Christmas Playlist 2012

A Christmas tradition we have in the Sanders family is to make a new mix of music each year, to play in our own house and to give to friends. We’ve posted the playlists here at Scriptorium (see four mixes and four more from previous years). Here’s the 2012 collection:

Folk Christmas Mix  We’re taking “folk” in a very wide sense, but we wanted a core of early American music, with a chance to reach back into the popular music of the middle ages in England and forward into shape-note and bluegrass. And a couple of polkas, why not? Some recurring motifs include: clacky and clappy percussion, songs with multiple internal changes of tempo (even some medleys), and now and then the kind of voices you won’t hear in the conservatory. Plus I wanted to put in as much William Billings (1746-1800) as I could, no matter what. BILLINGS!

1. He is Born! (St. Cuthbert’s Cow)

2. Sans Day Carol (Maddy Prior)

3. Bell Tower Polka (Albion Christmas Band)

4. Angelus ad Virginem (Blast from the Past)

5. Redemption (Early Music New York)

6. Shepherds Rejoice (Boston Camerata)

7. Urania (Barry Phillips and Friends)

8. Judea (A Virgin Unspotted) (Barry Phillips and Friends)

9. Emanuel for Christmas (Early Music New York)

10. Gloucestershire Wassail etc (Maggie Sansone & Ensemble Galilei)

11. Chicken Foot (Christmas Revels)

12. While Shepherds Watched (Spiers and Boden Duo)

13. On Christmas Night, Bring a Torch to the Irish Washerwoman (St. Cuthbert’s Cow)

14. Advent Polka /Saint Nick’s Brawl (Albion Christmas Band)

15. Judea (Early Music New York)

16. Jesus the Light of the World (Boston Camerata)

17. Mary Had a Baby (Phil Rosenthal)

18. Twelvth Eve (Early Music New York)

19. Watchman of Zion (Boston Camerata)

20. Shiloh (Tudor Choir)

21. Here Betwixt Ass and Oxen Mild (Maggie Sansone and Ensemble Galilei)

22. Höken (Olov Johansson)

23. Kingsbridge (Boston Camerata)

24. Shiloh (Shelly Phillips etc)

25. Cold and Raw (Early Music New York)

26. The Old Ewe Came to the Door A-Bleatin’ / Christmas Day In the Morning (Phil Rosenthal)

27. Breakin’ Up Christmas (Phil Rosenthal)

28. Ding Dong Merrily on High (Linda Russel)

29. Three Kings Making Tracks (St Cuthbert’s Cow)

30. Over the Water (Early Music New York)

31. While Shepherds Watched (Boston Camerata)

32. Sherburne (Boston Camerata)

33. While Shepherds Watched (Joel Mabus)