#ClassicsaDay #ClassicalHoliday Week 2
By Ralph Graves
Traditionally, #ClassicalChristmas has been the December theme for Classics a Day. This year, it’s changed slightly — #ClassicalHoliday.
The idea was always to encourage folks to share works composed for performance in December. The pieces could be either sacred or secular. But the hashtag #ClassicalChristmas suggested music only for one faith tradition. So new hashtag, same concept. During the month of December post works that were meant to be performed in the wintertime.
Here are my posts for the second week of #ClassicalHoliday
12/06/21 Georg Philipp Telemann – Der Herr hat offenbaret, TWV 1:262
“The Lord has revealed” was written for Christmas services, 1762.
12/07/21 Thomas Tallis – Missa natus est nobis
Tallis wrote this Christmas mass in 1554. It’s possible he composed it for a combination of English and Spanish musicians (Philip I had come to England with a retinue to marry Queen Mary).
12/08/21 Gustav Schreck – Advent Motet
Schreck was the Thomaskantor at the Thosmasschule in Leipzig from 1893 to 1918 (a post J.S. Bach had held from 1723-1750). Most of his compositions were for choirs.
12/09/21 Morten Lauridsen – Magnum Mysterium
Lauridsen is one of the most contemporary American choral composers. And this is one of his most popular works.
12/10/21 Gottfried August Homilius – Siehe, der Herr kömmt mit vielen tausend Heiligen, HoWV II.3
Homilius wrote in the empfindsamer style. He was considered the most important German church composers of the generation following J.S. Bach.
