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Christophe Rousset talks Handel's Messiah

French harpsichordist and conductor Christophe Rousset joins Tom to talk all things Messiah.

Tom Service with guests, stories and the perfect classical soundtrack for the weekend.

Baroque's hot ticket, conductor and harpsichordist Christophe Rousset joins Tom to talk all things Messiah ahead of a run of performances with the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists. He also discusses his recent album "Baroque Christmas", featuring music by Marc-Antoine Charpentier who blends French folk carols with sacred music in his "Messe de Minuit".

Tom chats to musicians Eliza Carthy and Jon Boden as they take their wassail tour around the country, performing seasonal and traditional songs, telling Christmas tales and spreading good cheer! They talk about the history of wassailing, how they find the repertoire and the importance of singing together. Plus they perform an impromptu festive song to get us in the spirit.

We catch up with organ builder and restorer Martin Renshaw as he delves into the pipework and woodwork of his latest project and hear about the current situation with church pipe organs around the country which are in danger of falling silent or being scrapped.

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3 hours

Last on

Sat 13 Dec 202509:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Concerto in A major TWV.53:A2 (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Verità Baroque.
    • The German Album.
    • Evil Penguin.
    • 5.

  • Hugo Distler

    Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen Op.10

    Choir: Choir of Keble College, Oxford. Conductor: Matthew Martin.
    • CRD Records.

  • Philip Lane

    Gloucestershire Wassail (Wassail Dances)

    Orchestra: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Gavin Sutherland.
    • Hely-Hutchinson: A Carol Symphony: City of Prague Phil, Sutherland.
    • Naxos.
    • 13.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    String Octet in E flat major (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: Belcea Quartet. Ensemble: Quatuor Ébène.
    • Erato.

  • Francis Poulenc

    Sinfonietta (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Orchestre national de Lille. Conductor: Alexandre Bloch.
    • Poulenc: La voix humaine.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 24.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Overture (Cuban Nutcracker Suite)

    Music Arranger: Yuniet Lombida. Music Arranger: Joshua Davis. Performer: Sarah Willis. Ensemble: The Sarahbanda.
    • Cuban Christmas.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 4.

  • Michel Corrette

    Quand Dieu naquit à Noël

    Choir: Maîtrise de Radio France. Ensemble: Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien. Conductor: François Lazarevitch. Conductor: Sofi Jeannin.
    • Noël baroque.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 5.

  • Frédéric Chopin

    2 Nocturnes Op.27 (no.1 in C sharp minor)

    Performer: Jeneba Kanneh‐Mason.
    • Fantasie.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 5.

  • Giacomo Puccini

    Un Bel di vedremo (Madama Butterfly)

    Singer: Marina Rebeka. Orchestra: Wrocław Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Marco Boemi.
    • Essence.
    • Prima Classic.
    • 1.

  • Eleanor Alberga

    Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Celebration Dance)

    Orchestra: The Taliesin Orchestra. Conductor: Peter Ash.
    • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Roald Dahl).
    • Orchid Classics.
    • 20.

  • Trad.

    Coventry Carol

    Music Arranger: Tim Allhoff. Performer: Anastasia Kobekina. Performer: Jean-Sélim Abdelmoula.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Piano Concerto no.3 in D minor Op.30 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Daniil Trifonov. Orchestra: The Philadelphia Orchestra. Conductor: Yannick Nézet‐Séguin.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Edu Lobo

    Beatriz

    Composer: Chico Buarque. Music Arranger: Sérgio Assad. Performer: Plínio Fernandes.
    • Saudade.
    • Decca Records US.
    • 3.

  • George Frideric Handel

    For unto us a child is born (Messiah)

    Choir: The English Concert Choir. Orchestra: The English Concert. Conductor: John Nelson.
    • Handel: Messiah, HWV 56.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 4.

  • George Frideric Handel

    I know that my redeemer liveth (Messiah)

    Orchestra: Le Concert Spirituel. Director: Hervé Niquet.
    • Messiah.
    • ALPHA.
    • 1.

  • George Frideric Handel

    For unto us a child is born (Messiah)

    Choir: The English Concert Choir. Orchestra: The English Concert. Conductor: John Nelson.
    • Handel: Messiah, HWV 56.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 18.

  • Marc‐Antoine Charpentier

    Messe de minuit pour Noel H.9 (Agnus Dei)

    Choir: Monteverdi Choir. Orchestra: English Baroque Soloists. Conductor: Christophe Rousset.
    • SDG.

  • Marc‐Antoine Charpentier

    Messe de minuit pour Noel H.9 (Kyrie eleison)

    Choir: Monteverdi Choir. Orchestra: English Baroque Soloists. Conductor: Christophe Rousset.
    • SDG.

  • Marc‐Antoine Charpentier

    In nativitatem Domini canticum H.416 (Gloria in altissimis Deo)

    Choir: Monteverdi Choir. Orchestra: English Baroque Soloists. Conductor: Christophe Rousset.
    • SDG.

  • Dobrinka Tabakova

    Desert Swimmers

    Performer: Joby Burgess.
    • A Percussionist's Songbook.
    • Signum Records.
    • 7.

  • Josef Suk

    String Serenade in E flat major Op.6 (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Jiří Bělohlávek.
    • Chandos.

  • Hans Adolph Brorson

    Mitt hjerte alltid vanker (My Heart Always Wanders)

    Performer: Ragnhild Hemsing. Music Arranger: Ragnhild Hemsing.
    • Berlin Classics.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Organ Concerto no.9 in B flat major Op.7 no.3 (extract)

    Performer: Simon Preston. Orchestra: The English Concert. Conductor: Trevor Pinnock.
    • DG Archiv.
    • 11.

  • Franz Schubert

    Symphony no.8 in B minor D.759 'Unfinished' (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Herbert Blomstedt.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Domenico Scarlatti

    Sonata in D major Kk.430

    Performer: Alexandre Tharaud.
    • Scarlatti : Sonatas: Alexandre Tharaud.
    • Virgin Classics.

  • James McMillan

    Christmas Oratorio (Part 1; Chorus 2)

    Choir: London Philharmonic Choir. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Mark Elder.
    • LPO.

  • Ottorino Respighi

    Ancient airs and dances - suite no.3 (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: CHAARTS Chamber Artists.
    • RCA Red Seal.

  • Eliza Carthy & Jon Boden

    Ashen Bowl

    • Hudson Records.

  • Eliza Carthy & Jon Boden

    The Holy And The Ivy

    • Hudson Records.

  • Shane MacGowan

    Fairytale Of New York

    Composer: Jem Finer. Performer: Eliza Carthy. Performer: Jon Boden.
    • Hudson Records.

  • Gustav Holst

    In The Bleak Midwinter

    Music Arranger: Jon Boden. Ensemble: Brass ensemble.
    • Hudson Records.

  • Jon Boden

    Christmas Bells

    Performer: Eliza Carthy. Performer: Jon Boden.
    • BBC recording.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony no.39 in E flat major K.543 (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphonies 38 - 41 Scottish Chamber Orchestra Sir Charle.
    • Linn.
    • 5.

  • Lorien Testard

    Gustave

    • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Verso's Drafts (Original Soundtrack).
    • Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive/Laced Records.
    • 6.

  • Frank Bridge

    Sir Roger de Coverley - Christmas dance

    Orchestra: BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Richard Hickox.
    • Bridge: Orchestral Works, The Collector's Edition.
    • Chandos.
    • 8.

Broadcast

  • Sat 13 Dec 202509:00
    BBC Radio 3