[Christmas] Classical music to listen to at Christmas: recommended sacred Christmas songs

Midnight MassMarc-Antoine Charpentier

Messe de Minuit (Charpentier) | Deutsch-Französischer Chor Dresden

A sacred work by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, a composer who represents the high Baroque period in France.

Rather than evoking a bright and joyful Christmas, it perfectly suits a Christmas filled with a strong desire—one that would compel you to go and pray even at midnight for a wish you desperately want fulfilled.

Though it conveys a generally dark tone, it is a perfect match for a solemn mass setting.

If you have a wish that makes you want to pray even in the middle of the night, be sure to give it a listen.

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Christmas Eve: Orchestral SuiteNikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Rimsky-Korsakov – Christmas Eve: Orchestral Suite (1895)

This work by Rimsky-Korsakov is an orchestral suite arranged from an opera, vividly portraying fantastical scenes such as the glitter of starry skies and witches’ dances.

Based on an opera premiered in 1895, it tells a story drawn from Ukrainian folklore.

The love story of a young blacksmith unfolds alongside supernatural elements.

Incorporating Russian folk tunes and Christmas songs, its richly colored orchestration is especially captivating.

It’s recommended for those who wish to immerse themselves in a fantastical sound world while reflecting on the solemn spirit of the holy night.

Concerto Grosso in F minor “Christmas”Pietro Antonio Locatelli

Locatelli – Concerto Grosso in f, Op 1/8 – Christmas Concerto

This piece was composed by Pietro Locatelli, an Italian late-Baroque composer and violinist.

Despite its title, “Christmas,” the melody in a minor key is striking.

While the minor mode keeps it from being bright, it’s not merely solemn—you can also feel the strength inherent in string instruments throughout.

If you’re spending a somewhat lonely Christmas, try enjoying the timbre of strings with this piece crafted by a violinist.

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“December – Christmas” from “The Four Seasons”Pyotr Tchaikovsky

Seong-Jin Cho – Tchaikovsky The Seasons, Op. 37 bis: December: Christmas Week (2011)

This is the depiction of December from The Seasons, a piano piece by the Russian composer Tchaikovsky that portrays the sights of the Russian year.

In Russia as well, Christmas is a hallmark of December.

Although the 3/4-time melody sounds somewhat wistful, its gentle character also suits the warm scenes of families spending Christmas together.

There are no large developments, but it is a piece that invites you to listen leisurely to the piano’s timbre.

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TroikaSergei Prokofiev

Prokofiev: Troika · Sokhiev / Berliner Philharmoniker

This is a piece from the symphonic suite Lieutenant Kijé, composed by the Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev.

In 1933, Prokofiev wrote the music for a film of the same name, and after the film’s release he reworked its themes and orchestration to complete the piece as a symphonic suite.

A troika is a Russian three-horse-drawn carriage.

The tambourine’s bell-like jingling evokes the image of a sleigh carrying Santa Claus racing through the snow, making it a work well suited to Christmas.

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Carol SymphonyVictor Hely-Hutchinson

Carol Symphony (complete) – Victor Hely-Hutchinson (1901-1947)

Even if you’re not particularly interested in the bustle of Christmas, many people probably still find themselves carried along by the atmosphere and feeling a bit festive.

A piece that perfectly suits this season is Victor Hely-Hutchinson’s symphony.

Composed in 1927, it consists of four movements and orchestrally arranges Christmas carols such as “O Come, All Ye Faithful” and “The Infant King.” It was used in a BBC television drama in 1984 and has since become a familiar feature of winter in the UK.

If you wish to spend Christmas in a solemn mood, let this piece be your background music and welcome a sacred moment.

Christmas Prelude for Chamber OrchestraVítězslava Kaprálová

Christmas Prelude for Chamber Orchestra

This piece by Vítězslava Kaprálová is perfect for the Christmas season, when the whole city is wrapped in a festive atmosphere.

Composed in 1939 for a Paris radio station, it lasts only about three minutes, yet it beautifully captures the mysterious aura of Christmas.

Pastoral melodies in the horn and oboe are layered with the delicate timbre of the strings, conjuring scenes as if you were walking through a snowy landscape.

It’s a work that shines with the talent of Kaprálová, a Czech female composer who drew much attention.

How about using it as background music for a quiet Christmas night spent with family or someone special?