{"id":7324,"date":"2021-11-16T12:30:52","date_gmt":"2021-11-16T11:30:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/?p=122783"},"modified":"2021-11-16T12:48:19","modified_gmt":"2021-11-16T11:48:19","slug":"the-best-christmas-classical-music-albums-and-recordings","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/rss_feed\/the-best-christmas-classical-music-albums-and-recordings\/","title":{"rendered":"The best Christmas classical music albums and recordings"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

Published: Tuesday, 16 November 2021 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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The\u00a0BBC Music Magazine\u00a0<\/em>team gets hundreds of recordings passed across our desks every month \u2013 and Christmas is no different. Sometimes, it can be an overwhelmingly large offering, so we\u2019ve rounded up a few of our personal favourites from recent years. If you click through to the next page, you\u2019ll find the best new recordings hitting your shelves this Christmas.<\/p>\n

The best Christmas classical music albums and recordings<\/h2>\n

Be All Merry<\/h3>\n

The Choral Scholars of University College Dublin, Irish Chamber Orchestra\/Desmond Earley<\/strong>Signum SIGCD643<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Choral Scholars of University College, Dublin recently marked their 20th anniversary, and Be All Merry is a celebration of the high standards they have reached under founding artistic director Desmond Earley. The recording mixes interesting arrangements of familiar tunes with contemporary works, including haunting Irish-language settings by Fionnt\u00e1n \u00d3 Cearbhaill and Adhamhn\u00e1n Mac Domhnaill. No fewer than half the choir\u2019s two-dozen members step out for solos, revealing the in-depth quality of Earley\u2019s singers. The glowing tonal blend that he elicits is a constant pleasure, and there\u2019s a real emotional connection in the performances.<\/p>\n

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Alpha & O: Music for Advent and Christmas<\/h3>\n

The Choirs of St Catharine\u2019s College, Cambridge\/Edward Wickham<\/strong>Resonus RES10268<\/strong><\/p>\n

The O Antiphons of English composer Christopher Fox were first performed complete by the Choir of St Catharine\u2019s College, Cambridge in March this year, and recorded a few days later. They form the centrepiece of Alpha & O, a disc which also includes music by Judith Weir, Diana Burrell and Jeremy Thurlow. Each of Fox\u2019s seven antiphons is preceded by the relevant Gregorian chant, setting the harmonic daring of Fox\u2019s harmonic language in sharp juxtaposition. Some of the tight intervals test the choir, but Edward Wickham\u2019s astute direction secures generally convincing results.<\/p>\n