Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Classical Music: Sunday 22 December
How has Christmas shaped classical music, or is it classical music that has shaped Christmas?
Tonight, Catherine Bott presents a selection of heartwarming Christmas music spanning five centuries and asks the question 'How has Christmas shaped classical music?' or vice versa.
The show starts with a movement from the 16th century mass Puer Natus est Nobis – Unto Us a Boy is Born - by Thomas Tallis. There's also music from Schutz's The Christmas Story, Bach's Christmas Oratorio ‘Jauchzet, frohlocket’, and an unusual version of O come all ye faithful.
Rarely heard works in Catherine's selection also include the Czech Christmas Mass written by Jakub Jan Ryba in 1796, the little-known but lovely Christmas Oratorio by Saint-Saens, and her all-time favourite recording of Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols.
