[Christmas] Classical music to listen to at Christmas: recommended sacred Christmas songs
With sparkling illuminations and decorations coloring the city, it’s hard not to feel excited—yet Christmas is originally a sacred day celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
In Europe, it’s common to attend Mass and spend quiet time with family.
Over the centuries, many pieces of music have been composed for Christmas.
Considering that classical music began as church music, you could say that many works are fitting; but here, we’ve gathered some especially recommended pieces.
They may not suit a glitzy party, but isn’t it lovely to let your thoughts drift to a solemn European holy night?
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[Christmas] Classical music to listen to at Christmas: recommended sacred Christmas songs (31–40)
The Son of God, this very night
“Kami no Miko wa Koyoi Shimo,” a hymn sung during the Christmas season, is also popular in Japan.
It is an old English Christmas carol that is best known for its Latin lyrics.
With a solemn yet warm orchestral accompaniment and a grand mixed chorus, it proclaims the birth of Jesus Christ.
The sacred atmosphere of its melody conveys the celebration of Christmas’s arrival.
Please listen to this quintessential Christmas song, which has been covered by singers all over the world.
At the End of the Wasteland
Even if you’re not well-versed in classical music, this is probably one of the pieces you’ve heard before.
It’s one of the old Christmas carols, said to date back to around the 18th century.
The original language is French, but it has been translated into English, Japanese, and others.
Versions sung by children are as beautiful as the voices of angels and feel purifying to the soul.
At Christmas, choral renditions like those sung in churches sound especially appealing, don’t they? If you have a feel for singing, try giving it a go yourself.
Christmas OratorioCamille Saint-Saëns
When people think of a “Christmas Oratorio,” many probably imagine Bach’s work.
If you’ve only ever listened to Bach’s, I encourage you to try this piece by Saint-Saëns as well.
Comprising ten movements, it balances a consistent unity with distinctive character in each.
Its overall atmosphere is dreamlike, making it a perfect fit for Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
Be sure to give it a listen.
Festival of CarolsEdward Benjamin Britten
A “Festival of Carols” begins with harp and singing—sacred female chorus resonating through the church, gentle hymns that evoke nostalgia.
Then the male chorus joins, turning it into a splendid carol.
At 24 minutes, this long carol unfolds in many sections and is a thoroughly enjoyable piece.
The instrumentation is only harp, a very simple arrangement that all the more brings out the carol’s charm.
European Christmas is classical and wonderful, isn’t it?
a small treeEric Whitacre
These are the tracks included on Eric Whitacre’s album The Sacred Veil.
Eric Whitacre is an American composer known for his choral and wind band works.
In 2012, he won a Grammy Award in the choral category.
The Sacred Veil is a collection of 12 pieces imbued with a range of life’s emotions, including love, loss, and new beginnings.
The final piece, “little tree,” is a beautiful work that conveys both a quiet, hidden sorrow and a hopeful resolve to look forward and take a new step.
[Christmas] Classical music to listen to at Christmas: recommended sacred Christmas songs (41–50)
Glory in the highestFelix Mendelssohn
A Christmas carol with lyrics by Charles Wesley and music by Felix Mendelssohn, known as one of the four great English hymns.
Its original form is the Festgesang, a cantata for male chorus and orchestra composed for the 400th anniversary celebration of the invention of printing.
The lyrics introduce Christ and offer words of praise to Him—perfect for Christmas.
A romantically inclined recommended way to listen is to hear it in a church at Christmastime while contemplating Christ.
Christmas treeFranz Liszt
This collection consists of pieces Liszt composed for his grandchild between 1874 and 1876.
One can’t help but envy a grandchild who received a gift like this.
It contains twelve pieces, all related to Christmas.
Why not listen and let your thoughts drift to Christmas in distant lands? Most of the works are based on Christmas carols, but the 11th and 12th pieces are more virtuosic and depict the homelands of Liszt and his wife, Carolyne.