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At home with Jane Austen

Donald Macleod visits the home of Jane Austen with historian Amanda Vickery to discover some of the seasonal customs and Christmas music of late-Georgian Britain.

Donald Macleod visits the home of Jane Austen with historian Amanda Vickery to discover some of the seasonal customs and Christmas music of late-Georgian Britain.

Today they discuss what Austen’s writings reveal about celebrations at Christmas time, and how her experiences of this time of year were often quite different to our own. Many of the festive traditions we know and enjoy today only arrived in Britain after Austen’s time. We also hear from some of the local composers who provided Christmas music for Britain’s growing community of amateur choirs.

Thomas Clark: While Shepherds Watched
Psalmody
The Parley of Instruments, conducted by Peter Holman

William Matthews: How beauteous are their feet
Claire Tomlin, soprano
Psalmody
The Parley of Instruments, conducted by Peter Holman

Anon: The Holly and the Ivy
The Oxford Waits
The Mellstock Band

Viotti: Violin Concerto No 13 in A Major, I. Allegro brillante
Adelina Oprean, violin
European Union Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Jörg Faerber

Handel: Messiah (extracts from Part 1)
Catherine Wyn-Rogers, mezzo-soprano
Mark Padmore, tenor
The Sixteen, directed by Harry Christophers

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59 minutes

Last on

Mon 22 Dec 202516:00

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Music Played

  • Thomas Clark

    Cranbrook

    Ensemble: Parley of Instruments. Choir: Psalmody. Conductor: Peter Holman.
    • HYPERION.
  • William Matthews

    How beauteous are their feet

    Singer: Claire Tomlin. Orchestra: The Parley of Instruments. Choir: Psalmody. Conductor: Peter Holman.
    • Hyperion: CDA 67443.
    • Hyperion.
    • 12.
  • Anon.

    The Holly and the Ivy

    Choir: Oxford Waits. Ensemble: The Mellstock Band.
    • BEAUTIFUL JO.
  • Giovanni Battista Viotti

    Violin Concerto No 13 in A major (1st mvt)

    Performer: Adelina Oprean. Performer: European Community Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Jörg Faerber.
    • HYPERION : CDA-66210.
    • HYPERION.
    • 4.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Messiah, Part 1 (excerpts)

    Orchestra: Sixteen Orchestra. Conductor: Harry Christophers. Singer: Catherine Wyn-Rogers. Singer: Mark Padmore. Singer: Christopher Purves. Choir: The Sixteen.
    • CORO : COR-1606-2.
    • CORO.
    • 1.

Broadcast

  • Mon 22 Dec 202516:00

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