A collaboration of: “The Classic Music Mafia”
Anthony Aaron, and Steve C.

Steve C / Classic Music Mafia: Here is the image depicting “The Classic Music Gangsters,” a whimsical and imaginative group of classical musicians with a playful gangster twist. The scene is set in an old-world music hall with rich, vintage decor, where the musicians are performing in stylish 1920s-era gangster attire. The atmosphere is mysterious yet sophisticated, capturing the unique blend of classical music and a lighthearted gangster theme. – aka.attrition

This is our fifth annual Special Christmas Edition of this feature on TBP.

It also marks our 256th consecutive posting, we’ve never missed a Sunday. We’re very proud of that and we hope that you’ve enjoyed them.

We make this and our annual Anniversary Edition (the first Sunday of February) special by going all out and featuring anything that we want to post and we invite you to do the same.

I try to keep the main feature Classical, but then we add anything that we want to add to our ‘shorts’ that follow.

A note here about just what we do and don’t post here. When we started this almost five years ago we posted only classical music. The thinking then was that it was missing from the TBP website. Thanks to posts included in the comments section for the last five years we now post everything except hard rock.

The reason that we don’t include it isn’t because we don’t like it because we do. We don’t post it here because admin. does such a good job of including everywhere else on his site.

Over the past five years people have posted light rock, pop, jazz, Chinese, Mongolian, Russian, country, and whatever else so we now include everything else here.

So come and see us. There may be something that you like one week and nothing the next, but we want to share it all with everyone.

And this week and the week of our anniversary (the first Sunday in February) we even welcome hard rock.

Although neither of us has included any hard rock this time, expect that we will in February.

A note about these posts today. We have decided to make them about whatever suggests Christmas to us. By that I mean that we don’t take into account anything here today by people that might be woke or not, Christian or not, or anything else or not. We have posted what we like that reminds us of Christmas. We all love Christmas music so we decided to keep it that way even if just for today.

It’s best to remember that the Christmas season is a time for us all to stop even if just for a few weeks and remember the truly important things in life. A time to step away from the day-to-day worries and frustrations that distract us from what really matters. Friends, family, our spirituality, and our true place in all things on this planet that we share with billions of other souls.

So come and see us. Post your own favorite Christmas music in the comments section. It can be anything that you want. Jazz, Rock, Hard Rock, Classical, anything.

We want to take this time to wish everyone on TBP a very Merry Christmas.

Steve C.

Steve C.

Charlie Brown Christmas Album Remastered with Snow Ambience

We’ll start out this year’s selections with hearing from the ‘Peanuts’ cartoon.

It’s actually only ten songs, but they repeat.

It’s very soothing for these times of need.

Classical Music for Winter

And now for something a bit more classical in nature.

Cozy, heartwarming, and uplifting pieces of classical music to enjoy in front of a crackling fireplace, as the snow gently falls outside your window…

Perfect to enjoy this winter and Christmas season! Relax and create a peaceful ambiance with some of the most beautiful classical music pieces inspired by this time of the year: from Vivaldi’s “Winter” concerto to Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”, this winter season is simply going to be magical!

Tracklist:
0:00:00 Away in a Manger
0:02:03 Away in a Manger
0:04:21 Quanno Nascete Ninno
0:06:44 Angels We Have Heard on High
0:09:17 The Lord’s Prayer
0:12:08 The First Noel
0:14:28 O Holy Night
0:18:31 Silent Night
0:23:02 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
0:25:25 Joy to the World
0:26:38 Ding Dong Merrily on High
0:28:35 Bell Carol / In Dulci Jubilo
0:32:02 O Shepherds, Leave Your Sheep
0:33:27 Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
0:35:49 The Carol of the Drum
Arr. for String Orchestra by Matt Naughtin
Metamorphose String Orchestra, Pavel Lyubomudrov

Litvinovsky – Suite for Strings “Le Grand Cahier”:
0:37:54 IV. Nos Etudes
0:40:39 I. La Forêt et la Rivière
0:43:28 Brahms – Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56a: I. Theme (Chorale St. Anthony)
0:45:35 Vivaldi (arr. Naughtin) – Concerto for Strings in G minor, RV 152: II. Andante molto e sempre pianissimo
0:47:54 Bach – Cantata, BWV 147: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
0:52:12 Bach – Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068: II. Air on the G String
0:58:01 Bach-Gounod – Ave Maria, CG 89a
1:02:45 Pachelbel – Canon and Gigue in D major, P. 37: I. Canon
Metamorphose String Orchestra, Pavel Lyubomudrov

Corelli – Concerto Grosso No. 10 in C Major, Op. 6:
1:07:20 I. Preludio. Largo
1:10:02 II. Allemanda. Allegro
1:13:10 III. Adagio
1:14:27 IV. Corrente
1:17:02 V. Allegro
1:20:03 VI. Minuetto

Corelli – Concerto Grosso No. 9 in F Major, Op. 6:
1:21:50 I. Preludio. Largo
1:23:57 II. Allemanda. Allegro
1:26:52 III. Corrente. Vivace
1:28:46 IV. Gavotta. Allegro
1:29:51 V. Adagio
1:31:06 VI. Minuetto
Kiev Chamber Orchestra, Liviu Buiuc

Vivaldi – The Four Seasons, Concerto No. 4 in F minor, RV 297 “Winter”:
1:33:05 I. Allegro non molto
1:36:21 II. Largo
1:38:19 III. Allegro

Metamorphose String Orchestra, Pavel Lyubomudrov

Violin: Yuliya Lebedenko

1:41:25 Carol of the Bells
1:43:14 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
1:46:27 God Rest You Merry Gentlemen

Arr. for String Orchestra by Matt Naughtin

Metamorphose String Orchestra, Pavel Lyubomudrov

1:48:22 Georges Bizet – L’Arlésienne Suite No. 2: IV. Farandole Tchaikovsky – The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a:
1:51:29 No. 2c, Russian Dance
1:52:35 No. 2f, Dance of the Mirlitons
1:55:06 No. 2a, March of the Toy Soldiers
Metamorphose String Orchestra, Pavel Lyubomudrov

1:57:33 Tchaikovsky – The Nutcracker, Op. 71a: 2b, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Arr. for Piano) Giovanni Umberto Battel

Anthony Aaron

Merry Christmas, one and all …

This is what I recall growing up in the ‘40s/’50s … Christmas music in the movies …

Bing Crosby – White Christmas

… and this from ‘The Bishop’s Wife

«O Sing To God» («The Bishop’s Wife», 1947)

Music by Charles Gounod

Words by Benjamin Webb (1819-1885)

Sung by The Robert Mitchell Boy Choir

From the movie ‘Toys’, with the late, great Robin Williams …

Toys : The Closing of The Year

Toys(1992) Opening.

Performed by Wendy & Lisa, Music by Trevor Horn & Hans Zimmer

… and even though we weren’t members of the LDS, my grandfather loved all of the music of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir … especially their Christmas presentations …

A Tradition of Christmas | The Tabernacle Choir

Music and the Spoken Word special “A Tradition of Christmas” with The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square.

1) Joy to the World
2) For Unto Us a Child Is Born, from Messiah
3) O Come, All Ye Faithful
4) Angels from the Realms of Glory
5) Silent Night
6) I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

… and this …

O Holy Night | The Tabernacle Choir

In the fall of 1847, a French wine merchant, Pierre Cappeau, was asked by his local priest to write a Christmas poem. Not long after, Cappeau showed this poem, “Minuit, chrétiens,” to the famed French composer Adolphe Adam, and within a few days Adam had composed a musical setting for it. Cappeau took the new song back to his home town of Roquemaure, where it was first performed at a midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, 1847.

The standard English translation, by the American Unitarian minister and music critic John Sullivan Dwight, dates from 1855. “O Holy Night” is one of the most dramatically beautiful Christmas carols ever penned but is unfortunately performed only rarely because of the melody’s extended range.

This resplendent arrangement by Mack Wilberg, originally written especially for The Tabernacle Choir and The King’s Singers, was published in 2009.

Carol of the Bells | The Tabernacle Choir

The Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra at Temple Square, Bells on Temple Square, and Band of the United States Air Force Reserve perform the “Carol of the Bells” by Mykola Leontovych arranged by Barlow Bradford.

From the luminous Lindsey Stirling … she just seems to love what she does …

O Holy Night

Angels We Have Heard On High

Carol of the Bells

Hallelujah

Enya … what I’ve always imagined an angel’s voice to sound like …

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Pentatonix … beautiful a cappella …

Little Drummer Boy

Carol of the Bells

12 Days of Christmas

O Come, All Ye Faithful

“The Prayer”

Happy Christmas (War Is Over)

John Lennon, Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono Band and the Harlem Community Choir

Carol of the Bells – LV Gospel Project

ellist HAUSER …

Carol of the Bells

Celtic Woman …

O Holy Night

O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)

Steve C.

Charlie Brown Christmas – TRUE MEANING

What is the true meaning of Christmas? As Charlie Brown screams out for someone to help him understand, Linus tells the simple story of Christmas and its true meaning through the words of the bible. Luke 2: 4-14:

The Andy Williams Show – It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I’ll start mine out with a classic from Andy Williams, a guy that I don’t have a single recording of, but he definitely had a great voice.

Alison Krauss & Union Station – “Silver Bells” – ABC’s Good Morning America (2004)

Bluegrass stars Alison Krauss & Union Station perform the Christmas song “Silver Bells” live on ABC’s Good Morning America in 2004.

MARY DID YOU KNOW – Kathy Mattea

Filmed in Austin, Texas, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band 1997 TV special to commemorate the release of their first Christmas album (aptly titled “The Christmas Album”). Special guests were Aaron Neville, Kathy Mattea, Nanci Griffith, the Austin Children’s Choir, and John McEuen.

George Strait-When it’s Christmas time in Texas(Lyrics Video)

What would Christmas music be without our very own George Strait.

Merry Christmas Strait To You

One more from George.

Celtic Woman – Silent Night

Celtic Woman – O Holy Night

Mariah Carey – All I Want for Christmas Is You (Make My Wish Come True Edition)

André Rieu & Mirusia – Ave Maria

This by far the best version of this song that I have ever found.

André Rieu, Mirusia and The Johann Strauss Orchestra performing Ave Maria live in Maastricht. Taken from the DVD “André Rieu Live in Maastricht 4, A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.

Lady Antebellum – Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Live: On This Winter’s Night (2015)

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus – The Petersens (LIVE)

We haven’t heard from these fine people in a while. So here they are again.

“Hallelujah, God is with us. Grace and truth and life He brings. Light of the world, our promised Messiah. Jesus Christ, the newborn King.”

Joy to the World – The Petersens (LIVE)

I think we can all agree the world needs a whole lot of joy right now!

Hope “Joy to the World” brings a smile to your face and reminds you: Joy to the world!

The Lord has come Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare Him room And heaven and nature sing.

The Man with the Bag – The Petersens (LIVE)

This song is for all the hardworking folks who put in extra hours this time of year delivering mail and packages all over the world. We are so grateful for you!

A Christmas Message from The Petersens

It’s easy to get caught up in the holiday parties, movies, crazy family, and gifts, but Christmas is so much more than that. It’s the celebration of our God choosing to come down and be with us. Julianne is reading a section from the Bible in Luke chapter 2.

Emmett arranged his version of “Mary, Did You Know?” on the dobro and it is one of the most beautiful things we have ever heard. Hope this video blesses you!

Merry Christmas,

Karen, Katie, Emmett, Matt, Ellen, and Julianne

The Carpenters Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) with Karen Carpenter (1977)

What would Christmas be without hearing from Karen Carpenter.

Program Name: The Carpenters at Christmas 1977

Karen Carpenter wears a silk green jumpsuit singing her version of Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire.

Original Airdate: Friday December 9, 1977 (ABC-TV)

The Carpenters – I’ll Be Home for Christmas

Another truly beautiful version of this somewhat sad Christmas song…

Written in 1943 by – Walter Kent and Kim Gannon

Originally written to honor soldiers overseas who longed to be home at Christmas time, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” has since gone on to become a Christmas standard.

The Carpenters Christmas

The whole album remastered.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

The perfect Christmas song by one of the great voices of Christmas songs.

Written in 1943 by – Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane

This is definitive version of this song.

The Next Three Are Classical Arrangements of Christmas Music.

They Are All About An Hour And A half Long So Just Sit Back And Let Them Warm Your Atmosphere…

Instrumental Christmas Carols | Relaxing Classical Music

A selection of traditional Christmas songs and heart-warming Christmas carols to help you get in the holiday spirit. These classic Christmas songs have been arranged for string orchestra to create a peaceful atmosphere whilst you get cozy in front of the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate.

We hope this playlist of relaxing instrumental Christmas music will keep you and your loved ones company during the most wonderful and magical time of the year! Our peaceful, soothing orchestral arrangements of the most famous and loved Christmas carols have been carefully selected to bring you comfort and joy this year.

Classical Music for Christmas

A selection of festive classical pieces, traditional Christmas music and classically re-imagined Christmas carols to help you get in the holiday spirit!

Classical Music for Christmas

Get into the holiday spirit for Christmas with this selection of carols arranged for orchestra, string quartet & cello.

Classic Christmas songs (including Jingle Bells, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! and Santa Claus Is Coming to Town) sit alongside some of the most beloved traditional Christmas carols (We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Joy to the World, Away in a Manger…) in this playlist, also featuring staples of the classical repertoire such as The Nutcracker. Instrumental & classical music will help you set the mood for gift wrapping (or opening!), putting up Christmas decorations, spending time with your loved ones these holidays, or cozying up under a warm blanket in front of a crackling fire.

Peaceful, uplifting and serene, these beautiful Christmas tunes are the perfect companion for a snowy winter night.

Christmas Jazz Music and Crackling Fireplace Ambience for a Peaceful Holiday

This one’s a jazz offering.

It’s twelve hours long so you can just set it and leave it while you go about your Christmas festivities with a crackling fireplace…

Merry Christmas everyone and have a Happy New Year.

The Classic Music Mafia – Adding some class to this joint one Sunday at a time.

Heaven help us…