{"id":7222,"date":"2021-11-08T13:24:05","date_gmt":"2021-11-08T12:24:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/?p=132825"},"modified":"2021-11-08T13:40:08","modified_gmt":"2021-11-08T12:40:08","slug":"the-best-christmas-music-programmes-on-bbc-radio-and-tv-this-year","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/rss_feed\/the-best-christmas-music-programmes-on-bbc-radio-and-tv-this-year\/","title":{"rendered":"The best Christmas music programmes on BBC Radio and TV this year"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Freya Parr\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Monday, 08 November 2021 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

As the Christmas season approaches, get your calendar out and jot down a few of the BBC\u2019s upcoming festive highlights. Some, like the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, will be familiar to BBC listeners the world over. Others, however, are new offerings \u2013 and should help get you geared up for the festive period. Dust off that radio, dig out the TV remote from under the sofa, and enjoy!<\/strong><\/p>\n

The best Christmas TV and radio on the BBC this year<\/h2>\n
St John\u2019s Advent Carol Service<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Following its traditional four-section format, anticipating the festive season ahead, the Advent service from the Chapel of St John\u2019s College, Cambridge will include readings, prayers and music, led by Andrew Nethsingha.<\/p>\n
St John\u2019s College, Cambridge recently made headlines when it announced that it would be the first college choir of its kind to invite girls and women to join<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n
Read reviews of St John\u2019s College, Cambridge recordings here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n
28 November, 3pm<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>Music Matters: West Side Story<\/strong><\/h3>\nTo tie in with the release of <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/guide-2021-remake-west-side-story\/"\">Steven Spielberg\u2019s Hollywood remake of West Side Story<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, Music Matters <\/em>looks at the cultural relevance of the o<a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/west-side-story-our-guide-to-bernsteins-original-1957-musical\/"\">riginal 1961 film<\/strong><\/a>, which also celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. Tom Service and Kate Molleson will explore how the film adaptations of Bernstein\u2019s hit musical resonate in the world today.<\/p>\nFind out more about the <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/guide-2021-remake-west-side-story\/"\">2021 remake of\u00a0West Side Story\u00a0<\/em>here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\nFind out more about the <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/west-side-story-our-guide-to-bernsteins-original-1957-musical\/"\">original 1957<\/a> West Side Story <\/em>Broadway musical here<\/strong>.<\/p>\n4 December, 11.45am<\/strong><\/p>\n<iframe title=\""Steven\" spielberg=\"\" side=\"\" story=\"\" official=\"\" trailer=\"\" century=\"\" studios=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""113"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/A5GJLwWiYSg?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/hallelujah-story-handel-s-messiah\/"\">Handel\u2019s Messiah<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nThe BBC National Orchestra of Wales and conductor John Butt kick off the festivities with one of the season\u2019s best-loved choral works. They will be joined by a stellar line-up of soloists including Helen Charlston, one of Radio 3\u2019s latest intake of New Generation Artists.<\/p>\nWe name the <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/recordings\/best-recordings-handel-s-messiah\/"\">best recordings of Handel\u2019s\u00a0Messiah\u00a0<\/em>here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n16 December, 7.30pm<\/strong><\/p>\n<iframe title=\""Handel\" messiah=\"\" stephen=\"\" cleobury=\"\" academy=\"\" of=\"\" ancient=\"\" music=\"\" the=\"\" choir=\"\" king=\"\" college=\"\" cambridge=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""113"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TAaqIAEPgP8?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n<h3>Venice between the Bells<\/strong><\/h3>\nFollow the canals and alleyways of Venice in this episode of Slow Radio<\/em>, tracing a day in the bustling city with its 107 bell towers. Bookending the programme will be the deep, resonant sounds of the bells of the Marangona in St Mark\u2019s Basilica.<\/p>\n19 December, 10.30pm<\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>Breakfast Carol Competition<\/strong><\/h3>\nAmateur composers have been invited to set the words to Christina Rosetti\u2019s seasonal poem Love Came Down At Christmas<\/em> to a <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/radio-3s-breakfast-carol-competition-opens-up-to-all-musical-styles-for-the-first-time\/"\">new carol in any musical style<\/strong><\/a>. Six shortlisted entries will be turned into fully arranged carols, with the help of composer and choral director Ken Burton. These will then be performed live by the BBC Singers on the Breakfast programme on 15 December. The winner will be announced on 22 December.<\/p>\n22 December, 6am<\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>Classical Christmas with the <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/artists\/who-are-the-members-of-the-kanneh-mason-family\/"\">Kanneh-Masons<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\nWe join the <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/artists\/who-are-the-members-of-the-kanneh-mason-family\/"\">Kanneh-Mason family<\/strong><\/a> as they prepare for their traditional Anglo-Afrocaribbean Christmas at home in Nottingham. The seven string instrument-playing siblings will perform together and unwrap presents ahead of the festivities.<\/p>\nFind out more about the <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/artists\/who-are-the-members-of-the-kanneh-mason-family\/"\">Kanneh-Mason siblings here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\nBBC Two, date and time TBC<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<iframe title=\""Redemption\" song=\"\" kanneh-mason=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""113"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/k_LmRcr8Mm4?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n<h3><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/what-is-the-festival-of-nine-lessons-and-carols\/"\">A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nAfter the choristers of King\u2019s College, Cambridge were forced to record their famous service to an empty chapel last year, they now hope to return with a live congregation.<\/p>\nBBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service: 24 December, 3pm; BBC Radio 3: 25 December, 1pm<\/strong><\/p>\n<iframe title=\""A\" festival=\"\" of=\"\" nine=\"\" lessons=\"\" and=\"\" carols=\"\" king=\"\" college=\"\" cambridge=\"\" audio=\"\" only=\"\" full=\"\" version=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""113"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4zjWOSY_xIw?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n<h3><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/horatio-clare-takes-on-the-four-highest-peaks-in-the-uk-for-this-years-christmas-walk-on-bbc-radio-3\/"\">Four Peaks Sound Walks<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/horatio-clare-takes-on-the-four-highest-peaks-in-the-uk-for-this-years-christmas-walk-on-bbc-radio-3\/"\">Horatio Clare returns to Radio 3 for his annual Christmas walk<\/strong><\/a>, this time climbing the four highest peaks of the four UK nations: Ben Nevis in Scotland, Slieve Donard in Northern Ireland, Scafell Pike in England and Snowdon in Wales. As well as the sounds of birds, wind and descriptions of the landscape, there will be music by Bach, Jan\u00e1\u010dek, \u00d3lafur Arnalds, Sibelius and Richard Strauss.<\/p>\nFind out more about <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/horatio-clare-takes-on-the-four-highest-peaks-in-the-uk-for-this-years-christmas-walk-on-bbc-radio-3\/"\">Horatio Clare\u2019s Four Peaks Sound Walks here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n25-29 December, 4pm<\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>Opera on 3 Christmas Special<\/strong><\/h3>\nThere\u2019s a dose of deliciously dark comedy in the Royal Opera House\u2019s acclaimed production of <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/how-hansel-and-gretel-became-the-first-opera-to-be-shown-on-television\/"\">H\u00e4nsel and Gretel<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, starring Diana Damrau and Angelika Kirchschlager. With Humperdinck\u2019s catchy folk songs and lush orchestrations, this will be the perfect way to see out Christmas Day.<\/p>\n25 December, 6.30pm<\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>Gareth Malone\u2019s Christmas Concert<\/strong><\/h3>\nIn 2019, choirmaster Gareth Malone hitched up at Watford General Hospital to host a concert for patients, staff and families. This year, he pays tribute to NHS staff in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, visiting two places badly affected by the virus: Blackburn and Bolton.<\/p>\nBBC Two, date and time TBC<\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/jacqueline-wilson-to-bring-her-characters-to-life-in-concert-with-bbc-symphony-orchestra\/"\">Jacqueline Wilson\u2019s Wonderful World<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\nThe much-loved children\u2019s author <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/jacqueline-wilson-to-bring-her-characters-to-life-in-concert-with-bbc-symphony-orchestra\/"\">Jacqueline Wilson and the actors from her CBBC adaptations come together with the BBC Symphony Orchestra for a special family concert<\/strong><\/a> this Christmas. This multimedia spectacular will see the orchestra playing works by Rautavaara, Stravinsky, Mason Bates and Anna Clyne that help bring Wilson\u2019s characters to life.<\/p>\n31 December, 7.30pm<\/strong><\/p><\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Freya Parr Published: Monday, 08 November 2021 at 12:00 am As the Christmas season approaches, get your calendar out and jot down a few of the BBC\u2019s upcoming festive highlights. Some, like the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, will be familiar to BBC listeners the world over. Others, however, are new offerings \u2013 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":7223,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"4"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/11\/the-best-christmas-music-programmes-on-bbc-radio-and-tv-this-year.jpg",1200,675,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/11\/the-best-christmas-music-programmes-on-bbc-radio-and-tv-this-year-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/11\/the-best-christmas-music-programmes-on-bbc-radio-and-tv-this-year-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/11\/the-best-christmas-music-programmes-on-bbc-radio-and-tv-this-year-768x432.jpg",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/11\/the-best-christmas-music-programmes-on-bbc-radio-and-tv-this-year-1024x576.jpg",800,450,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/11\/the-best-christmas-music-programmes-on-bbc-radio-and-tv-this-year.jpg",1200,675,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/11\/the-best-christmas-music-programmes-on-bbc-radio-and-tv-this-year.jpg",1200,675,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Freya Parr Published: Monday, 08 November 2021 at 12:00 am As the Christmas season approaches, get your calendar out and jot down a few of the BBC\u2019s upcoming festive highlights. Some, like the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, will be familiar to BBC listeners the world over. 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