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Jess Gillam with... Lise Davidsen (This Classical Christmas)

Jess Gillam and Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen share their favourite festive music in a very Christmassy edition of This Classical Life.

Jess Gillam is joined by Norwegian soprano and Last Night of the Proms star Lise Davidsen for a very Christmassy edition of This Classical Life. They share their favourite Christmas music and chat about what gives them that festive feeling!

Lise Davidsen has been described as 鈥渢he greatest soprano in the world right now鈥, with a 鈥渙ne-in-a-million voice鈥. Her performance at the Last Night of the Proms 2023 received rave reviews, and she has sung at iconic venues including the Metropolitan Opera House, Royal Opera House, and Teatro alla Scala, Milan. And she鈥檚 just released a whole album of seasonal favourites and Nordic delights via Decca, called Christmas From Norway.

Lise brings along a haunting Scandinavian carol, a sugary-sweet soundtrack from a cult Christmas film, and a modern classic from Coldplay. Jess's choices include a traditional English wassail song, a rock'n'roll Rudolph from Chuck Berry, and a Christmas jig from Yo-Yo Ma and Natalie MacMaster.

PLAYLIST:

ADOLPHE ADAM 鈥 O helga natt (Adams juls氓ng) [Jussi Bj枚rling]
NATALIE MACMASTER/ TRAD. FRENCH-CANADIAN - A Christmas Jig/Mouth of the Tobique Reel [Yo-Yo Ma, Natalie MacMaster]
CHUCK BERRY 鈥 Run Rudolph Run
KAREL SVOBODA 鈥 Drei Haseln眉sse f眉r Aschenbr枚del (Three Wishes for Cinderella): Motiv - Einleitung
TRAD. ENGLISH 鈥 Wassail Song [John Kirkpatrick and friends]
SAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR 鈥 The Forest of Wild Thyme Op 74: Christmas Overture (arr. Sydney Baynes for orchestra)
TRAD. SCANDINAVIAN 鈥 Mitt hjerte alltid vanker (My Heart Forever Dwells) [arr. O. Matre for chorus]
COLDPLAY 鈥 Christmas Lights

Available now

28 minutes

Music Played

  • Darius Milhaud

    Scaramouche (Brasiliera)

    Performer: Jess Gillam. Performer: Zeynep 脰zsuca.
    • Rise.
    • Decca Classics.
    • 4.
  • Gustaf Nordqvist

    Jul, jul, str氓lande jul

    Lyricist: Edvard Evers. Music Arranger: Christian Eggen. Singer: Lise Davidsen. Choir: Norwegian National Opera Children's Choir.
    • Christmas From Norway.
    • Decca.
    • 4.
  • Adolphe Adam

    O helga natt (Adams Juls氓ng)

    Singer: Jussi Bj枚rling. Orchestra: Royal Swedish Orchestra. Conductor: Nils Grevillius.
    • The Very Best of Jussi Bj枚rling.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 22.
  • Natalie MacMaster

    A Christmas Jig/Mouth of the Tobique Reel

    Composer: Trad. French-Canadian. Performer: Yo鈥怸o Ma. Performer: Natalie MacMaster. Performer: Marta Cook. Performer: J.D. Blair. Performer: Mac Morin.
    • Yo-Yo Ma & Friends - Songs of Joy and Peace.
    • Sony.
  • Chuck Berry

    Run Rudolph Run

    • Chuck Berry: Greatest Hits.
    • AudioSonic Music.
  • Karel Svoboda

    Drei Haseln眉sse f眉r Aschenbr枚del: Motiv - Einleitung

    Orchestra: Czech National Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Jan Chalupeck媒.
    • Supraphon.
  • Trad. English

    Wassail Song

    Performer: John Kirkpatrick. Performer: Rosie Cross. Performer: Georgina La Faux. Performer: Michael Gregory Jackson. Performer: Jane Threlfall. Performer: Carl Hogsden.
    • Wassail!.
    • Fellside Recordings.
  • Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

    A Christmas Overture (The Forest of Wild Thyme, Op.74)

    Orchestra: 麻豆社 Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Barry Wordsworth.
    • NAXOS.
  • Trad. Scandinavian

    Mitt hjerte alltid vanker

    Music Arranger: 脴rjan Matre. Singer: Berit Opheim. Choir: Norwegian Soloists' Choir. Conductor: Grete Pedersen.
    • Ros: Songs of Christmas.
    • BIS.
  • Coldplay

    Christmas Lights

    • Capitol/Parlophone.

Broadcast

  • Sat 23 Dec 2023 12:30

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