Program No. 82 - Month of Christmas Music (Brass Bands and Ensembles)

My family is very big on Christmas music. So much so that December is declared the month of Christmas music. I have carried this through to Brass Monkeys, and just like last year, the next four shows will be dedicated to Christmas music.

In this, the first week, we will focus on Christmas music performed by Brass bands and Brass ensembles.

The list of pieces are not in playing order:

1. Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah 
     - Black Dyke Mills Band (Best of Brass - 1997)

2. Carol of the Bells
3. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
4. We Three Kings of Brubeck Are
5. Little Drummer Boy
     - Boston Brass (Christmas Bells are Swinging - 2005)

6. Happy Christmas (War is Over)
     - Brass Band De Wâldsang & Rieks van der Velde (A Touch of Christmas Classics - 2011)

7. Here We Come A-Wassailing
8. I Saw Three Ships
     - Canadian Brass (A Canadian Brass Christmas - 1985)

9. Christmas Medley: White Christmas, Jingle Bells, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
10. Sinfonia from the Christmas Oratorio BWV: 248
     - Fine Arts Brass Ensemble (Brass Christmas - 1997)

11. Do They Know It's Christmas?
     - Grimethorpe Colliery RJB Band & Major Peter Parkes (White Christmas With Grimethorpe - 1997)

12. O Come All Ye Faithful
13. Ding Dong Merrily on High
14. Away in a Manger
     - London Brass (Christmas With London Brass - 1990)

15. Suite of Mediaeval Carols
16. Wassail Song
     - Solid Brass (Christmas With Solid Brass - 1988)

17. Stop The Cavalry
     - Thoresby RJB Band (Schneewalzer - 2000)

18. Joy to the World
19. O Magnum Mysterium
20. What Child is This?
21 The First Noel
22. Angels We Have Heard on High
23. O Holy Night
24. Hark the Herald Angels Sing
25. We Wish You a Merry Christmas
     - Tower Brass of Chicago (A Christmas Celebration - 2000)

26. Silver Bells 
      - True North Brass (A True North Christmas - 1998)

27. Gaudete
28. Silent Night
29. Frosty the Snowman
30. Santa Claus is Coming to Town
     - Yorkshire Building Society Band (Simple Gifts - 2003)

Next week's show will be starting an hour later than normal, at 8:00pm, due to the broadcast from the station of the Kinglake Ranges Carols by Candlelight.

Next week we will be focusing on Brass Soloists, such as Chris Botti, Oystein Baadsvik and James Morrison, amongst others, as they bring their own flavour to Christmas Classics.