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WCLV Christmas Festival

Photo credit: Tranakritta saetang/Shutterstock.com

A WCLV tradition continues with the annual CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL starting at noon Christmas Eve and continuing through Christmas Day.  We hope you’ll make this wonderful music part of your family celebration. 

12:00 WCLV CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL; COMPOSERS DATEBOOK with John Zech: Libby Larsen; CLASSICS FOR KIDS with Naomi Lewin: Ralph Vaughan Williams and Classical Music that uses Christmas Carols
Michel Corrette: Symphonie des noëls No. 2 in D (1781)
Patric Standford: A Christmas Carol Symphony (1978)
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Christmas Carols (1912)
Michel-Richard Delalande: Symphonies of Carols (c.1700)

13:00 THE METROPOLITAN OPERA
Humperdinck: Hansel and Gretel  
Conductor: Vladimir Jurowski
Gretel: Christine Schäfer
Hansel: Alice Coote
Gertrude: Rosalind Plowright|
Peter: Alan Held
Witch: Philip Langridge

15:30 WCLV CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL: The Conrad Family presents “The Night Before Christmas”

16:00 WCLV CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL: My Christmas with Bill O’Connell
Michael Praetorius: Lo, How a Rose e’er Blooming 
Redner: O Little Town of Bethlehem
Traditional: For Christ is Born 
Bach: Christmas Oratorio: Break forth, O beauteous heavenly light 
Holst: Christmas Day—Mormon Tabernacle Choir/Richard P. Condie (‘The Spirit of Christmas’)
Vaughan Williams: Hodie: The Oxen—John Shirley-Quirk, baritone; London Symphony/Sir David Willcocks 
Brahms: Ave Maria 
Praetorius: Psallite
Traditional (arr George): Christmas is Here Again—San Francisco Symphony Chorus/Vance George; John Fenstermaker: organ (Delos 3238 ‘Christmas by the Bay’) 
Franz Biebl: Ave Maria—Chanticleer
Charles Ives: A Christmas Carol—Chanticleer 
Mantovani: Christmas Bells 
Traditional: Deck the Halls 
Hairston: Mary’s Boy Child 
Gauntlett: Once in Royal David’s City 
Traditional: While Shepherds Watched 
Traditional: The Holly and the Ivy—Mike Sammes Chorus & Singers; Mantovani & his Orchestra (‘Mantovani’s Christmas Favorites’) 

17:00 THE SCORE with Edmund Stone: A Carol of the Scrooges - An hour-long version of A Christmas Carol, narrated by Edmund Stone, with music from five different film version of the Dickens classic

18:00 WCLV CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL - My Christmas with Mark Satola
Anon: Nowell, Owt of Your Slepe —Boston Camerata/Joel Cohen 
Howells: Three Carol-Anthems—Finzi Singers/Paul Spicer 
Burt: A Christmas Greeting—Tanglewood Festival Chorus; Boston Pops/John Williams
Anon: The Midnight Cry—Boston Camerata/Joel Cohen 
Anon: Sunny Bank—Boston Camerata/Joel Cohen
Anon: Greensleeves (with improvisation)—Boston Camerata/Joel Cohen
Bridge: Sir Roger de Coverley (version for full orchestra)—BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Richard Hickox 
Vaughan Williams: Narration & Song: The Oxen from Hodie—Elizabeth Gale, mezzo; Robert Tear, tenor; Stephen Roberts, baritone; Choristers of St. Paul Cathedral; London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus/Richard Hickox 
Reading: Make We Mere As We May—Boston Camerata/Joel Cohen 
Anon: Gloucestershire Wassail—Boston Camerata/Joel Cohen
(Footlight Parade returns next week at this time)

19:00 SYMPHONY AT SEVEN with John Simna
Victor Hely-Hutchinson: A Carol Symphony (1947)
William Henry Fry: Santa Claus Symphony (1853)

20:00 SATURDAYS FROM SEVERANCE with Robert Conrad - The Cleveland Orchestra, Robert Shaw, conductor; Janice Harsanyi, soprano; Lorne Haywood, soprano; Florence Kopleff, contralto; Seth McCoy, tenor; Thomas Paul, bass baritone; Cleveland Orchestra Chamber Chorus; recorded live in Severance Hall -Archival concert from December 1965
George Frideric Handel:  Messiah

22:30 WCLV CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL: My Christmas with Robert Conrad
Katherine Davis (arr Robert Wendell): The Little Drummer Boy after Ravel’s Bolero – Cincinnati Pops Orchestra/Erich Kunzel 
Howard Blake (arr Bernstein): Walking in the Air – Stephen van Dyke, boy soprano; Cincinnati Pops Orchestra/Erich Kunzel
A Child’s Christmas – Emlyn Williams as Dylan Thomas
James Pierpont: One Horse Open Sleigh – Robert DeCormier Singers 
Vince Guaraldi: Linus and Lucy with Band – Ensemble/Vince Guaraldi
Robert Shaw reads a story from Winnie-the-Pooh 
Benjamin Britten: Selections from ‘A Ceremony of Carols’ – Westminster Abbey Choir/Martin Neary 
Traditional: God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen – Cincinnati Pops/ Erich Kunzel 

23:30 QUIET HOUR with Rob Grier
George Frideric Handel: Messiah: Pastoral Symphony (1741)
John Ireland (arr Russell Gloyd): The Holy Boy (1913)
Henri Büsser: Le sommeil de l'Enfant Jesus (c.1920)
Engelbert Humperdinck: Hansel and Gretel: Children's Prayer (1893)

00:00 FROM THE TOP with Christopher O’Riley and America's finest young musicians; recorded July 9, 2015  -
From the Bravo! Vail Festival in Vail, Colorado, this week’s From the Top features one of the top training orchestras in the United States: The National Repertory Orchestra. We’ll enjoy the youthful energy of this ensemble in performances of the music of Falla and Poulenc. Also, a gifted teenage violinist from Washington State shares the moving story of how music transformed her from a completely emotionally shut-down child to a vivacious leader in her youth orchestra.
17-year-old violinist Mira Yamamoto from Seattle, Washington, performs Caprice Basque, Op. 24, by Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1908), with pianist Christopher O’Riley.
16-year-old pianist Youlan Ji from Beijing and New York, New York, performs Études-Tableaux, Op. 33, No. 6 in E-flat minor and No. 8 in G minor by Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943).
17-year-old cellist Lisa Strauss from Paris, France, performs "Les ombres de Giverny" for Solo Cello by Philippe Hersant (b. 1948).
The National Repertory Orchestra, conducted by Carl Topilow, performs Danza Final from The Three Cornered Hat by Manuel de Falla (1876-1946).
The National Repertory Orchestra, conducted by Carl Topilow, performs the third movement, Finale (Allegro molto), from Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra in D minor, FP 61, by Francis Poulenc (1899-1963), featuring pianists Anne-Marie McDermott and Christopher O’Riley.

01:00 CHICAGO SYMPHONY with Lisa Simeone – Bernard Labadie, conductor; Lydia Teuscher, soprano; Allyson McHardy, mezzo-soprano; Jeremy Ovenden, tenor; Kyle Ketelsen, bass-baritone; Chicago Symphony Chorus, Duain Wolfe chorus director
George Frideric Handel: Messiah

03:00 NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC with Alec Baldwin - Alan Gilbert, conductor; Celena Shafer, soprano; Nancy Maultsby, mezzo-soprano; Kurt Streit, tenor; Jonathan Lemalu, bass-baritone; Westminster Symphonic Choir
George Frideric Handel: Messiah

05:00 MILLENNIUM OF MUSIC with Robert Aubry Davis: An English Christmas - New seasonal music from The Sixteen, the Choir of Clare College Cambridge, and the Mellstock Band and Choir

06:00 MUSICA SACRA
Johann Sebastian Bach: Christmas Oratorio: Part 3 BWV 248 (1734)

06:30 MUSIC AND THE SPOKEN WORD with Lloyd Newell & the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

07:00 PIPEDREAMS with Michael Barone: On Christmas Day - Whether with carols or noels, anthems or improvisations, these musicians proclaim holiday cheer!
HERBERT SUMSION: 4 Carol Preludes (Adeste fidelis; Coventry Carol; The Holly and the Ivy; Unto us is born a son)  Jane Watts (1877 Lewis/Wellington Cathedral, New Zealand) Priory
PATRICK HADLEY: I sing of a maiden. 
BENJAMIN BRITTEN:  A New Year Carol.
ANDREW CARTER:  Angelus ad virginem  Choir of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London/Andrew Carwood, director; Simon Johnson (1970 Mander/St. Giles Cripplegate, London, England)
LOUIS-CLAUDE DAQUIN: Noel en récit en taille (No. 11)  Vincent Boucher (1960 Beckerath/St. Joseph Oratory, Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
GERRE HANCOCK: Personet hodie (improvisation)  Gerre Hancock (1995 Taylor & Boody/St. Thomas Church, New York, NY)
MARK OPSTAD (arr.): Four Old Noëls (Anan auzi las aubados; Noël nouvelet; Dormi, fili, dormi!; Quelle est cette odeur agréable?)  La Maitrise de Toulouse/Mark Opstad, director; William Whitehead (2005 Daldasso/Temple du Salin, Toulouse, France) Regent 470 proclaim holiday cheer!

08:00 WITH HEART AND VOICE with Peter DuBois: A Listener Favorites Christmas Celebration! - You told us about your favorite Christmas carols and anthems, and Peter DuBois has another program devoted to listener favorites. Merry Christmas!  

09:00 WCLV CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL - My Christmas with Jacqueline Gerber
Sinatra/Sanicola/Stanford: Mistletoe and Holly—Frank Sinatra 
J. Marks: Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer--Dean Martin 
H. Martin/TRO, Inc: Christmastime All Over the World--Sammy Davis, Jr 
Ralph Vaughan Williams (arr Eaken Piano Trio): Fantasia on ‘Greensleeves--Eaken Piano Trio
S. Cahn/J. Styne: The Christmas Waltz—Frank Sinatra 
H. Martin: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas--Judy Garland 
Guaraldi: Christmastime is Here--Paul Ferguson Big Band      
Irving Berlin: I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm--Mills Brothers
Tormé & Wells: The Christmas Song-- Mel Tormé
Tormé & Wells (arr G. Puerling): The Christmas Song--Manhattan Transfer & Tony Bennett 
J. Carlton/J. Boothe: Jingle Bell Rock--Bobby Helms 
L Anderson: Sleigh Ride--Eaken Piano Trio 
L. Anderson & M. Parrish: Sleigh Ride--Andrews Sisters 
Lennon/McCartney (vocal arr Johnny Mandel): Goodnight--Manhattan Transfer 

10:00 WCLV CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL - My Christmas with Jim Mehrling
David (arr Knight, Lawson): Born on a New Day--King’s Singers
Pierpont (arr Vosburgh): Spike Jones Jingle Bells--Pittsburgh Symphony Brass
Noel, Shayne (arr Vosburgh): Do You Hear What I Hear?--Pittsburgh Symphony Brass
Trad. (arr Arthur Harris): We Wish You a Merry Christmas—May Festival Chorus; Cincinnati Pops/John Morris Russell 
Trad. (arr Roger Harvey): Coventry Carol--London Brass 
Trad. (arr Robert. Page): Gloucestershire Wassail & Boar’s Head Carol --Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh & River City Brass Band
Robert Page: A Joyous Sound-- Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh & River City Brass Band 
John Frederick Coots (arr George Andrews): Santa Claus is Coming to Town--Northern Lights Orch
Hopkins (arr. J.R. Baker): We Three Kings / Nocturne--Jeffrey Reid Baker
Bagdasarian (arr Mitch Farber): The Chipmunk Song--Northern Lights Orch.
Satie (arr J.R. Baker): First Noel / Gymnopédie--Jeffrey Reid Baker 
Trad: (arr Roger Harvey): Gabriel’s Message--London Brass 
Trad: Still, Still, Still--Musica Sacra 
John Rutter: Shepherd’s Pipe Carol--London Brass 
Trad (arr Robert Russell Bennett: Good Christian Men Rejoice, O Sanctissima, Joy to the World, I Saw Three Ships, Deck the Halls--Robert Shaw Chorale 
Pierpont (arr Vosburgh): Spike Jones Jingle Bells--Pittsburgh Symphony.Brass 

11:00 WCLV CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL - My Christmas with Angela Mitchell
Hector Berlioz:  L'Enfance du Christ: The Shepherds' Farewell--Andrew Carwood St. Paul's Cathedral Choir; Simon Johnson, organ 
Benjamin Britten: A Ceremony of Carols Op 28--Martin Neary/Westminster Abbey Choir; Aline Brewer, harp
Victor Hely-Hutchinson:  A Carol Symphony--Gavin Sutherland/City of Prague Philharmonic 

12:00 WCLV CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL - My Christmas with Jenny Northern
Isaac Watts: Joy to the World -- Julie Andrews, Firestone Orchestra and Chorus/Andre Previn 
John Rutter:  What Sweeter Music -- The Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia
Vince Guaraldi:  Christmas Time is Here -- Vince Guaraldi Trio and Glenn Mendelson’s Sixth Grade Class 
G.F. Handel:  Messiah (selections) -- Apollo’s Fire, Apollo’s Singers, Amanda Forsyth 
Morten Lauridsen:  O magnum mysterium - - Voces8 
Leroy Anderson:  Sleigh Ride -- Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi 
Thad Jones and Alec Wilder:  A Child Is Born -- Maureen McGovern
Ned Rorem: While All Things Were In Quiet Silence - - The New York Concert Singers, Judith Clurman
Bach/Gounod:  Ave Maria -- Arturo Delmoni and Friends 
Traditional arr: Overton:  Past Three O’clock -- James Galway, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Singers 
John Henry Hopkins arr: Ian Anderson:  We Five Kings -- Jethro Tull 
Maria Schneider/Ted Kooser: Perfectly Still This Solstice Morning -- Dawn Upshaw, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Maria Schneider 
Adolph Adam (arr Stevan Pasero): O Holy Night -- Stevan Pasero, Michael Ludwig, Brad White,  Anna Maria Mendietta
Hugh Martin: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas -- Mel Tormé 
Leslie Bricusse:  Sing a Christmas Carol 

13:00 WCLV CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL: Hodie
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Christmas Cantata ‘Hodie’ (1954)

14:00 WCLV CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL- My Christmas with Rob Grier
George Frideric Handel: Excerpts from ‘Messiah’--Kaaren Erickson & Sylvia McNair, sops; Alfreda Hodgson, mezzo; John Humphrey, ten; Richard Stiwell,bar; Layton James, harpsichord; Atlanta Symphony & Chamber Chorus/Robert Shaw 
Peter Tchaikovsky: Selections from the Nutcracker Suite Op 71a—Cleveland Orchestra/Lorin Maazel
Peter Tchaikovsky (arr Ellington/Strayhorn): Selections from the Nutcracker Suite--Duke Ellington Band/Ellington 

15:00 WCLV CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL - My Christmas with Bill O’Connell
Michael Praetorius: Lo, How a Rose e’er Blooming 
Redner: O Little Town of Bethlehem
Traditional: For Christ is Born 
Bach: Christmas Oratorio: Break forth, O beauteous heavenly light 
Holst: Christmas Day—Mormon Tabernacle Choir/Richard P. Condie (‘The Spirit of Christmas’)
Vaughan Williams: Hodie: The Oxen—John Shirley-Quirk, baritone; London Symphony/Sir David Willcocks 
Brahms: Ave Maria 
Praetorius: Psallite
Traditional (arr George): Christmas is Here Again—San Francisco Symphony Chorus/Vance George; John Fenstermaker: organ (Delos 3238 ‘Christmas by the Bay’) 
Franz Biebl: Ave Maria—Chanticleer
Charles Ives: A Christmas Carol—Chanticleer 
Mantovani: Christmas Bells 
Traditional: Deck the Halls 
Hairston: Mary’s Boy Child 
Gauntlett: Once in Royal David’s City 
Traditional: While Shepherds Watched 
Traditional: The Holly and the Ivy—Mike Sammes Chorus & Singers; Mantovani & his Orchestra (‘Mantovani’s Christmas Favorites’) 

16:00 THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA ON THE RADIO with Robert Conrad - Robert Page, conductor; Cleveland Orchestra Chorus – In memory of Robert Page, Cleveland Orchestra Chorus Director and Associate Conductor, who died on August 7, 2016, we present a Christmas Festival Concert conducted by him in 1981.

HARRIS: We wish You a Merry Christmas
arr BROWN: Oh, come All Ye Faithful
arr BENNETT: Twelve Days of Christmas
KODALY: Christmas Dance of the Shepherds
arr WILLCOCKS: Hark the Herald Angels Sing
arr HARRIS: O come, O come Emanuel
BRITTEN: A Hymn to the Virgin
BACH: To Jesu, so Sweet
arr BROHN: Fantasia on It came on a Midnight Clear
INTERMISSION: Todd Wilson performing on the Norton Memorial Organ: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen; Fum, Fum Fum; Pastoral Dance on Christmas Night; WIDOR: Organ Symphony No. 5: Toccata
SWEELINCK: Hodie, Christus Natus Est
PAGE: There Once was a Star
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Fantasia on Christmas Carols
arr: HARRIS:  O, Tannenbaum
arr RUTTER: King Jesus has a Garden
PAGE/JENNINGS:  Gifts of Love
arr HARRIS:  Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem
HOVHANESS:  Prayer of St. Gregory
ARGENTO:  Peace on Earth
SAMSON:  Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men
HANDEL: Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus

18:00 WCLV CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL DINNER CLASSICS with Bill O’Connell
Peter Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker: Act 2 Op 71 (1892)
Ottorino Respighi: Ancient Airs Suite No. 3: Siciliana (1931)
Traditional (arr Hershy Kay): Patapan Franz Liszt: Christmas Tree: In dulci jubilo (1876)

19:00 A FESTIVAL OF NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS 2016 - A music and spoken-word broadcast from the chapel of King's College in Cambridge, England with the 30-voice King's College Choir performing the legendary Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols service of Biblical readings and music, hosted by Michael Barone

21:00 INNOVATIONS with Mark Satola - featuring works by Cleveland area composers, presented in cooperation with the Cleveland Composers’ Guild
Nikola Resanovich: Sonata for Flute and Piano (2001)  George Pope, flute; Eric Charnofsky, piano 
H. Leslie Adams: Etudes Part II, nos. 6–11  Thomas Otten, piano 
Jack Gallagher: Quiet Reflections (1996)  London Symphony Orchestra/JoAnn Falletta, cond.

22:00 WCLV CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL - My Christmas with John Simna
Giovanni Gabrieli: Sonata pian' e forte-- National Brass Ensemble 
Johann Sebastian Bach: Cantata No.191 ‘Gloria in excelsis Deo’--Bethlehem Bach Festival Orch/Greg
Funfgeld: Julia Doyle, soprano; Benjamin Butterfield, tenor; Bach Choir of Bethlehem
Johann Christoph Pez: Concerto Pastorale in F major--Bernard Labadie, Les Violons du Roy
John Rutter: Five Meditations for Orchestra--John Rutter, Royal Philharmonic

23:00 QUIET HOUR with Rob Grier
Franz Biebl: Ave Maria (1964)
Ottorino Respighi: Three Botticelli Pictures: Adoration of the Magi (1927)
Traditional: Wexford Carol
Robert Parsons: Ave Maria (c.1565)
Pietro A. Yon (arr Stephen Bulla): Gesu Bambino (1917)
Morten Lauridsen (arr Feza Zweifel): O magnum mysterium (1994)
Christopher Rouse: Karolju: Finale 'Italian' (1991)