Large Christmas Works: Part 6: A Working List Modern - Present
Updated Dec. 31, 2023
Editor's Note: This list was originally in one blog post but due to the amount of YouTube videos we embed, the post would take a long time to load on some browsers, so we have divided it into six parts by classical music period. We have kept the same introduction for each post.
Previous Post: Twentieth Century
We spend so much time focusing on Christmas carols on this blog and our social media. The carol is the namesake of our blog. However, I bet composers of larger Christmas works are saying, "What about us?"
About the list
So here is another working list as we attempt to chronicle large Christmas works and medleys. I bet there is an annotated bibliography done by some great scholar hidden in some hidden corner of a university library, I wanted to present not just a list but an audio/video of the piece so that it is readily available for the listener.
Although the three-minute mark is more of a post-advent-of-recording phenomenon, I have used it as our mark for what makes a larger Christmas work. Some pieces are just above and others way above. There are some that are so famous, we had to include them even if they were under three minutes.
As you know, we feature a lot of winter-themed classical music across our social media and blog, but sadly, we will not include them here because it would be an endless list. So, Sergei Prokofiev's Troika's "Sleigh Ride" or even Leopold Morzart's "Sleigh Ride" will not be included. If the winter piece mentions Christmas will be the exception.
About Medleys
I was hesitant to use the various Christmas carol medleys out there, but I think the study of the medley is an important one. In the mariachi world that I was once part of, there are a number of medleys called "popourri" in Spanish. There some really good ones, and some not so good. I think the main marker of a good quality medley is the transition, although sly modulations are also impressive. While you're making the transition, can the arranger give a prelude of the next song while still in the former?
O Magnum mysterium
We also hesitated to include "O Magnum mysterium," as well as o antiphons. However, with "O Magnum mysterium" being one of the most famous Christmas texts, we just could not. However, we limited their inclusion only to those composition over three minutes or if they had multiple movements.
Chronology
Those works which I do not have a date for, I have put at the bottom while I research the date. I have use dates of publication or first recording or but a "before" date using the date of the video. For some composers in which we do not know the date of publication of the work, we put the date of death of the composer's death to help the reader in placing in time, or we just posted the year the video was posted.
Obviously, there is a lot of Christmas works out there that has not been recorded or are in audio-only and have not been posted to YouTube. See our list of Lost Christmas Music.
Also, some Christmas works do not have a full video of the entire piece, so I have only posted the first video of the composition hoping you will go to YouTube to see the rest of the videos/movements. For example, John Rutter's Dancing Day, I did not post a video of the entire work, but just the first movement. If later find a video of the work in its entirety, will replace the video we have with the video of the entire work.
Yes, this is a rabbit hole we gone down and this list will probably never be complete.
However, from what I have, it is a good look at the trajectory of Christmas music in the choral and classical world from Bach's Christmas Oratorio to Patrick Hawes' The Nativity and Bob Chilcott's Christmas Oratorio.
Please send corrections on dates of publication or premiere to christmascarolsblog@gmail.com or message us on our social media.
2001
Overture on French Carols, Philip Lane
2001 or earlier
Jesu Carols, Stephen Paulus
1. Jesu's Lyfelyne
2. The Ship Carol
3. Waye Not his Cribb
4. The Neighbors of Bethlehem
2001 or earlier
Canticum Novum, Stephen Paulus
1. Gideon
2. Ring out Yes Crystal Spheres
3. In the Moon of Wintertime
4. Christmas Day
6. Hodie Christus natus Est
7. I sing the birth
8. Christ is the morning star
9. Be merry
2001
2001
A Christmas Suite, Barker
2002
A Christmas Fantasy, Ron Goodwin
2004
Happy Holidays Medley
2005
Basque Christmas Suite, Aita Madina
2007
2007
The Strathclyde Motets – O Radiant Dawn (2007), for a cappella S.A.T.B. choir, James MacMillan
2007
O magnum mysterium, Simon Wawer
2007 or earlier
Snowcarols, William Ferris
1. The snow lies thick upon the earth tonight
2. The snow lay on the ground
3. In the bleak mid-winter
4. See amid the winter snow
5. Christmas Eve
2007
Manchester Carols, Sasha Johnson Manning
1. The Carol Singers' Carol
2. Mirabile Dictu
3. The Advent Carol
4. Christmas Flowers
5. The Trees
7. Let it be cold
8. A Miracle
9. An Angel
10. New Boy born
11. The Gold of Straw
12. Mary's Carol
13. Each Child's Name
14. Call it Nazareth
15. We Believe
16. The Present Song
2007
A Christmas Overture - Nigel Hess, John Rutter
2008
Feast of Carols, Captain Cristina M. Moore Urrutia
2009 or earlier
Hodie, John Priddy
1. I, John
2.Adam lay Ibounden3.Come Thou Precious Ransom
4. In the Kitchen
5. Christmas Eve
6. Christ is at Thy Portals
7. Gabriel's Cradle Song
8. O Magnum Mysterium
9 Creator of the Stars of Night
2009
Stella Natalis, Karl Jenkins
2009 or before
This Endris Night (Three Nativity Carols), Stephen Paulus
2010
On Christmas Night, Bob Chilcott. Written for the choir of the University Christan Church in Austin, Texas.
2010
Prepare the Way, Margareta Jalkeus
2010 or before
Christmas Pudding, Peter Broadbent
2010 or before
Christmas Give, Rosephanye Powell
2010
2011 or earlier
A Christmas Cantata, Nils Lindberg
2011
Carol Fantasia, John Fox
2011
2011
Christmas Rush, Matthew Curtis
2011
O magnum mysterium, Charles H. Giffen
2012 or earlier
Cor Vivaldi - A Catalan Christmas Suite 1/9 - Greeting - Kirby Shaw - Oscar Boada
2012
Christmas Cantata, Steve Dobrogosz
2012 or earlier
Carols of the Nativity, Stephen Chatman
2012
O magnum mysterium, John J. Brackenborough
2012
Before the Ice (O magnum mysterium), Bob Chilcott
2012
A Canadian Brass Christmas Suite
2013
A Carol Fantasy, Peter Graham
2013
Incarnation, Thomas Hewitt Jones
2013
A Christmas Overture, Nigel Hess
2013 or earlier
A Christmas medley, Roy Moore
2013 or earlier
Three Medieval Carols, Ronald Corp
2013
American Christmas, Z. Randall Stroope
2013 or earlier
Holiday Suite, Paul Reale
2014
Christmas-Carol Suite, André van Vliet
2014 or earlier
A Christmas Suite, Stephen Bulla
2015 or sooner
O come, Emmanuel, Alan Bullard
1. Prelude
2. Advent Responsory I
3. Hymn, the Advent of Our God
4. O Wisdom/O Sapientia
5. Where shall Wisdome be Found?
6. O Lord of Lords / O Adonaii
7. Come Thou Long-Expected Jesu
8. O Root of Jesse / O Radix Jesse
9. There is a Rose-Tree
10. O key of David / O Calvis David
11. Earth Grown Old
12. Hymn, They Kingdome come! On
13. O morning star / O Oriens
14. Chanticleer
15. O King of the Nations / O Rex Gentium
16. Hymn, Joy to the World
17. And they shall call his name...
18. O Emmanuel
19. Gabriel's Message
20. And Art Thou Come with us to...
21. Advent Responsory II
22. Hymn, Lo! He Comes with Cloud...
2015 or earlier
A Christmas Rondel, Philip Spratley
2015 or earlier
Ten Carols for Christmas, Alan Bullard
- A baby so Small, a Message so Great
- A boy si born in Bethlehem (Puer Natus)
- And all the Stars Looked Down
- Hillside Carol
- The Gracious Gift
- This Night
- Rose of Such Virtue
- Child in the manger, Lord of All
- Star as Bright as Day
- Merrily Did the Shepherds Blow
2014 or earlier
A Christmas Carol Fantasy, arranged by Paul Campbell
2014 or earlier
Christmas Carol Suite - arr. Richard Price
2015 or sooner
Four Christmas Carols, Gordon Getty
Call the Children
The Snow Child
Run to the Window
Candles on the Tree
The Snow Child
Run to the Window
Candles on the Tree
2016
Three Pastorales on a German Carol, Carson Cooman
2016
Wenceslas, Bob Chilcott
2016
My Perfect Stranger, Bob Chilcott
2016 or sooner
Seven Advent Antiphons, Gabriel Jackson
2016
A Little Carol's Symphony on Traditional Themes, Fabio Ciofini
2016 or earlier
A Christmas Suite, Del Borgo
2016
A Carol Symphony, Dolf van der Linden
2017 or earlier
Burning River Nutcracker, Arranger: Dean Sorenson Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
2017 or earlier
Serenity (O magnum mysterium) , Ola Gjeilo
2017 or sooner
International Carol Suites: Carols of Europe - Mark Hayes
2017
2018 (first performance)
Make We Merry, David Bednall
1. Make we merry
2. The time draws near
3. The Christ-child lay on Mary’s lap
4
All this night shrill chanticleer
5
Moonless darkness stands between
6
Sweet was the song the Virgin sang
7 Let others look for pearl and gold
8 Make we joy now
2019 or earlier
'Twas the Night Before Christmas, Christmas Suite by Mark Brymer
2019
Three Christmas Carols, George Arthur
I. Of a maiden
II. Susanni
III. Balulalow
2019 or earlier
1. The Linden Tree Carol
2. O, can you not her?
3. Taladh Chriosta
4. The Wexford Carol
5. When Christ was born
2019
Five Carols for SATB and pieano, Ben Parry
Christmas Oratorio, Bob Chilcott
2020 or before
O magnum mysterium, Michael John Trotta
2020 or before
2020 or earlier
Festive Christmas Suite - adapt. Yves Schumacher (Luxembourg Military Band - Brass Ensemble)
2021
The Christmas Story, Thomas Hewitt Jones
Commissioned by the Canto Deo Choirs
2021 or earlier
A Christmas Carol, Benedict Sheehan
2021
Celebration! (In Dulci Jubilo) from 'A Renaissance Christmas' (Wind Band) Kevin Norbury
2021
Christmas Oratorio, James Macmillan
2022 or earlier
Gift of the Magi, Richard E. Brown
2022
Yuletide!, Steve Dobrogosz
2022 or before
All these things, Richard Peat
2022
No video.
The Journey of the Magi, Paul Campbell
2022 or before
Christmas Oratorio, Bob Chilcott
2023 or earlier
The Nativity, Patrick Hawes
2023
Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus (with narration), Vincent Oppido
Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus (with orchestra only), Vicent Oppido
2023
Concertino di Natale for piano, Rihards Dubra
Appalachian Winter Full CD --- A Cantata for Christmas
Christmas Medley, Arranged by Victor Lenzon
Christmas Medley, arr. Christian Kolonovitz
Slavic Chorale and Orchestra Pavel Kravchuk, Conductor arr. Christian Kolonovitz Carols:
1. Allelujah (Uruguay)
2. Fum Fum Fum (Spain)
3. Nu Ar Det Jul Igen (Sweden)
4. Corramos, corramos (Venezuela)
5. Pujdem Spolu (Czech Republic)
6. Dormi, Dormi (Italy)
7. Kling, Glockchen (Germany)
8. Joy to the World (J.F. Handel)
Christmas Medley
Sing A Christmas Carol, arr. Gary Fry
Christmas Prism, Composer: Robert W. Smith
Santa's Angry Elves
Carol Fantasy - Eric Ball trs. Stephen Bulla
Three Christmas Pictures, Philip Lane
Wassail Dances, Philip Lane
The Night Before Christmas, Philip Lane
Appalachian Carols, Keven Siegfried
The Birth of Christ, Clarance Lucas
New World Carols, Op. 515, Phillip Brooks
Constant Christmas, Amy Beach
Date Unknown
No video
Advent Cantata, Daniel Pinkham
Date Unknown
No video.
Christmas Jubilation, Daniel Pinkham
Date Unknown
No Video
Christian Symphonies
Date Unknown
O magnum mysterium, Matinas do Natal, José Maurício Nunes Garcia
O magnum mysterium, Matinas do Natal, José Maurício Nunes Garcia
Date Needed
The Midnight of your Birth, Bob Chilcott
1 The Angel did Fly 4:04
2 The Blackbird with One White Feather 2:34
3 Kindness (A raven flew to Bethlehem) 3:44
4 The Midnight of your Birth 3:13
5 The Rain-Tree Carol
1 The Angel did Fly 4:04
2 The Blackbird with One White Feather 2:34
3 Kindness (A raven flew to Bethlehem) 3:44
4 The Midnight of your Birth 3:13
5 The Rain-Tree Carol
Date needed
Snow Angel, Sarah Quartel
1. Prologue
First Angel
2. Creatures of Light
Second Angel
3. God Will Give Orders
4. Sweet Child
Third and First Angels
5. Snow Angel
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