The Story of "Silent Night," c. 1945
In this 1945 WNYC broadcast, Austrian born Marie Lemmermeyer tells the “one true story of 'Silent Night'.”Mrs. Lemmermeyer, who was born in the Austrian village of Oberndorf (where Franz Grüber set to...
View ArticleHoliday Concerts Guide 2011
If Muzak piped over store loudspeakers has you pining for Yuletide music with a bit more soul, consider these options around New York City.George Balanchine’s The NutcrackerNov. 25-Dec. 31New York City...
View ArticleWQXR For The Holidays
We’ll be completely candid about our latest Album of the Week: It’s an unabashed pitch for one of our own creations.* But a pretty darn good one, if we do say so. WQXR For the Holidays is a chance to...
View ArticleWQXR's 2011 Holiday Programming
WQXR is pleased to present special programming throughout the 2011 holiday season. Here is a calendar of the Hanukkah and Christmas specials that you will hear in December.All this Month: WQXR.org...
View ArticleTop Five Alternative Nutcrackers
From Disney’s Fantasia to phone commercials, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite pops up frequently. However, the twinkly score and the classic ballet are especially ubiquitous throughout the month of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Five Greatest Carols Ever
"In The Bleak Midwinter" is the world’s greatest Christmas carol, according to a poll by WQXR.org of leading choirmasters and choral experts from the US and the UK. The song came out on top, placing...
View ArticleJason Segel and His Favorite Muppets Holiday Songs
It’s the week before Christmas, and The Takeaway is celebrating with our annual "Remixing the Holidays" series. All week long we're talking with musicians, music lovers, and you about the best, and...
View ArticleNeutral Milk Hotel's Julian Koster on His Favorite Holiday Tunes
Many people know Julian Koster as the saw, bass, and banjo player for Neutral Milk Hotel. But in addition to contributing to the sounds of this wildly and widely-acclaimed band, Julian is an enormous...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Christmas at the Opera
In an unsigned review of the Met’s performance of December 24, 1888, a New York Times critic wrote:“The eve of Christmas is generally believed by amusement managers to be the worst night in the year...
View ArticleWhat Music Do You Identify with Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving, as we all know, has become America's ultimate eating contest. But between stuffing your face with turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, and washing it down with a hearty wine, giving...
View ArticleClik here to view.
2012 Holiday Guide: A Concert for Every Taste
New Yorkers have no shortage of opportunities to celebrate the holidays with festive music. Below is a guide to some of the noteworthy Christmas-related concerts. Check back here in the coming days for...
View ArticleThe Holiday Channel Returns with Carols, Festive Favorites
LISTEN TO THE WQXR HOLIDAY CHANNELWQXR is getting into the Christmas spirit with the return of our annual all-classical holiday channel. Starting Saturday, Dec. 1 through January 6, we'll stream...
View ArticleLos Romeros Play Holiday Classics with a Spanish Tinge
Free Download: Los Romeros play the X'Mas Suite - 'Little Comet Minuet'*Given that guitar ensembles and Christmas music are two surefire sales drivers in classical music, it's a wonder what took Los...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Most Awkward Christmas Album Covers...Ever
Christmas album art has its own unique tradition. There are the decorated trees, the fuzzy sweaters and the evocative winter scenes — and then there are the rest. Enjoy our trip through the history of...
View ArticleWQXR's 2012 Holiday Programming
WQXR is pleased to present special programming throughout the 2012 holiday season. Here is a calendar of the Chanukah and Christmas specials that you will hear in December.UPDATED: December 21Dec. 1 -...
View ArticleGlobal Christmas Sounds from the Arsys Bourgogne Choir
From time to time a recording comes along that reminds us of the international character of much Christmas music. The French choir Arsys Bourgogne, formed in 1999, has steadily built a reputation for...
View ArticleFive Things to Listen for in Bach's Christmas Oratorio
If Handel's Messiah is the quarterback of holiday music, Bach's Christmas Oratorio remains the second-string walk-on. But this Sunday, Dec. 23 at 10 am, WQXR gives Bach's underplayed work a starting...
View ArticleAn Early Music and Baroque Christmas
Host David Garland presents an hour of Christmas and wintertime music from medieval, Renaissance and Baroque eras.Program details:Anonymous: Il Est Né Le Divin Enfant - Apollo's Fire - Noels &...
View ArticleA New Yorker's Christmas
One of the great WQXR traditions: Host Nimet Habachy's reflections on Christmas in New York.Program details:Traditional: "Carol of the Bells," The New York Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, conductor...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Pret à Manger Puzzles Customers with Christmas Music in August
The unseasonable appearance of Christmas music in Pret à Manger shops in Manhattan this week appears to have been the result of a programming error, not the creep of the holiday retail season into...
View Article