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Three Hours of Classical Sparkle

Sarah Walker with three hours of classical music to reflect, restore and refresh, whether you’re putting up your Christmas decorations or relaxing with a mince pie.

Sarah Walker with three hours of classical music to reflect, restore and refresh.

Today Sarah embraces the season with a snowy orchestral suite, frosty writing for violin, and a take on Carlo Collodi's tale of Pinocchio.

There’s a festive feel to the show, with a setting of little drummer boy, a Christmas song from Eastern Europe by Erno Dohnanyi, and peaceful music by John Tavener. And Sarah's Choral Reflection reflects upon the time of year too.

Plus, a very English ride on a winter sleigh…

A Tandem Production for BBC Radio 3

3 hours

Last on

Sun 14 Dec 202509:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Jean Sibelius

    Karelia Suite, Op 11 (1st mvt, Intermezzo)

    Conductor: Okko Kamu. Orchestra: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).

  • Johann Stamitz

    Symphony in D major, Op 4 No 2, 'Symphonie pastorale'

    Orchestra: Kammerorchester Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Conductor: Hartmut Haenchen.
    • Christmas Concertos - Kammerochestrer Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 22.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Sonata No 29 in B flat major, Op 106, 'Hammerklavier' (2nd mvt, Scherzo)

    Performer: Mitsuko Uchida.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd.

  • Carl Maria von Weber

    Clarinet Concerto No 2 in E flat major, Op 74, J 118 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Martin Fröst. Conductor: Jean‐Jacques Kantorow. Orchestra: Tapiola Sinfonietta.
    • BIS.

  • Frederick Delius

    Three Small Tone Poems (No 2, 'Winter Night / Sleigh Ride')

    Conductor: David Lloyd‐Jones. Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
    • Naxos.

  • Gustav Holst

    Four Old English Carols, H82 (No 3, 'Jesu, Thou the Virgin-born')

    Ensemble: Onyx Brass.
    • Resonus Limited.

  • Pérotin

    Viderunt omnes

    Ensemble: The Hilliard Ensemble.
    • Perotin and the Ars Antiqua.
    • Coro.
    • 4.

  • Benjamin Britten

    Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op. 33a: No. 3, Moonlight

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: André Previn.
    • Warner Classics.

  • Caroline Shaw

    Plan & Elevation (No 5, 'The Beech Tree')

    Ensemble: Attacca Quartet.
    • New Amsterdam/Nonesuch.

  • Edward Elgar

    Cockaigne Overture, 'In London Town', Op 40

    Conductor: Vasily Petrenko. Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • ONYX.

  • Erno Dohnanyi

    Pastorale

    Performer: Martin Roscoe.
    • Decca (UMO).

  • Jan Sandström

    Es ist ein Ros Entsprungen

    Choir: Vox Bona. Conductor: Karin Freist-Wissing.
    • Ludger Bockenhoff.

  • Carl Nielsen

    Drømmen om "Glade jul", FS 34

    Performer: Christina Bjorkoe.
    • From Forte to Piano: A Christmas Instrumental Journey.
    • CPO.
    • 112.

  • Trad.

    Ding Dong Merrily on High

    Music Arranger: Charles Wood. Ensemble: VOCES8.
    • Christmas.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 601.

  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Violin Concerto No 1 in D Major (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Janine Jansen. Orchestra: Oslo Philharmonic. Conductor: Klaus Mäkelä.
    • Sibelius: Violin Concerto; Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1.
    • DECCA.
    • 5.

  • Ottorino Respighi

    Bergamasca (Ancient Airs and Dances Suite no.2)

    Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Seiji Ozawa.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Galina Grigorjeva

    Salve regina

    Choir: Theatre of Voices. Choir: Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. Ensemble: YXUS Ensemble. Conductor: Paul Hillier.
    • Ondine.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Symphony No 8 in D minor

    Conductor: Andrew Manze. Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • Onyx Classics.

  • Rebecca Dale

    Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

    Choir: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • SIGNUM.

  • Edvard Grieg

    Holberg Suite, Op 40 (3rd mvt, 'Gavotte')

    Performer: Ivana Gavrić.
    • Throwback to Dance.
    • Signum Records.
    • 3.

  • Alexander Litvinovsky

    Pinocchio (No 11, 'La Fata dai Capelli Turchini')

    Performer: Anna Ignatova. Conductor: Pavel Lyubomudrov. Orchestra: Metamorphose String Orchestra.
    • Halidon.

  • Katherine K. Davis

    Lille gutten med trommen (Little Drummer Boy)

    Music Arranger: Knut Nærum. Choir: Norwegian Student Choral Society. Conductor: Marit Tøndel Bodsberg Weyde.
    • I signet juletid.
    • Lawo Classics.
    • 9.

  • Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

    The Snow Maiden Suite

    Conductor: Kees Bakels. Orchestra: Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • BIS.

  • Franz Liszt

    Carillon (Weihnachstbaum)

    Performer: Alfred Brendel.
    • Franz Liszt: The Christmas Tree: Alfred Brendel.
    • Philips.
    • 6.

  • John Tavener

    A Hymn to the Mother of God

    Choir: The Temple Church Choir. Choir: Holst Singers. Conductor: Stephen Layton.
    • The John Tavener Collection.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd.
    • 7.

Broadcast

  • Sun 14 Dec 202509:00
    BBC Radio 3