Monday, December 17

'Tis the week before Christmas and Midday Music shifts to mostly holiday fare. With centuries of classical music to choose from, we can breeze through the week with nary a single repeated carol. Today's offerings include choral works by Ralph Vaughan Williams (Hodie), William Ferris (four carols) and Philipp Heinrich Erlebach (a Baroque cantata) as well as an instrumental bit of Bach's Christmas Oratorio and the latest from Chanticleer.

For Christmassy musical events, consider the Albany Chorale tonight in Albany, Cantus Christmas 2007 tonight in Columbus or the Atlanta Ballet's ongoing Nutcracker in midtown Atlanta. (P.S. on the Atlanta Ballet: The panda dancer injured earlier this month is now home from the hospital and working on her walking.)

11 AM . . . .

• Vaughan Williams: Hodie (This Day). Guildford Choral Society, St. Catherine's School Middle Chamber Choir, Watson, Hoare, Gadd, Royal Philharmonic, Wetton.
  
• Schubert/Jennings: Ave Maria. Chanticleer, Chanticleer Holiday Orch, Jennings (Warner 284988)
  

12 N . . . . . .

• Bach: Christmas Oratorio: Sinfonia. Taverner Players, Parrott (Virgin 391340)
  
• Stokowski: Traditional Slavic Christmas Music. Bournemouth Sym, Serebrier (Naxos 8.557645)
  
• Ferris: four carols (The Lord Said to Me; Gentle Mary; Lift Up Your Heads, O Mighty Gates; Infant Holy, Infant Lowly). William Ferris Chorale, Composer Festival Orch, French (Cedille 101)
  
• Serra: Variations for Orchestra and Piano. Emili Brugalla, El Valles Sym, Brotons (Naxos 8.555871)
  
• Erlebach: Furchtet euch nicht. Saxon Vocal Ens, Batzdorf Court Ens, Jung (CPO 777 332)
  

1 PM . . .

• Tchaikovsky: Piano Trio in A minor. Borodin Trio (Brilliant Classics box 93423)