The holiday season is upon us, and here at The Classical Station, we’re wrapping up the best gift of all: enchanting classical music to warm your home during the frostiest days. Classical music often gets referenced as a monolithic genre, but in truth, it’s a rich tapestry of evolving styles, instruments, and traditions. This is especially true for holiday music, which has shifted and grown through the ages. Journey with us as we embark on a tour through the history of classical music, uncovering the melodies and merriment you might have heard in a grand music hall on December 24th—starting all the way back in 500 BC!

The Medieval Period (c. 500-1400)

The earliest and longest period in the development of classical music, the Medieval period saw the advent of musical notation in something that modern listeners might recognize as the musical stave. Medieval Christmas music falls into three categories: monophonic Gregorian chant, Latin church music, and vernacular carols. As an example of Gregorian chant we’ve selected Puer Natus in Bethlehem, a beautiful hymn from the 14th century that, were it not in Latin, would bear almost no resemblance to the Christmas carols of today.

Resonet in laudibus was a popular Latin Christmas song across Europe during the Medieval period and was described as “one of the chief Christmas songs of joy” by composers in the 1500s. There is no definitive version of the carol, which can be found in sacred musical texts from Wales to Germany, but the melody will be familiar to listeners even all these centuries later.

For our “secular” selection from the middle ages, we turn to the earliest existing example of polyphony written in English. The Trinity Carol Roll is an ancient scroll originating in 1415 and containing thirteen carols including our third selection: There is no rose of swych vertu.

The Renaissance Period (c. 1400-1600)

The Renaissance period in classical music had much the same footprint in classical music as it did in all other areas of society; to wit a flourishing of new forms and styles. Polyphony, the construction of multiple melodies in harmony with one another, particularly came into its own during this period and our first selection, Hodie Christus natus est, is a beautiful example of that development.

The secular world also saw a burgeoning of new musical forms including the Spanish villancicos. Originating in folk music, villancicos began to be performed as “art music” during the Renaissance period. Today the word is used to reference any Christmas song in Spanish-speaking countries.

The Baroque Period (c. 1600-1750)

The Baroque period brought with it many of the classical music forms that we most associate with high-art classical music including the concerto, sonata, and opera. Additionally, it saw the birth and development of that great (perhaps greatest) classical music composer, J.S. Bach. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio is the most complex of his religiously-themed three oratorio cycle that covers The Ascension, Easter, and Christmas.

Published towards the end of the Baroque period, Arcangelo Corelli‘s Christmas Concerto is a paradigmatic example of music of the time. Not only was the concerto itself developed during the Baroque period, but the final movement is a “pastorale”, a new invention of the 1600s which features a melody played in thirds over a drone bass.

The Classical Period (c. 1730-1820)

The Classical period saw the arrival of the great classical music prodigies. Mozart and Beethoven both composed during this time and, on the strength of their genius, classical music developed in the direction of both greater melodic complexity and, paradoxically, greater clarity. The Christmas music of the time showcases these developments alongside that most beautiful of classical forms: the symphony.

Mozart makes his appearance in this list because no selection from the Classical period would be complete without him and because (at 0:42) we have our first inclusion of “sleigh bells” in our countdown of Christmas classics.

The Romantic Period (c. 1800-1910)

Finally, we arrive at the Romantic period, and for the first time, we’ll hear melodies that would be instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with popular contemporary Christmas carols. The classical music of this period leans into the capacity of music to carry emotion, and the harmonies written at the time reach a level of sophistication not previously seen.

We end our list with Tchaikovsky‘s Nutcracker, a piece at once evocative, danceable, popular, and sophisticated. A perfect example of classical music’s ability to be simultaneously nostalgic and deeply relevant even a century later.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our Christmas playlist and hopefully you’ve found one or two pieces to play in your home as the cold closes in around us. Happy Holidays from The Classical Station!

 -Matthew Young

 

Many of the composers referenced above, including J.S. Bach, Wolfgang Mozart, and Arcangelo Corelli, are featured this winter on TheClassicalStation.org. Please take a look at our Winter 2024-25 Highlights to see when to tune in, or request a piece directly via one of our Request Programs!