Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Three Hours of Classical Sparkle

Sarah Walker with three hours of classical music to reflect, restore and refresh, whether you鈥檙e putting up your Christmas decorations or relaxing with a mince pie.

Sarah Walker with three hours of classical music to reflect, restore and refresh.

Today Sarah embraces the season with a snowy orchestral suite, frosty writing for violin, and a take on Carlo Collodi's tale of Pinocchio.

There鈥檚 a festive feel to the show, with a setting of little drummer boy, a Christmas song from Eastern Europe by Erno Dohnanyi, and peaceful music by John Tavener. And Sarah's Choral Reflection reflects upon the time of year too.

Plus, a very English ride on a winter sleigh鈥

A Tandem Production for 麻豆社 Radio 3

3 hours

Last on

Sun 14 Dec 2025 09:00

Music Played

  • Jean Sibelius

    Karelia Suite, Op 11 (1st mvt, Intermezzo)

    Conductor: Okko Kamu. Orchestra: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
  • Johann Stamitz

    Symphony in D major, Op 4 No 2, 'Symphonie pastorale'

    Orchestra: Kammerorchester Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Conductor: Hartmut Haenchen.
    • Christmas Concertos - Kammerochestrer Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 22.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Sonata No 29 in B flat major, Op 106, 'Hammerklavier' (2nd mvt, Scherzo)

    Performer: Mitsuko Uchida.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd.
  • Carl Maria von Weber

    Clarinet Concerto No 2 in E flat major, Op 74, J 118 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Martin Fr枚st. Conductor: Jean鈥怞acques Kantorow. Orchestra: Tapiola Sinfonietta.
    • BIS.
  • Frederick Delius

    Three Small Tone Poems (No 2, 'Winter Night / Sleigh Ride')

    Conductor: David Lloyd鈥怞ones. Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
    • Naxos.
  • Gustav Holst

    Four Old English Carols, H82 (No 3, 'Jesu, Thou the Virgin-born')

    Ensemble: Onyx Brass.
    • Resonus Limited.
  • 笔茅谤辞迟颈苍

    Viderunt omnes

    Ensemble: The Hilliard Ensemble.
    • Perotin and the Ars Antiqua.
    • Coro.
    • 4.
  • Benjamin Britten

    Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op. 33a: No. 3, Moonlight

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Andr茅 Previn.
    • Warner Classics.
  • Caroline Shaw

    Plan & Elevation (No 5, 'The Beech Tree')

    Ensemble: Attacca Quartet.
    • New Amsterdam/Nonesuch.
  • Edward Elgar

    Cockaigne Overture, 'In London Town', Op 40

    Conductor: Vasily Petrenko. Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • ONYX.
  • Erno Dohnanyi

    Pastorale

    Performer: Martin Roscoe.
    • Decca (UMO).
  • Jan Sandstr枚m

    Es ist ein Ros Entsprungen

    Choir: Vox Bona. Conductor: Karin Freist-Wissing.
    • Ludger Bockenhoff.
  • Carl Nielsen

    Dr酶mmen om "Glade jul", FS 34

    Performer: Christina Bjorkoe.
    • From Forte to Piano: A Christmas Instrumental Journey.
    • CPO.
    • 112.
  • Trad.

    Ding Dong Merrily on High

    Music Arranger: Charles Wood. Ensemble: VOCES8.
    • Christmas.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 601.
  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Violin Concerto No 1 in D Major (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Janine Jansen. Orchestra: Oslo Philharmonic. Conductor: Klaus M盲kel盲.
    • Sibelius: Violin Concerto; Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1.
    • DECCA.
    • 5.
  • Ottorino Respighi

    Bergamasca (Ancient Airs and Dances Suite no.2)

    Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Seiji Ozawa.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
  • Galina Grigorjeva

    Salve regina

    Choir: Theatre of Voices. Choir: Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. Ensemble: YXUS Ensemble. Conductor: Paul Hillier.
    • Ondine.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Symphony No 8 in D minor

    Conductor: Andrew Manze. Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • Onyx Classics.
  • Rebecca Dale

    Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

    Choir: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • SIGNUM.
  • Edvard Grieg

    Holberg Suite, Op 40 (3rd mvt, 'Gavotte')

    Performer: Ivana Gavri膰.
    • Throwback to Dance.
    • Signum Records.
    • 3.
  • Alexander Litvinovsky

    Pinocchio (No 11, 'La Fata dai Capelli Turchini')

    Performer: Anna Ignatova. Conductor: Pavel Lyubomudrov. Orchestra: Metamorphose String Orchestra.
    • Halidon.
  • Katherine K. Davis

    Lille gutten med trommen (Little Drummer Boy)

    Music Arranger: Knut N忙rum. Choir: Norwegian Student Choral Society. Conductor: Marit T酶ndel Bodsberg Weyde.
    • I signet juletid.
    • Lawo Classics.
    • 9.
  • Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

    The Snow Maiden Suite

    Conductor: Kees Bakels. Orchestra: Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • BIS.
  • Franz Liszt

    Carillon (Weihnachstbaum)

    Performer: Alfred Brendel.
    • Franz Liszt: The Christmas Tree: Alfred Brendel.
    • Philips.
    • 6.
  • John Tavener

    A Hymn to the Mother of God

    Choir: The Temple Church Choir. Choir: Holst Singers. Conductor: Stephen Layton.
    • The John Tavener Collection.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd.
    • 7.

Broadcast

  • Sun 14 Dec 2025 09:00