gustav Holst: In the Bleak Midwinter – Voces 8

• Traditional Arr. William J. Kirkpatrick: Away in a Manger – Bryn Terfel

• Traditional Arr. Paul Hillier: Behold a Tender Babe – Voce Chamber Choir

• Robert MacGimsey: Sweet Little Jesus Boy - Jessye Norman

The Celtic lands of Northwestern Europe have an especially rich musical heritage, and many Christmas songs and carols come from places like Ireland, Scotland, Brittany and other Celtic nations. Listen as host Andrea Blain explores music and customs that have roots in ancient winter celebrations and traditional Christmas festivals. The music features classical ensembles and soloists like Apollo’s Fire and Bryn Terfel, as well as traditional instruments like harp, fiddle and mandolin. Listen now!

Playlist

• Traditional: A Merry Christmas — Quadriga Consort

• Traditional Arr. Chris Hazell: Tua Bethlehem dre — Bryn Terfel, bass-baritone; Gwawr Edwards, soprano; Only Men Aloud; Welsh National Opera Orchestra; Tecwyn Evans, conductor

• Traditional: A Breton Carol — Nolwenn Monjarret, voice; The Chieftans

• Traditional: Noel Nouvelet — Apollo’s Fire; Jeannette Sorrell, conductor

• Traditional: The Wexford Carol — Choir of Clare College, Cambridge; John Rutter, conductor

• Traditional: The Seven Rejoices of Mary — Anonymous 4; Andrew Lawrence-King, harp

• Traditional: Duan Nollaig — Apollo’s Fire; Jeannette Sorrell, conductor

• Traditional: Manx Jezebel Carol — Aine Minogue, harp and voice

• Traditional: Can Wassail — Anonymous 4; Andrew Lawrence-King, harp

• Traditional: Sans Day Carol — St. Charles Singers; Jeffrey Hunt, conductor

• Traditional: Suo Gan — Cantus

• Traditional: My Dancing Day — Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band

• Traditional: Huron Carol — Chanticleer

• Traditional Arr. Linda Kachelmeier: We Toast the Days — The Choral Scholars of University College, Dublin; Desmond Early, conductor

• Traditional: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring — Eileen Ivers, violin

• Traditional Arr. Peter Breiner: Deck the Halls — Nicolaus Esterhazy Orchestra; Peter Brainer, conductor

Welcome Christmas is a perennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world's premier choral ensembles, conducted by Philip Brunelle and G. Phillip Shoultz. Join host Bonnie North for an hour of traditional carols and new discoveries, including the world premiere of three beloved Latvian carols by composer Ēriks Ešenvalds.

Playlist

• Robert Wetzler: Fanfare and Processional

• Negro Spiritual Arr. Undine Smith Moore: He Is King of Kings

• Johnathan Dove: Christmas Is Here

• George Shearing: Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind

• Hugo Distler: Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming

• Traditional Arr. Stuart Nicholson: We Three Kings

• Traditional Arr. Walter Pelz: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Audience sing)

• Ily Matthew Maniano: Gloria

• Traditional Arr. Carlos Guastavino: Arroz Con Leche (Rice With Milk)

• Traditional Arr. Naji Hakim: O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree)

• Traditional Arr. Yakiv M. Yatsynevich: Oy, V Yerusalimi (Bells Rang Early in Jerusalem)

• Ēriks Ešenvalds: Three Latvian Yuletide Folksongs (World premiere)

• Traditional Arr. John Rutter: Joy to the World (Audience sing)

• Traditional Arr. Nils Lindberg: We Wish You A Merry Christmas (Audience sing)

Join host Melanie Renate for Lunar Reflections, a program that offers a unique blend of classical music and mindfulness, designed to engage listeners in a deeply immersive musical experience. Each lunar phase is paired with evocative classical works, which help guide listeners through moments of introspection, creativity and renewal. With a rich narrative and a thoughtfully curated soundtrack, this program offers a fresh way to connect with music, nature and emotional wellness. Listen now!

Playlist

Ola Gjeilo: New Moon – Ola Gjeilo, piano

Gabríel Ólafs: Fantasia – Steiney Sigurdardottir, cello; Gabriel Olafs, piano

Arvo Pärt (arr. Kasia Kadłubowska): Fratres – Kasia Kadłubowska, percussion; Dominik Bukowski, vibraphone; Steffen Dix, electronics

Max Richter (arr. Geoff Lawson): On the Nature of Daylight – Voces8

Leopold Godowsky: Borobudur in Moonlight – Carl Petersson, piano

Ludovico Einaudi: Full Moon – Milos Karadaglic, guitar

Ren Guang: Silver Clouds Chasing the Moon – Lydia Maria Bader, piano

Galina Grigorjeva: Nature Morte: The Butterfly – Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir; Paul Hillier, conductor

Dobrinka Tabakova: Nocturne (arranged for violin and piano) – Mari Samuelsen, violin; Julien Quentin, piano

Douwe Eisenga: For Mattia – Lauren Scott, harp

You hear it everywhere around the holidays — in concerts, in churches, in shopping malls. George Frideric Handel’s oratorio Messiah is one of the best-known and most frequently performed choral works, whether it’s Christmas or Easter. There’s much more to it than its greatest hit, the “Hallelujah” chorus.

Handel wrote the work in 1741 (in only 24 days!) based on text from the King James Bible and the Coverdale Psalter, by Handel’s friend Charles Jennens. The composer had already written five oratorios, in keeping with changing public musical tastes, when Jennens sent him the libretto for what would become Messiah.

In a letter to another friend, Jennens wrote: “I hope [Handel] will lay out his whole genius and skill upon it, that the composition may excel all his former compositions, as the subject excels every other subject. The subject is Messiah.”

Behind the music

The extended meditation on the life of Jesus Christ is divided into three parts, a structure that echoes an opera. Each part encompasses scenes and movements in the form of arias, recitatives and choruses, reflecting an amalgam of musical influences (German, French, Italian and English). Although it has a religious theme, Handel wrote the theatrical work for the concert hall, not the church, which contributed to its popularity.

Here are the sections:

• Part I - “Prophecy and Fulfillment”: This includes “Ev’ry Valley Shall Be Exalted,” “And the Glory of the Lord” and “For Unto Us a Child Is Born,” and it incorporates the Old Testament prophet Isaiah foretelling the birth of Jesus.

• Part II - “Suffering”: This concentrates on the Passion and concludes with the triumphant resurrection chorus, the famous “Hallelujah.”

• Part III - “Redemption”: This recounts Paul’s teachings on the resurrection and Christ’s glorification.

Holiday tradition

But let’s back up. Why is “Hallelujah” — an Easter anthem — and the entire work so popular at Christmas?

“By 1900, the Messiah was so closely linked to Easter that people began to expect to hear the oratorio every year,” author Ace Collins writes in Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas. “A performance of the Messiah was the surest way to fill up a church or concert hall.”

He adds that Messiah’s move to Christmas was a marketing ploy: “The large crowds that turned out each Easter to hear the oratorio prompted marketers to rethink the timing of the annual presentation of Handel’s work.”

For a long while, it was a standard for both holidays, but since the 1960s, Messiah has been largely transformed into a Christmas event.

And what about the custom of standing for the “Hallelujah” chorus?

It originates from the story that, at the work’s London premiere in 1743, King George II was so moved that he rose from his seat, obliging the rest of the audience to do the same. However, there is no persuasive evidence that the king attended the first or any subsequent performance. Since reaction to the work was originally modest, this perhaps was always a suspect theory.

But if you attend, you stand, king or no king. As Handel wrote after completing the chorus, “I saw heaven before me and the great God himself.”

Great recordings

Because of Messiah’s history and variations in interpretation, there is no “perfect” recording, but here are a few acclaimed ones to explore.

Hermann Scherchen: The German conductor helmed the first recording based on Handel’s original scoring in 1953, leading the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Choir. That version is out of print but can be found used on CD and vinyl. Here is Part I (featuring Scherchen’s signature drawn-out tempos) recorded in 1959 with the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and Vienna Academy Chamber Choir.

Christopher Hogwood: In 1981, the British conductor led a version with the Academy of Ancient Music that is the first recording to use period instruments and largely vibrato-free voices. The arrangement was based closely on the charitable concerts Handel staged at the London Foundling Hospital in the 1750s.

Stephen Cleobury: Another Brit, he led the Brandenburg Consort and the King’s College Choir in a recording from the Cambridge college’s chapel. The sublime all-male choir is supplemented by soloists Lynne Dawson, Hilary Summers, John Mark Ainsley and Alastair Miles. (Cleobury also was known worldwide for leading the choir in its annual A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, which is broadcast annually in the United States by YourClassical Radio on Christmas Eve, from 1982 until his death in 2019.) Here is “Lift Up Your Gates” from Messiah.

Stephen Layton: The noted British choral conductor’s 2009 recording captured a live performance by Britten Sinfonia, which uses modern instruments played in a historical musical style, and the Polyphony choir. The BBC was inspired to declare: “Layton’s musicians bring an unparalleled freshness to this familiar work, combining power with a delicacy faithful to Handel’s Baroque sensibility.” Here’s “Hallelujah.”

Join Steve Seel for an Easter celebration with the complete performance of George Frideric Handel's sacred oratorio Messiah, with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Led by conductor Patrick Dupré Quigley, an all-star roster of vocal soloists and the renowned vocal ensemble the Singers, led by Matthew Culloton, the concert was recorded live in December at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. Listen now!

Credits

Patrick Dupré Quigley, conductor

Lauren Snouffer, soprano

Clara Osowski, mezzo-soprano

John Matthew Myers, tenor

John Moore, baritone

The Singers — Minnesota Choral Artists, chorus

Matthew Culloton, artistic director

Find out more about the performance through the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra’s digital program book.

The Lunar New Year is known as Chun Jie (Spring Festival) in China, Tet Nguyen Dan in Vietnam and Seollal in Korea.  It’s also celebrated in other countries and cultures, mainly in East Asia.

The Lunar New Year begins on the first new moon of the new year, which means the dates of the holiday vary in relation to the Gregorian calendar. It calls for celebration and togetherness and signifies the beginning of a new sign in the zodiac. Host Mindy Ratner explores the significance of the holiday and the zodiac signs in Spring Moon – A Musical Celebration of the Lunar New Year in celebration of the Year of the Snake, which begins Jan. 29.

To encourage good luck in the new year, new clothes are worn (mainly in red, which is the color of happiness and prosperity), and money is given in red envelopes to help transfer good fortune from older generations to the younger ones. In the street, you can see dragon dances that are meant to scare away monsters and bad luck, and at night you can see fireworks lighting up the sky.

If you want to greet someone during the Lunar New Year, there are a few different ways to do so:

LISTEN — Lunar New Year Greetings (spoken by Eric Romani)

Playlist

• Traditional (China) — Small River Flowing - Yolanda Kondonassis, harp

• SUN Yiqiang — Dance of Spring - LANG Lang, piano

• Traditional (Vietnam) — Elope in Spring - Percussion Group “Phu Dong”; Thang Long, reed pipe

• TAN Dun — Silk Road from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - Yo-Yo MA, cello; Studio Orchestra/TAN Dun, cond

• TAN Dun — To the South from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - Yo-Yo MA, cello; Studio Orchestra/TAN Dun, cond

• GAO Hong — Flying Dragon - GAO Hong, pipa

• Jian-Zhong WANG, arr. Yi-Wen JIANG — Five Yunnan Folk Songs/Dragon Lantern Tune - Shanghai Quartet

• Hu-Wei HUANG, arr. JIANG — Pictures from Bashu - Six Sichuan Folk Songs/Spring in Chengdu Eugenia Zukerman, flute; Shanghai Quartet 

• TAN Dun— Eight Memories in Watercolor, Op. 1 Blue Nun - LANG Lang, piano

• DENG Yuxian — Spring Wind - LANG Lang, piano

• Traditional (Korea) — Chambu Taryong - CHI Young-hee, p’iri; SUNG Keum-yun, changgo

• Traditional (Korea) arr. KIM Hee-jo — Milyang Arirang - KBS Symphony Orchestra; Vakhtang Jordania, cond

• HUANG Hai Hwai, CHEN Rao Xing and SHEN Li Chun, arr. LANG Lang and LANG Guo-ren — Horses - LANG Lang, piano; LANG Guo-ren, erhu

• CHEN Yi — Romance of Hsiao and Ch’in - Beijing New Music Ensemble members

• Traditional (Korea) — Binari/Greeting to Good Luck - Chung Woong Korean Traditional Music Ensemble

• Traditional (China), arr. Xuefei YANG — A Moonlit Night on the Spring River - Xuefei YANG, guitar

• Traditional (China) — Small River Flowing (reprise) - Yolanda Kondonassis, harp

More information

The Lunar New Year

Chun Jie (Spring Festival) — China

Tet Nguyen Dan — Vietnam

Seollal — Korea

The zodiac calendar

‘The Splendid Table’: Lunar New Year food traditions of China, Vietnam and Korea

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Christmas carol season is upon us, and you might feel as if you’re hearing (and maybe singing) the well-loved songs on repeat. And you are right — but at least there’s a little variation in some of your favorites.

Many carols have sprung from languages other than English, leading to possible confusion: Hey, doesn’t “Adeste Fideles” sound just like “O Come, All Ye Faithful”? That’s because it’s the same hymn, sung in Latin.

It’s not the only Christmas favorite that is commonly sung in different languages, but it might be the most common. The carol’s words are commonly attributed to John Francis Wade, an English Catholic living in exile in France in the 18th century. He wrote four verses, all in Latin. Later, French priest Jean-Francois-Etienne Borderies wrote an additional three verses, also in Latin.

The most common English version, “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” was cobbled together from all seven Latin verses by Frederick Oakely and William Thomas Brooke in the mid-19th century.

Here’s “Adeste Fideles” from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus.

And here’s Josh Groban’s English version, with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Here are more examples of dual-language carols.

‘O Tannenbaum’/’O Christmas Tree’

Germany has been the source of many Christmas carols. Ironically, “O Tannenbaum” was not written to celebrate the holiday.

The original lyrics were penned in 1834 by Ernst Anschütz, an organist/composer from Leipzig, and don’t actually refer to Christmas or a decorated tree. “Tannenbaum” is German for “fir tree”; the words praise the tree as an evergreen symbol of faithfulness. (The folk song that Anschütz adapted contrasted the steadfast tree to a faithless maiden.)

After the custom of decorating a tree for Christmas developed later in the 19th century, Anschütz added two verses that were more reflective of the holiday, and the song came to be seen as a Christmas carol. The origins of the most common English translation are nebulous.

Here’s Nat King Cole’s iconic version of “O Tannenbaum.”

And here’s “O Christmas Tree,” by the equally iconic Aretha Franklin.

‘Stille Nacht’/’Silent Night’

This most-recorded carol (in both languages) has its origins in a small Austrian church in the early 19th century. Young priest Joseph Mohr wrote the words as a poem in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars. On Christmas Eve in 1818, he asked local organist Franz Gruber to compose an appropriate melody and guitar accompaniment — on the double, as his church’s organ had been destroyed by flooding and he needed music for that evening’s mass.

It proved a fruitful connection. By the 1840s, “Stille Nacht” was widely performed throughout Europe and had arrived in the United States. Indeed, the English version was devised using three of Mohr’s original six verses in 1859 by John Freeman Young, an Episcopal priest serving New York City’s Trinity Church.

Because of its great popularity, “Stille Nacht” has been translated into 300 languages, but the German and English versions remain by far the most well-known and sung.

The King’s Singers perform “Stille Nacht,” in an arrangement by John Rutter.

And here’s Frank Sinatra’s English version.

‘Es Ist ein Ros Entsprungen’/’Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming’

The “rose springing up” of this German carol represents the Virgin Mary. Because the hymn includes references to the prophecies of Isaiah, foretelling the birth of Jesus, it is widely sung during the season of Advent.

The German text dates from an unknown author in the 15th century and is thought to have been in use in church settings at the time of Martin Luther. The carol was translated into English in 1894 by American musicologist Theodore Baker, who had studied extensively in Leipzig.

The music dates from 1609, attributed to Michael Praetorius. Here is the British ensemble Voces8 with the German version.

Renee Fleming sings the English version with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

‘In Dulci Jubilo’/’Good Christian Men, Rejoice’

The original Latin carol (translated to “In Sweet Rejoicing”) dates from the Middle Ages, thought to be written by German mystic Heinrich Seuse in 1328.

The most common English version was written in 1853 by John Mason Neale, who also contributed “Good King Wenceslas” and “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” to the Christmas carol canon. The title these days is often rendered as “Good Christian Friends” or “Good Christian Folk.” 

Here’s a version that combines the English and Latin lyrics, by the Robert Shaw Chorale.

Here’s an instrumental version (fill in your own words!) by English musician Mike Oldfield:

On Saturday Cinema, I mentioned in passing that my sons, Peter and Joshua, and I had a list of Christmas films we watched in a certain order, a list established by the time they were in middle school. New ones were added over the years and a couple of honorable mentions, but back when the kids lived at home this film fest started Thanksgiving night and ran through Christmas Eve. Movies were big at our house, as you might imagine. (PJs, hot chocolate and cookies required.)

In response to the many listener requests I’ve received, here’s our list, in order:

• Miracle on 34th Street (the original black and white!)

• It's a Wonderful Life

• A Charlie Brown Christmas

• White Christmas

• The Bishop's Wife

• The Preacher's Wife

• The Santa Clause

• How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the animated TV version, with Boris Karloff)

• Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the Ron Howard version with the irrepressible Jim Carrey)

• Scrooged

• Elf

• Home Alone

• A Christmas Story

• Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol

• Christmas Carol (1951 Alastair Sim version)

• Christmas Carol (1999 Patrick Stewart version)

• Christmas Carol (1984 George C. Scott version)

• The Polar Express

The last two are always viewed on Christmas Eve!

• Scrooge (1970 musical with Albert Finney)

• A Muppet Christmas Carol

New in the lineup are two discoveries that the kids introduced to me for recent Christmases:

• The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)

• Klaus (a 2019 Netflix film)

And these three I introduced to the kids this year:

• Remember the Night

• It Happened on 5th Avenue

• The Shop Around the Corner

Join us for Songs of Thanks, an innovative new production by the Minnesota-based vocal ensemble Cantus, presented exclusively by YourClassical MPR. Through their signature narrative programming, these acclaimed performers will weave together stories and songs celebrating gratitude and community. Listen now — and then tell us why you’re thankful (using the form below) so we can include your feedback in next year’s program!

What are you thankful for?

Playlist

• Fiddle Tune by Chris Foss 

• Wankantanhan Hotan’inpe, Traditional, arranged by William Linthicum-Blackhorse 

• El Manisero by Moises Simons 

• Wedding Qawwali by A.R. Rahman 

• Choros No. 3 by Heitor Villa-Lobos 

• Little Potato by Malcolm Daglish 

• That Which Remains by Andrea Ramsey 

• Fatherhood Is by Paul Scholtz 

• Simple Gifts by Joseph Bracket, arranged by Stephen Caracciolo 

• 23rd Psalm (dedicated to my mother) by Bobby McFerrin 

• I Would Live in Your Love by Christopher Harris 

• Canto a Eleggua by Yudelkis Lafuente 

• Feed the Birds from Mary Poppins by Julie Andrews 

• What a Wonderful World by Bob Thiele and George Weiss, arranged by Paul John Rudoi 

Do you have a special Thanksgiving memory that you hold near and dear to your heart? Let us know below how you give thanks! You might be included in next year’s program.

Giving Thanks, hosted by John Birge, celebrated its 25th year on public radio in 2023. Its celebratory show presents the best moments of a quarter century of great guests, including:

• Foodies: Stanley Tucci, Nigella Lawson, Jacques Pepin and Calvin Trillin.
• Writers: Anne Lamott, Adam Gopnik, Julia Sweeney, Anna Quindlen and Deepak Chopra.
• Poets: Billy Collins, Rita Dove, Nikki Giovanni and Ada Limon — plus classic poems read by Patrick Stewart, Bill Moyers and Studs Terkel.
• Musicians: Michael Tilson Thomas, John Rutter and Stephen Hough.
• In memoriam: John Updike, Wendy Wasserstein, Nora Ephron and Rabbi Harold Kushner.

Giving Thanks sounds the way Thanksgiving feels: inviting, warm and festive. There are no clichés about pilgrims and pumpkin pies. Instead, it’s a contemporary, thoughtful celebration of the spirit of the holiday.

For listeners up early in the kitchen, on the road to a family gathering or relaxing after the feast, Giving Thanks provides the perfect atmosphere for Thanksgiving: the warmth of great music and truly memorable words.

Hour 1

• Anne Lamott, 2006

• Adam Gopnik, 2019

• Karl Jenkins: The Shepherd - Polyphony

• Julia Sweeney, 2013

• Johann Sebastian Bach: Aria from Goldberg Variations - Simone Dinerstein, piano

• Deepak Chopra, 2010

• Denny Zeitlin: Hymn - Denny Zeitlin, piano

• Anna Quindlen: A Short Guide to a Happy Life, 2007

• Roy Blount Jr. and Nora Ephron: Pumpkin Pie, 2011

• Jacques Pepin, 2016

• Nigella Lawson, 2010

• Francis Lam: The True Meaning of Turkey, 2017

• Thierry Rougier: Autumn - Xuefei Yang, guitar

• Christopher Kimball, 2015

• Stanley Tucci, 2021

• John Keats: To Autumn - read by Patrick Stewart

• Rita Dove, 2005

• Donald Hall: The Ox-Cart Man, 2004

• Jean Sibelius: The Harvesters - Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra; Leif Segerstam, conductor

• Nikki Giovanni, 2014

• Ted Kooser, 2005

• Ada Limón, 2022

• Joni Mitchell: Both Sides Now - Piano Demo

• Gary Snyder, 2006

• E. E. Cummings: “i thank You God for most this amazing day” - read by Bill Moyers, 1999

Hour 2

• Carl Sandburg: “Happiness” - read by Studs Terkel, 2000

• Rabbi Harold Kushner, 2008

• John Rutter: The Lord Is My Shepherd - Cambridge Singers; John Rutter, conductor

• Alice Sommer Herz, 2014

• John Updike: To a Skylark, 2002

• Ralph Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending - Julia Fischer, violin

• Wendy Wasserstein: Ah, That First Feast In Wild Manhattan, 2003

• Nora Ephron, 2011

• Sir Stephen Hough, 2011

• John Rutter, 2018

• Michael Tilson Thomas, 2020

• Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral): Shepherd’s Hymn of Thanksgiving - English Chamber Orchestra; Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor

• Traditional: Psalm of Life - Jacqueline Schwab, piano

• From Kerouac’s The Dharma Bums, Chartres Cathedral Story; Psalm 104 - read by Charles Laughton

• Traditional (arr. Stephen Paulus): We Gather Together - Dale Warland Singers

Guests and readings

Here are many of the luminaries who have been featured on Giving Thanks over the years. Listen to their comments individually for the first time.

Foodies

Christopher Kimball

Francis Lam

Nigella Lawson

Jacques Pepin

Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Calvin Trillen

Stanley Tucci

Writers

Roy Blount Jr.

Tom Bodett

Katy Butler

Deepak Chopra

Antoine de St. Exupery: Flight to Arras

Michael Feldman

Adam Gopnik

Kevin Kling

Anne Lamott (2002)

Anne Lamott (2006)

Anne Lamott (2013)

Abraham Lincoln: Thanksgiving Proclamation

Anna Quindlen

Julia Sweeney

Poets

Billy Collins

Rita Dove

Dana Gioia

Nikki Giovanni

Ted Kooser

Ada Limon

Bill Moyers reads E. E. Cummings

Naomi Shihab Nye

Gary Snyder

Studs Terkel reads Carl Sandburg

Musicians

Pamela Frank

Stephen Hough

Brooklyn Rider

John Rutter

Michael Tilson Thomas

In memoriam

Maya Angelou

Baxter Black

Nora Ephron

Donald Hall

Bill Holm

Galway Kinnell

Rabbi Harold Kushner

W. S. Merwin

Alice Sommer Herz

John Updike

Wendy Wasserstein

‘Giving Thanks’ archive

Here are the full two-hour versions of every Giving Thanks episode from the past 25 years.

2022 - Playlist

2021 - Playlist

2020 - Playlist

2019 - Playlist

2018 - Playlist

2017 - Playlist

2016 - Playlist

2015 - Playlist

2014 - Playlist

2013 - Playlist

2012 - Playlist

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

Franz Schubert’s “Ave Maria” is one of the most recognizable pieces of classical music, played in church services, at weddings and during funerals. But how did it become so ubiquitous — and so beloved?

Schubert composed the music in 1825 as part of his seven-song opus Liederzyklus vom Fräulein vom See, based on Walter Scott’s poem “The Lady of the Lake.” The opening words of “Ellen’s Third Song” are “Ave Maria” (Latin for “Hail Mary”), which likely led to its adaptation as a setting for the Catholic prayer of that name. The words were paired so frequently with Schubert’s melody that a misconception has arisen that he wrote the music specifically as a setting for the prayer.

Indeed, “Ave Maria” has become indelibly associated with religious rites and other solemn occasions. But it also has been used to create a mood in many movies, including Young Frankenstein, A Bronx Tale and The Batman.

Perhaps the most famous movie appearance, one that hugely increased the work’s popularity, was its use in Disney’s 1940 animated film Fantasia. “Ave Maria” was connected almost seamlessly at the end of Modest Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, sending ghosts to the grave and ushering in a procession of monks.

Because of its simplicity and majesty, “Ave Maria” has been recorded by many legendary singers. Enjoy these examples of a few of the most iconic.

Luciano Pavarotti

Here the legendary singer is joined by the Los Angeles Music Center Opera Chorus and the L.A. Philharmonic.

Andrea Bocelli

The singer is accompanied by frequent collaborator David Foster.

Barbara Bonney

This recording by the American soprano often is misattributed to the great Maria Callas.

Celine Dion

The Canadian singer released this delicate version in 2015.

Barbra Streisand

The piece is included on many Christmas albums, including one by the superstar.

Josh Groban

The singer also included “Ave Maria” on a Christmas compilation.

Frank Sinatra

Even Old Blue Eyes got into the act.

How much do you know about Christmas carols? Test your knowledge of the songs in our quiz. Then rank them and others in the YourClassical Christmas Favorites poll by Nov. 22!

On Thanksgiving, host Andrea Blain and classical music fans from all around the country take time to give thanks and celebrate one of life's most meaningful gifts: music. It's Every Good Thing — an hour of stories and music to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Playlist

Karl Jenkins: The Armed Man: Benedictus – Daniel Hope, violin; German Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Simon Halsey.

Johann Sebastian Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I: Prelude and fugue No. 1 in C major, BWV 846 – Gustav Leonhardt, harpsichord

Fritz Kreisler: Liebesleid (Love’s Sorrow) – Pinchas Zukerman, violin

Johann Strauss Jr.: By the Beautiful Blue Danube – Vienna Philharmonic; Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Antonio Gomezanda: Lagos: Interior – Alan Marks, piano; Berlin Symphony Orchestra; Jorge Velazco, conductor

Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 15 (Pastoral) – Jonathan Biss, piano

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 8 – Minnesota Orchestra; Osmo Vänskä, conductor

Aaron Copland: Simple Gifts – Zuill Bailey, cello

Jay Ungar: Thanksgiving Watlz – Jay Ungar, fiddle; Molly Mason, guitar

Hector Berlioz: Corsair: Overture – Boston Symphony Orchestra; Charles Munch, conductor

Gioachino Rossini, arr. Spike Jones: William Tell Overture – Spike Jones and His City Slickers

Edvard Grieg: Piano Concerto – Leif Ove Andsnes, piano; Berlin Philharmonic; Mariss Jansons, conductor

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 – New York Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, conductor

Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition – Vienna Philharmonic; Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

Karl Jenkins: The Armed Man: Benedictus – Daniel Hope, violin; German Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Simon Halsey.