Classical Christmas aka Let Mariah Carey Rest for Goodness Sake! (& Recommendations of an Unnamed Musician)
- thefearlessfrock
- Dec 9, 2024
- 4 min read
Okay, to be fair, there is charm in the familiarity with which Carey can find anyone anywhere at Christmastime. It seems to me she manifests as a glittery ghost, not a swirl of fog but a swirl of glittery chaos, a force that can crawl into a room under a door, any time. And call me crazy, but I love that for us - not even for her - because Christmas is here and I like over-the-top things. Why not let us go extra once a year?
With all this being said, there are other things you can listen to at Christmas time, not just our dear Mariah - I made a short list piled from personal favourites and recommendations of a professional musician.
This list will be a Classical Music List - even if you don't listen listening to classical music, give them a chance, who knows? Your soul might find a new kind of rest. Yes, Classical music can do that for you.
1.) BBC iPlayer
Although I don't live in the UK, one of the best things I picked up there was BBC iPlayer: a completely free and ad-free application for the BBC radio channels. It's very easy to use with a wide variety of choices - I mainly listen to BBC3, which is the classical music channel, and occasionally to BBC4, which is the cultural, literary and arts one (in my understanding). Obviously, you need an internet connection to listen to it, but BBC (3, especially) is perfect for setting a festive mood with its ever-rolling charm - be it for the spotlight or supporting your 'chores day' as a comforting Christmassy background noise.
You need to imagine the app like this:
And yes, they do have podcasts as well - my favourite one is called Empire of Tea and covers Britain's history with tea (the good, the bad and the ugly).
BBC3 plays mainly classical music but also has programs on jazz, world music and more experimental genres. They also play movie soundtracks.
You can listen to BBC online: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcthree
Or you can download the app here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=bbc.iplayer.android&hl=en&pli=1
And now, onto the specific music recommendations:
2.) A Guy I Really Like: Poulenc
A Very Short Note on him: Francis Poulenc was a French composer (born in 1899 - died in 1963), as I know already very successful during his lifetime. He composed a lot of different things, but the one area in which I've encountered him the most was his choral music. O Magnum Mysterium, like many (if not all 20th-century pieces), loves a bit of spice, a bit of dissonance (just to a comfortable level), but remains mainly on the heart-moving road of sanctuary peace. (To be fair, many 20th-century pieces love dissonance to a very uncanny level - but not this work of his, so no worries). I remember singing O Magnum Mysterium when I was still part of a choir and the effect it had on me: it washed me over. Now, after having found the following lovely recording of the Dutch Nederlands Kamerkoor, I'm incredibly grateful this feeling has managed to stay with me all these years, and that listening to O Magnum Mysterium brings the same awe.
Its Latin lyrics celebrate the newborn Lord, but even without understanding the words, I think you'll have an idea of the magic it depicts.
Read about the piece (and find the English translation of the Latin text here):
And listen to Nederlands Kamerkoor's singing it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYaoSUhUBU0
3.) Bach and His Not Exactly Christmassy Piece: Magnificat
Bach doesn't really need an introduction, he is a master, The Master, according to many. Magnificat - according to the Netherlands Bach Society (look, the Netherlands going strong again!) - expresses God's overwhelming justice with much power. I would believe anything the Netherlands Bach Society tells me. I think you should too.
Magnificat - maybe due to its festive nature - is often played around Christmas time.
Read about the piece on the Netherlands Bach Society: https://www.bachvereniging.nl/en/bwv/bwv-243
And listen to it on YouTube (also in the delivery of the Netherlands Bach Society): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsUWG2axB3w
And last but absolutely not least:
4.) Schütz: Christmas Oratorio - (A Guy I Really Don't Know Much About)
Schütz was a German composer born in Köstritz, in 1585, and died in Dresden in 1672 (so, he lived in the area of what we know to be Germany today). His Christmas Oratorio has soloists, instruments and choral parts (the latter - as a former member of a choir - is what moves my heart to its brim)
It is the most traditionally Christmassy piece on this list - but a somewhat lesser-known one, if I'm not wrong.
Well, this was my micro-list. A short list - I told you. A short albeit genuine one, one that I hope will bring joy to you. Schütz and Bach can be great choices if you gravitate towards more traditional, baroque classical music - and their slowly floating but balanced beauty - over the Poulenc-ish slightly more experimental modern approach. And BBC Radio Three is perfect if you need ever-rolling festive background noise composed of movie soundtracks, classics, world music and occasional chit-chatting. If I'm being honest - and I am, why wouldn't I be? - this Christmas season, I've been falling mainly under the latter category. My mind is overtaken by thoughts and I'm incapable of settling in anything - in a deep way. BBC manages to keep me festive nevertheless. And how grateful I am for that!
Enjoy the music, Everyone! Hugs from the Fearless Frock.
Talk to you soon.:)
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