Unfortunately, an infection has stopped me from progressing on some new reviews.
So in the meantime, allow me to remind you about the beautiful music I’ve written about that you can enjoy in this beautiful season.
I’m not religious at all, but Christmas time in Europe still is a special moment to all of us, and this music will always be intrinsically linked to the smells of gingerbread and the like.
The Nutcracker
Let’s start all the way East: with the Nutcracker, probably the most seasonal ballet by Tchaikovsky. My favorite version remains Rattle, but I’m currently listening to a recent version by Gergiev that I plan to review shortly.
Bach’s Christmas Oratorio
Let’s move on to the all time classic of the period: Bach’s Christmas Oratorio.
I have several favorite versions here, but have yet to check out the recent release of John Butt and the Dunedin Consort, which got good reviews.
Bach’s Christmas Cantatas
Bach also has written some lesser know cantatas for the Christmas period, that are very much worth checking out, particularly in this version.
Händel’s Messiah
Moving from Bach to Händel, the Messiah is the other BIG Christmas work that you really cannot be missing. I’ve been “lazy” and have recommended not only one, but three excellent versions in this previous post.
Christmas Jazz
And finally, if you’re more into Jazz, there is my blog post on my five favorite Christmas Jazz albums.
Wishing all of you a peaceful holiday period!
musicophilesblog - From Keith Jarrett to Johannes Brahms 
What a great selection…will be listening the whole month of December! Thank you…JazzCookie
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Thanks JazzCookie and enjoy!
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Thanks a lot for your wonderful selection. This article appeared on your blog just as I was wondering what to hear. There are so many nice Christmas albums… May I just suggest a couple that you’ve probably know already: Anne Sofie von Otter’s Home for Christmas and Bernard Lallement’s Noëls de France.
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Thanks for your kind words. And actually, I wasn’t aware of either of the albums you’re suggesting, but will make sure to check them out.
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Just wanted to offer for others stopping by, that indeed the Emmanuelle Haim Messiah is pretty special. The approach and tone is spot on. Lots of dynamics and great balance in the ensemble. Capturing period instruments can be challenging in larger ensembles but that is very well done here. Everything shines. Thanks for a making this suggestion Musicophile, really enjoying it.
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Thanks for your feedback. Indeed, we are spoilt in the choice of the right Messiah, but Haïm really does something very special with this well known classic.
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